To Break the Curse
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I sat quietly, my head resting on my hands, in the backseat of my fathers mini van. I looked down at my shoes. A huge hole in the toe and a few dirt stains glared at me. I looked over to Christina Lorelli. Her shoes were pure and white. They sparkled with the passing streetlights that lined the darkening road. I had been in this position many times before. The year was 2004 and the Red Sox, once again, had made it all the way to the playoffs. Too bad they hadnt won the World Series in 86 years.
Ever since I was a little girl, I had been exposed to Americas past time more so than other little girls. While the other little girls were watching shows about fairy princesses and talking turtles, I was watching the Boston Red Sox.
My parents, being natives of Massachusetts, had always been huge Red Sox fans. My father, his father, and probably his father before him, were all freakishly obsessed with their states team. The Red Sox werent just a baseball team; they were a member of the family. My family used the Red Sox to separate themselves from the world of computer crashes and car insurance and were able to indulge in a simple game; a simple game that defined the rivalry between our family and the Lorelli family.
My story can start as far back as the year 1920, when the coach of Boston at the time, Harry Frazee, sold George Herman Ruth (Babe Ruth), to the New York Yankees. This marked the beginning of two things. One was the reign of the New York Yankees, who, prior to obtaining Ruth, had never won a World Series and after happily welcoming Ruth to their team, won a total of 26 World Series titles. The other is the beginning of the Curse of the Great Bambino. The Red Sox, after trading Ruth and winning four World Series titles, never won another title, most of the time losing in the seventh game of the series.
As a child, I remember asking, “Dad, why do we still lose? Babe Ruth doesnt play with the Yankees anymore either. Why cant we win?”
“We can win. This could be our year. This could be it.”
“Isnt that what you said last year?”
The car slowly pulled into the Lorellis driveway. The radio began to buzz with static and the announcers voice faded into it. Christina got out of the car.
“Thank you so much, Mr. Johnson.”
“Youre welcome.”
“Bye Lucy. I hope the Cardinals dont beat the Red Sox too bad.” She shined a sinister smile in my direction, her braces gleaming in the moonlight.
Her family were all New York Yankee fans, and after the Red Sox beat them to go to the World Series, they hard resorted to cheering for the next closest rival to Boston, the Cardinals, who were fighting for the same prize as the Red Sox.
“Okay, Christina. Well see about that.”
The Lorelli family, in all of their rich glory, rubbed the Yankee victory in our faces every year, and every year, there was nothing we could defend ourselves with except for, “Just wait until next year.”
And when the next year would come, the Red Sox would have a good lead, but the Yankees would come back somehow in an incredible turnaround, and end up beating our beloved Sox in the seventh game of the World Series.
A few minutes after we pulled away from the Lorelli residence, the game six announcer exclaimed that the Red Sox had won the game 4 to 1. My dad, in excitement, pounded on the steering wheel.
“Yes! Lucy, didnt I tell you this would be the year? Bring it on, game seven!”
Although I too felt excitement from the win, I couldnt help but to remember the past. We would scream and cheer and hope that our team could hear us through the television or radio. We would jump up and down at every moment that gave us even the slightest bit of hope for victory, but we wouldnt win. Our team would go back to their dugouts and try to forget about their mistakes and learn from them and come back the next year. It was a never ending cycle of practice, win, and defeat.
We finally got home and entered the dark house. My mother had fallen asleep on the couch to the game. I wearily walked up the stairs to my bedroom and rested on the soft comforter. All of the sudden, the telephone rang. Startled, I sprung to my feet. My dad answered the phone and I ran down the stairs so see who it was.
“Yes! I agree! Tomorrow night, then. Be here around six so that you can have dinner here. Well probably just order a pizza.” There was a pause. “Sure, bring Christina along. Im sure Lucy would appreciate hanging out with her instead of all of us adults.”
He hung up the phone and I asked, “Dad, who was that? You didnt just invite the Lorellis over did you?”
“Actually I did.”
My cheeks began to burn and I exclaimed, “But dad, I dont want them to come. Christina will just rub it in my face when the Cardinals win.”
My father lowered his head and voice. “First of all, the Cardinals will not win. I truly believe that. Second of all, I know the Lorellis can sometimes come off a little strong when if comes to baseball, but it is just a friendly rivalry. Its nothing to get upset over.”
I looked at him with a blank stare.
“I guess.”
I looked up at the clock. It read, “4:59”. The Lorellis were probably on their way. I realized that this day could either make me or break me, and I wasnt sure if I could handle being broken. All I could do now is wait.
I thought about the Red Sox. All they could do now is wait, too. Theyd