Many times I have tried not to let certain things bother me but the older I get, well, they tend to bother me more. It may just be my problem and I probably just need to get over them, but you know, they still bother me. The list of things that bother me may be totally different than the things that bother you, but I will begin with a small list of what really bothers me. I know, I know…first world problems, but this list could get interesting.
I cannot stand local numbers that show up on my phone that turn out to be telemarketers from India or Slovenia…I do not like being fooled thinking it may be someone I know when it is someone I cannot even understand who is definitely not calling me from Belzoni. Loud people who do not have hearing problems…they are just louder than everybody else because they are trying to get their point across to someone and they think loud makes it more right. 
I do not like watercress in anything; it is tasteless and just used as filler and its texture sort of gags me. I do not like mean people…who does really? (Please do not get me wrong; I do not write people off. I just do not like some of their actions and tend to stay away from them. I do not wish them ill-will and would buy them something to eat if they were hungry, but that does not mean I have to hang around them. I will feed them and tell them about Jesus, then I am gone).
When I am on the interstate and someone keeps passing me and slowing down so that I have to pass them 23 times before my exit, I do not like that nor do I understand that. I don’t like English peas, never have. I would rather just have the lemon ice box pie, no meringue…pronounced MA-RAIN. I am not scared of much, but I detest cockroaches. I will kill myself to get away from one.
I would really rather not be around a know-it-all. They never really know a whole lot about anything, but they might know a little about a lot of things. I am fine with what limited knowledge that I have and I do not want anything else crammed into my skull, especially if it is wrong or not entirely right. I would rather have brain surgery from a guy that knows where my frontal lobe is instead of where it might be. I do not like spiders, ticks or red bugs on me. However, they don’t bother me much when scurrying around somewhere other than on my skin. I do not like to hear folks complaining out loud about how badly his team (or player) is playing or the coach is coaching. That is just not my thing. What you say will make no difference in the outcome whatsoever.
You may know more than the coach or you probably can play better than the player, but whatever kept you from doing so needs to keep you from speaking out too, because you just look stupid to everybody around you. I am sure they are good people (mostly), but they can get carried away and need to realize that. Sure, scream and shout for your team, but leave the underhanded stuff for the ride back home and whoever may want to listen.
I love baseball, but I hate rainouts…they break my heart, seriously. You get all geeked up for the game to have it all come crashing down and rescheduled for another day when you cannot come.
I do not like the “woe is me” person. Who wants to constantly be a victim? Seems like he can find something positive to think about. For example: your child is not playing because he probably needs to work a little harder to get better or he just may not be cut out for 30-foot jumpers, 85 mph fastballs or stopping a 220-pound running back. That is all right because he will undoubtedly be successful at something else outside the white lines.
There are many things I do not like, such as ants, sticker bushes, yellow jackets, tornadoes, dropping food on my shirt, heartburn, dirt in my shoes, somebody else’s stinky feet and many other things that I will not delve into here in this column because that would get kind of ridiculous. Well, it already did, but I digress. May the weather keep getting warmer, the dirt drier and may the games begin. Now, I like that. Play Ball!!!
Stan Beall is the sports editor at The Star-Herald. He can be reached at sbeall@starherald.net
