My Kids Do Love the Red Sox

I have been a Red Sox fan for almost 40 years. I remember where I was when the ball slipped through Bill Buckner’s legs during Game 6 of the 1986 World Series, I get chills when I see the Citgo sign, I know all the words to Sweet Caroline and I screamed when the curse was lifted in 2004. I was fortunate to go to college in Boston, spending many afternoons and evenings in certain famous bleachers eating Fenway Franks. On a breezy night, with my dorm room window open, I could even hear an inning or two being announced from Fenway Park.

Fast forward quite a bit. Now I am raising two Red Sox fans (7 and 3 ½) in Huntersville, North Carolina. They both have Red Sox shirts, hats, lunchboxes and foam beards, thanks to Grandma and Grandpa. Tyler also has a jacket, blanket and bag. Molly has a dress and actual dirt from Fenway Park. Of course in the past couple of weeks, bed times have been relaxed a tad in our house when the Red Sox are on TV.

We were lucky enough to take the kids to Fenway Park in June. I will never forget the wonder in their eyes or the eyes of their grandparents when our team took the field. It was pretty cool to have three generations together in Fenway Park.

With all this said, there have been two times so far this season, when I have had to shake my head at Tyler and Molly and ask them what they were thinking.

Before taking Tyler to faith formation this week, I asked him to change his clothes while I made him something to eat. I was on the phone with his dad, when he entered the kitchen, spread his arms open and said, “Well, how do I look?” I yelled, “Are you kidding me?” while almost dropping the phone. He had a Cardinals shirt on. One day before the first game of the World Serious (as he calls it) and he’s wearing a Cardinals shirt! He said, “What, you don’t like the color?” I said, “The color isn’t the problem,” as I quickly explained to Todd what the commotion was. Todd said, “Make him take it off, he is jinxing Big Pappi!” Tyler is a cooperative boy, so he took it off, ate his dinner and let me pick out another shirt for him. He said nothing else, but kept a smirk on his face.

Now, let’s go back to the game against the Los Angeles Angels. We had great seats on the third baseline and the crowd was friendly, just as you would expect. Molly had her new tie-dyed Red Sox shirt on and a pink Red Sox hat (the only think pink she owns). Her curly hair was flowing in the wind and her smile was contagious. She loved Fenway Park and was making friends with the people around her, taking peanuts from the guy behind her and high-fiving the guy next to her. Then the unthinkable happened. She stood up, looked around to make sure she had everyone’s attention and yelled, “Let’s go Yankees!” I am pretty sure Fenway Park came to a standstill or at least our section of seats. Did my three year-old just say the “Y word” in Fenway Park? Luckily she started to laugh, breaking the tension. She sat down, with a smile on her face and said, “I mean, let’s go Red Sox!”

I am sorry Red Sox. My kids love you, but they also love keeping us on our toes and making us laugh. They really weren’t jinxing you and they hope to visit Fenway Park again next summer! They are even hosting a World Series party Saturday night.

True confession of the day: My kids have discovered the gift of sarcasm at a young age.