Travel Day two took us from Indianapolis to St Louis and the first activity on our agenda here was a St Louis Cardinals game. We arrived in town with plenty of time to make the 3:15 pm first pitch but still something didn’t go as planned.

If you’ve been following my posts you’ve probably already seen our tag along friend the pink flamingo. There’s a history with these flamingos at our house and it seems this one has decided to make itself a part of our family trip. Since she’s along for the ride we’ve decided to give her a name so she now goes by “Flo”.

Off we went to Busch Stadium, home of the St Louis Cardinals, to see a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. But Flo decided she needed to come too and she wound up causing a bit of a scene with security! Apparently, Flo’s banned from Busch Stadium.

We’re not exactly sure why she’s banned from the stadium but she is. The only explanation we were given is that it’s because she’s “hard plastic and hollow”. Besides being insulting to Flo that sounds like a bit of a smoke screen story to us.

We’re thinking it’s more likely the case the Cardinals are afraid of flamingos and don’t want them in their stadium on game days. The flamingo is a much taller bird, intimidating even? Maybe it’s the impressive, and larger beak that instills fear. Or maybe the Cardinals simply don’t play well with other birds.

What ever the case the message from management was clear. The security team had their orders and would not be swayed. Flamingos are not welcome at Busch Stadium! Flo was turned away at the gate, sent packing. Thanks to a nice driver, she spent her evening touring the city in the shuttle bus that’d brought us to the park. She hasn’t told us anything of what happened those hours during the game. Simply won’t speak of it at all.

For us, it was a great game. Extra innings and the home team taking the win with a heroic home run sealing the deal. I fear Flo will never forgive the Cardinals for the way she was treated though.

We leave St Louis in the morning…