The Imperfect Game

An unusual event occurred in Major League Baseball last night. A pitcher for the Detroit Tigers threw a perfect game, only to have the first base umpire obviously miss a call that would have been the 27th and final out. The Detroit pitcher, by this egregious turn of fortune, ironically has become a sports celebrity beyond what his achievement would have typically merited him.

Sometimes, a seemingly cruel twist of fate leads to a situation better than one could imagine. When my wife Amy and I were on our honeymoon in France, we looked forward to celebrating my birthday in Paris. However, such was not meant to be. A French rail strike completely paralyzed transportation throughout the country and within Paris. Accepting local advice, we booked a hotel in a town we'd never heard of. The destination turned out to be a medieval town off the beaten track. I can still vividly recall the town, its quiet sense of history, its maze-like streets echoing ancient ways.

It was a birthday to remember.