ON SPORTS ~ Honeymoon...

OVAH THE MONSTAH

Honeymoon:

where previously Molly juggled Sox playoff viewing with a friend's wedding reception

If ever there was a time for the Sox not meeting their potential in an October, it was 2002. This was when Andy became my husband. At our wedding shower in August my Mom had taken a standard Sox baseball cap and fashioned it with a veil off the back and glittery beads around the B on the front and on the bill. I had a running bet with my Mom that I could wear this cap during my wedding if the Sox were in the playoffs by the time of our wedding – Columbus Day Weekend.

The site of our wedding and reception did not have a TV. Had the Sox been in the playoffs we would have rolled in multiple TV’s for the occasion – however, the Sox kindly obliged that year by taking themselves out of the playoffs completely and causing my bedazzled hat to be set aside. When we made our entrance as husband and wife for the first time, our introduction music was “Take Me Out To The Ballgame.” Eternal optimism in October – I would force this on my husband regardless!

We honeymooned in Hawaii – where sports are televised in the most ungodly morning hours. Bars advertise opening at 6AM for 7AM Sunday football kickoff’s. The baseball playoffs were on at 2:00 in the afternoon. We wound down some of our afternoons by catching the end of baseball playoff games on TV at the hotel beach bar. I thank God that the Sox were not involved in that particular October, or else we never would have seen all the beauty that is the Hawaiian Islands.

We chopped up our return flight from Hawaii to Boston by spending several days in CA. We flew in to San Francisco and drove to Marin County. From there we took a long drive south on Route 1 to Hearst Castle and back. We spent the last night of our honeymoon just outside of San Fran staying with a Boston friend of ours transplanted in the Bay Area.

This final night of our honeymoon was Game 6 of the World Series between the Anaheim Angels at the San Francisco Giants. We watched the game at our friend’s house in the outskirts of San Fran. There was a huge die-hard Giants fan in attendance. I was rooting for the Angels as I had seen their scrappiness all along and felt that they could always come back to victory. Giants Fan was completely silent throughout the evening – totally focused on the game – as the Giants squandered their lead to the Angels.

Andy was completely looking forward to hitting San Francisco after a Giants victory – for once he would be in the city of a World Series Champion when they won it all! But bad Red Sox post season karma traveled with us and the pesky Angels I was rooting for overtook Barry Bonds and his Giants’ team. My new husband wondered aloud what exactly it was about World Series Game 6’s anyway and his perceived bad luck with them. Giants Fan was completely dejected – although not an overall different look on his face than he had worn when the Giants had the game and World Series victory in it's grasp earlier that evening. He looked like a Sox fan, and my affinity to him was strong.

Our host opted to hit the town anyway – not into San Fran but to his local neighborhood bar instead, where a cheesy yet awesome cover band was playing, and Halloween costumes were prevalent. Giants Fan could not bring himself to experience the slightest joy that evening so we parted ways. We joined our host and one of his friends from the party at the watering hole with glee – we were Newlyweds after all, celebrating the last night of our 2 week vacation. As much sympathy as we had for Giants Fan, for once it wasn’t OUR team’s failure and shortcomings. We had a tremendous time dancing and singing and drinking and ended our honeymoon in grand style with friends.

We were greeted the next early morning with a home-cooked breakfast by our host and then scooted off to the airport for our flight home. We were picked up by my new in-laws who drove us home in time to tune in to the end of Game 7 of the World Series. Those Angels beat Dusty Baker’s Giants and brought the trophy home to Disney Land and the Autry family. I was happy for former catcher turned manager, Mike Scioscia, but knew that Giants Fan was experiencing the loss Sox fans had endured for quite some time. Bittersweet.

next week, BOONE, which Molly doesn't even really want to think about...