Miles from Fenway: A Crazy Christmas Story

It started out innocently enough. A good morning here and there. A how are you thrown in for effect. He was one of the things I loved about my neighborhood. Or really, he was the embodiment of what I loved about my neighborhood. Friendly, affable, not at all the stereotypical New York asshole.

One day I walked by with my Sox hat on. He immediately made a comment.

"Uh oh, a Sox fan in Brooklyn?" Upon seeing my defenses go up, he broke into the wide smile I had come to know and laughed about our shared hatred of the Yankees. It seems he was a Mets fan.

Well me being me, that of course meant that from that point forward, Jose and I needed to talk sports every morning. I'd mention something I heard on Mike and Mike, he'd counter with something he'd read in the Post. This went on for months.

And then, early this week, he stopped me. "I've got something for you, be sure to stop by tonight and pick it up." Befuddled, I smiled, said OK, and walked away. And then proceeded to forget to pick it up for three straight days.

Not tonight though. No, tonight I was going to get whatever was coming to me. I assumed holiday card. MAYBE a small trinket. I mean, hell, Jose and I only exchange a few words a day, as I am juggling my purse, my cigarette, and my coffee on my way to the subway. Besides, he's not even the super of MY building. He's the super of a building on my street. What in the hell could he have for me to pick up other than some tiny "Happy Holidays" kind of thing?

Oh, it was so much more than that. As I walked into the lobby of the building, the old man with the gold tooth who watches the door at night smiled and shook his head. "This has been waiting for you!" And out from behind the desk he brings a HUGE pink bag, filled with a large gift box. He proceeds to give me a big hug, wish me a happy new year, and send me on my way, nearly running to my apartment and laughing the whole way. What in the hell had Jose done?

He'd bought me a Red Sox jersey.

Yes, you read that right. A Red Sox jersey. The super. Of a building I don't even live in.

Here's a picture of it. I've actually never seen a jersey like it. (picture taken off of an ebay posting ... it was all I could find).

I've been laughing ever since. I mean, you can't make this shit up, right? I used to joke that men didn't buy me drinks in bars (they don't). This is WAY better. Barnard Boy better watch out, Jose seems to be gunning for his position! ;)

Labels: misc., Red Sox, sports

posted by FINY @ Thursday, December 28, 2006

4 Comments:

At 12/29/2006, Esther said…

That's so awesome. It's great that there are still people around who do stuff like that. Especially when you get Red Sox jerseys out of it :-).
At 12/29/2006, kate.d. said…

funny! i also got a red sox shirt for xmas, but it was from my family - matsuzaka, hot off the presses :)

odd thing about the ebay pic (which i know is not yours)...i think the hats are actually old white sox logos from the 80s.
At 12/30/2006, Anonymous said…

Very nice FINY.

Hope your Holidays went well considering the circumstances, and here's to a wonderful new year.
At 12/31/2006, Ari said…

That is just an awesome story, and people say new yorkers aren't friendly. MY arse on that.

Happy new Year.