The Ryan Express

I keep thinking that Jesus is gonna be like Nolan Ryan. Here is what I mean:

I followed Nolan Ryan, my whole life. The first baseball card I owned was a Nolan Ryan card and to this day, I still browse eBay looking for a deal on his rookie card. I knew stats (5,714 strike outs, 7 no-hitters, 12 1-hitters) , I knew dates (May 1, 1991 - 7th no hitter I was there!) I knew his opponents (struck out Rickey Henderson for 5,000 strikeout, Roberto Alomar for 7th no-hitter, and who can forget Robin Ventura). I knew so much about Nolan Ryan's career that I just assumed he knew me! And when I finally met him, in my hyper-nervous state, we shooked hands, looked each other in the eye, exchanged pleasantries, and he didn't recognize me.

That may not sound like such a big deal, but I think there is something about the eyes. Dwight K. Shrute calls the eyes the "groin of the head" but I think there is more to it than even that. I can see it it my son's eyes, when he recognizes me.

I tell my story about meeting Nolan Ryan and the common responses are "I'd love to meet him!", "He was one of my heroes growing up.", "I followed him my whole life." And now I can't help but relate to the misconception of who that rehearsed and fantasized introduction to my childhood hero would go. In my head, it went something like this:
"Hello Mr. Ryan, my name is Matt McBryde and this is my son Mark."
"Hello, Matt. It is nice to finally meet you. I have really enjoyed your support over the years. I thought that was you sitting in the left-field bleachers on my 7th no-hitter. Did I also happen to see you at the game where they retired my jersey? That's funny how you kept a folded up copy of my baseball card in your pocket!"
Needless to say, it didn't got like that. Mr. Ryan was incredibly nice and easy to talk to and was eager to meet us. Which brings me to another question: How do you talk to someone you have followed or cheered for your whole life without sounding like a stalker?! I was knee-deep in that fight...

I can't yet wrap my mind around the notion that Jesus will recognize me.

"Hi, Matt. I have really been looking forward to this! I have really enjoyed your support over the years. I was glad to see you at Fortress and in the Dominican Republic and Honduras, thanks for working with those teens and their parents. Thanks for loving your wife and your son and that's funny how Skeet helps himself to a bone when you aren't looking! I've been waiting my whole life to hang out with you.