Singing the Blues

OMG OMG OMG OMG! IT.IS.HAPPENING!

Okay, so non-sports fans won't care about my excitement but the rest of you can raise a Budweiser my way. 

The Cubs are in the World Series. The Cubs. The Chicago Cubs. Pinch me. The Cubs are in the World Series.

For those of you who jumped on the bandwagon more recently than not--you do not understand. Yes, you are Cub fans. But, lifelong Cub fans understand the pain, the angst, the agony. You are welcome in the Friendly Confines but unless you have lived through at least 25 "wait until next year" seasons, you're a rookie. Ah well, ya gotta start somewhere.
  
If you are going to the game, PLEASE do me a huge favor: do NOT put ketchup on your hot dog. It is just plain wrong. Chicagoans know that ketchup belongs on fries or some other place--not on a hot dog. I will ignore my one Cub Fan friend who uses ketchup (her hotdog pictured here, with her face cut out of the photo to save her from humiliation) and I only ignore her blasphemous behavior because she has been a Cubs fan since she shot out of the womb.  Ketchup. Sheesh.

I have few words this morning as I'm still in disbelief. If it were not for Facebook, I might doubt this is actually happening. Alas, my Chicago friends assure me it is true. My news-feed is blowing up in Cubbie Blue.

Although I am basking in the glow of this moment, there is one person I wish could see this. I know this series will be very bittersweet for his family. As I watch the games, I will think of him. Oh, how he would love this moment.

To Brian, who did not live to see this moment but was the truest Cub fan on the planet: this series is for you. To his family, who attended an astounding number of games with him: this one is for Brian, which is thus for you, too.

I know I will soon write of other things besides baseball but on this chilly October morning, I honor a team, I honor a man, I honor a family.

Holy Cow, Brian! The Cubs are in the World Series.  And for today, that is enough.   :-D
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