I Left My Heart in San Fransisco, No Wait, I Mean New York

While many may have dreams of sugar plums dancing in their heads this time of year, I have something far less fruity...though every bit as sweet! Those purple passions coated with Domino jackets and dancing their Macarana's ain't got nothing on the city that never sleeps. Though New York is straight up working the pole in my R.E.M.-cycled world, nearly three months after the trip of a lifetime. Well, the trip of a lifetime so far. New York, New York, the city so cool you have to say it twice. You may know it as the Big Apple. Gotham. The capital city of the Empire State. New York is far and away the coolest place I have ever been...and I've been to Brookside, Alabama!

The strangest thing of all is that the genesis of this journey was born out of the desire to see the New York Yankees. Yes, the Yankees, a team I typically despise. Though a great pilgrimage to the baseball Mecca had to be made. I grew up glued to t.v.'s that seemed glued to Yankee Stadium. I remember the pennant series against the Royals in 1977 (or was it 76? That year is the cut-off. I can't remember a thing, other than replays, of baseball pre 1977). I do remember the Bucky Dent home-run, 1978, which still kills me! I remember, yes the Yankees putting the knife in my heart during the 1996 world series against my beloved Braves, though not before Andruw Jones JACKED his first two world series at bats! And all the Jeter inspired magic, that spread over to Brett Boone in what, 2002? 2003? And all those Yankess v Red Sox classics, not the least of which is the 2004 pennant series! Go Sox!

2008 would be the last year for 'The House That Costanza, I Mean Ruth, Built'!
You see, I had to go.

The strange thing is that MA didn't have to go. She knows what a baseball looks like, and what I sound like when Bobby Cox cranks up his left finger for mining as his right hand directs the collapse of game after game for my Atlanta Braves. She doesnt, or never has, lived, breathed, bled baseball. Though she knows I did...and do. She is something else. Something else.

My mom came down to house and dog sit, or actually, provide a warm body around those two things. Our neighbor Mia would come and tend to the dogs, and check up on the mother. Admittedly, Farnsworth would turn out to be a bit of a challenge. Who would have thought that! The church knew we would be away. They seemed unsure of why we wanted to go to New York, of all places, though they did try to embrace it. Everything was cool. Off we went.

Next time: Late to bed, early to rise, to Delta's house we go!