They're holding the Little League state tournament in our community this week. Now, Little League is foreign to us. Never had a son involved, never been to a game. Never played in it myself. But when they came to our youth group and asked us to present the Colors at their opening ceremony, we said 'yes.' (Well, actually Mr. Volunteer did.)

'Course, there was one hang-up.

Ceremonies were "sometime" after four o'clock on Saturday. Depending upon when the afternoon games wrapped up. Nearly all our youth group was out of state at summer camp, until Saturday. Perhaps they would be back in time, perhaps not.

Yes, youngest son was in town, as was wife's godson, but they were both working that afternoon. One other member was at a church camp, and might make it back in time.

Oh, and they needed a flag. Didn't have one of their own. No problem. Even got a pole for it.

So the wife and I left the auction early, a little before 3:30, and headed for the ballfields, not knowing what or who to expect. And were pleasantly surprised to find Mr. Volunteer there, on the job. Half the group came back last night. Unfortunately, that still didn't provide any boys for the flag ceremony he volunteered us for, since the ones who came back with him were at that moment in LEM's town for another baseball tournament. (No, I don't know who LEM is. Go read her archives if you want to find out.) And the other half failed to show. Or answer their cell phone.

So we find the organizer of this ceremony, and advise him we may be a no-show.

That's okay, they'll just use the local baseball team. He's just hoping we brought a flag. Which we did. While heading to the parking lot to retrieve it, we encounter our lone youth member from church camp, ready to do his duty.

I hustle back to the organizer, and tell him we have one in uniform. Okay by him. Then back to the parking lot. To find youth member gone.

Wife sent him home. He didn't want to be alone on the diamond, and his family had other stuff to do that afternoon, so they left.

Leaving me to go back to the organizer, and tell him once again we have no one to help him. So he could approach the local team yet again and ask for their assistance.

Talk about feeling like a fool. And we tout ourselves for being organized...

Now, we could easily have carried the tri-folded flag and pole to the announcer's booth. But we didn't. Adjusted the clips on the 8' pole and hooked that flag up there in the parking lot. And walked it, flapping over my shoulder, all the way past the concession stand and two ballfields, through masses of teams and parents, to the announcer's booth.

One woman whipped out her camera and took a snapshot.

Two really small girls came to attention as we passed. No one else did, but I suspect they would not be expected to.

Then we hung around the pizza stand manned by youngest son's boss, eating cinnamon sticks and helping her duct tape her stand back together.

Wouldn't be baseball without rain, so I had to slide myself and the draped flag under a tent with some out-of-town team parents. Wife stayed out to enjoy the few drops that fell. Noticed they had used these tents in our country before. Fifty-pound bags of sand tied to each of the six poles. Three hundred pounds of sand might be enough to keep it on the ground if the wind picks up.

Got to watch a foul ball go up and over the backstop, over the slope to hit the sidewalk opposite our tent, and then bounce completely over our tent, only to be caught barehanded by a father on the other side.

Flag ceremony went without a hitch. Included the Star Spangled Banner sung by a local high schooler with a powerful voice. She had no trouble at all with the high notes (although a few low ones were beyond her range).

We left as soon as the flag ceremony was over. Not sure if they went back to baseball, or other activities.

Did we fold the flag there, or walk it back to the parking lot?

You know the answer to that one.