April 5: Cold

• Arizona ------ 4
• Washington -- 3

Weather in Washington is a tease. A long weekend of 70 degree days lead us to believe that spring is here, then we get suckerpunched with a cold snap.

Three days ago it was sunny and in the 80's, but last night it was if winter had returned. Cold air had moved into the area and swirled around RFK stadium, forcing the crowd to huddle under blankets and parkas, and to offer muted applause from mittened hands. The sport seemed out of season, as if everyone was watching a pickup game, with a less-than-pickup game crowd. The attendance was a record-low for the Nats in DC: 16,017 shivering people suffering through another loss.

Games like this are no good for money. I sold only two cases of beer and about the same in peanuts and Crackerjack. But I've learned to enjoy them for the change of pace; I'm not at all concerned with making every possible sale and ringing up a high total, so I can instead jaw with the people a little bit. Tonight's topic of conversation was: "Aren't you cold?" Everyone was mumbling out this muffled question to me through face wrappings. I hadn't considered weather at all, and was in my summer uniform of black shorts and light, short-sleeved jersey.

"Not at all," I'd say, and ask: "Why are you so cold?"

And I actually wasn't feeling it. They were cold because they were in place, and I wasn't because I kept moving. Blood flow mostly beats clothing for keeping one warm, even when it's below 40 degrees. Sales were what cooled me off: I'd stop running, and have to touch a couple of cold beer cans with bare fingers, which is a reminder that aluminum transmits cold much better than plastic bottles, and is another reason to rue the switch away from bottles.

"Come with me," I said. "Grab a case and join me in vending! You'll warm up in no time!" But I had no takers. They stayed in place, preferring to watch another loss by the home team and freeze their tucchuses off through the night.