I'm pulling into the Jack in the Box drive-thru in 105-degree Arlington Texas. I'm fiddling with the radio, when I hear the man with the "announcer's voice" saying:

"And he stole your heart with those steely blue eyes."

It's my second day in this town, so I know what's coming -- it's a ticket-sales pitch to come out and see Cal Ripken on his last visit to The Ballpark in Arlington.

Instead of thinking "that's nice," or "that's classy," all I'm thinking is, "this is what you do when you're in last place and have tickets to sell -- you do the "Cal Farewell Tour."

I guess I should feel guilty. I mean, I have loved watching Cal play. But you tell me: it's July -- isn't this thing going to get awfully old by September?

On Tuesday, they gave Cal a locker forever in the visitor's clubhouse here.

Why?

Well, because Cal Ripken Sr. apparently coached a minor league season here in Arlington back in the day, and Cal Jr. remembered getting a really bad case of poison ivy that summer.

On Wednesday, Cal got a pinch-hit single in the first game of a double-dogdays-header, with two outs and no one on in the ninth -- and he got a standing ovation. Cal got a few more standing O's in the finale.

But that's not all -- Thursday is the "ceremony."

And then it's on to Anaheim, where there's going to be a Cal parade at Disneyland.

Having devoured my burger and fries (and having smeared ketchup on my shirt and spilled lemonade on my notebook), my mood is not getting better. Here it comes again.

"He played with and against his brother Bill here."

"He hit for the cycle here."

"And he stole your heart with those steely blue eyes."

Like it or not, the Farewell Tour has begun. Catch it soon at a ballpark near you.

Jeff Bradley is a senior writer for ESPN The Magazine. E-mail him at jeff.bradley@espnmag.com.