The Red Sox had not won a World Series from 1918 to 2003. They did in 2004 (Cool fun factoid - in 2005 a movie called Fever Pitch was made and it starred Jimmy Fallon and Drew Barrymore in a story of these two Bostonians falling in love during the pennant race of 2004. The script had called for the Red Sox to be beaten out by the NY Yankees, because, well, that's what happens. Alas the Sox shocked the movie producers [and everyone else] by winning. So they changed the script and followed the team to St.Louis to win the series in four games. Here's the fun fact - Jackie and I are in the movie, well, our voices are. On a day we went to Fenway was one of the first days of shooting, Opening day re-enacted. Big Old Glory on the Monster in left, bands, and throwing our the first pitch, Stephen King. So that cheering of 30000 fans includes my wife and me).
When the Sox grabbed the title in 2004, they had a parade in Boston with the players, families and staff of the Red Sox rolled through Beantown on Duckmobiles like this:
They bring you to historic and interesting parts of town, and then hit the water so you can see the skyline of the city. We've done it a number of times, but oddly not in Boston. (Another odd thing - we had duck boats in Albany until a few years back, and whenever the boats would go by the welfare office where I worked, the host/hostess on the boat would have the tourists look to the other side of the street, and shun the building where all the poor people went to get help.)
So anyway, there was the 2004 championship duck boat parade and Jackie and I rose up at about 4:30 AM, and got on a local bus charter and made it to Boston to see the parade and revel with everyone.
We enjoyed the time hitting pubs and having a great lunch while watching the duck boats splash in the Charles River, and the Sox players waving the Championship trophy. My wife has always told me it was one of her favorite days, ever.
And the real reason we could go? The parade was held on Saturday. We couldn't do anything about the 2007 World Series win because they clinched on a Sunday, and the parade was Tuesday or Wednesday. Nope. Still working.
So here it was again, our big chance. I called and got reservations for the trip to Boston on 11/2/13. I told Jackie, who was pleased and raring to go. Until Friday. That was when the slight cold she'd had had erupted into a very bad cold. Immediately I got buyer's remorse. In '04, we could trail the team, following the Ducks, and running all the ups and down of Boston hills. Hills, there are hills in Boston. Get up at 4:00 AM? No.
That bird has flown the coop and slammed into a brick wall. I called and canceled, and even verified it with the bus driver when he called me at 5:00 AM Saturday from the bus to ask if we were coming. We watched on MLB.tv.
Next month we've got a bus trip to Radio City. We leave later and cannot stir too much as we have the show in the middle of the day, so limited walking.
My wife said "We have to put a little more thought into these trips." I must agree. I could get around Disney World well enough because there was no time limitations. There's always another bus, and Space Mountain won't fall to dust. Relax. Missed the parade? OK, we'll do it again in a few hours.
Long trips with a lot of driving are just out, the agreement being that I'll do the beginning and the end, and Jackie does the middle. We adjust.
But so help me (deity), if the Mets ever win the World Series again, I demand they thaw my body out at the cryogen stasis lab and plop me in a wheel chair, so I can see one more. For now.....
And in memory.......
