The Stop: Stadium StationThe Vibe: The Sounders don’t take the field for

The Stop: Stadium StationThe Vibe: The Sounders don’t take the field for another four hours on this sunny Sunday afternoon. Later in the day, dozens of people in bright green jerseys and scarves will pack the light rail cars on their way to Qwest. But for now its still sparse. A few diehard fans mill outside the gates, hoping for a glimpse of the players. The serious alcoholics are already into their third pitcher at the Elysian and may or may not make it to Qwest at game time. All along Occidental Ave. S., the street connecting the two stadiums, hot dog and gyro vendors are setting up the grills. But none are yet ready to feed this hungry rail rider. It’s starting to look grim until an elderly man in a Mariner Moose hat shouts at me from his folding chair: “peeeanuuuts!”The Cafe: He doesn’t really run a cafe in the technical sense. But if you’ve ever been to a game at Safeco or Qwest, you’ve seen, or at least heard, Huong Ok Kim. He stands outside one of the many folding tables under tents that line Occidental, a bag in each hand, and shouts “peanuts” over and over.Rain or shine, winning streak or six-game skid, Kim sells his peanuts to fans at a fraction of the prices you’ll find inside: $3 a bag. Apparently, “peanuts” is one of the few English words Kim knows. I ask him how long he’s been there and he replies “one.” I know that’s not right, since I’ve been buying peanuts off him for at least three dismal Mariners’ seasons. I also ask which team–Mariners, Seahawks, or Sounders–is his favorite. He points to his hat “made in U.S.A.” But the language barrier only matters if you’re stopping by Kim’s stand hours before the clock starts running hoping to make small talk, as I am. In a few hours, fans will be streaming past, planning to stop for only a few seconds to buy food on the way inside. Kim will make sure that all of them know exactly what he’s there to sell: “peeeanuuuts!”