Sox Thawts - Dreams Do Come True

October 2, 2009.... Fenway Park.... Boston, MA.... Capitol of Red Sox Nation

As I posted yesterday, I attended the game last night between the Red Sox and the Cleveland Indians. If you know me or have been following my blog you may have noticed that I'm a "bit" of a Red Sox fan.

First, I would like to thank my Red Sox-partner-in-crime, DeCAF, for having the "foresight" to purchase tickets to the last series of the season - AND for letting ME tag along... and for knowing how to use her camera phone !!!! (you'll see why)

As a lifelong fan and member of the Nation for 43 years, I certainly have a lot of Red Sox memories - good, bad and ugly.... meeting several players over the years including my boyhood idol, attending some 100 games including a no-hitter and game 5 of the ALCS last year (the Sox coming back from 7 runs down in the 7th inning to send the series back to Tampa Bay), heartbreaks in 1975 and 1986, Championships in 2004 and 2007, decades of emotional roller coasters.... to name a few

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. What I am about to share with you, I could never find words to describe.... suffice to say that as I was driving home trying to realize what had just transpired some 6 hours earlier, I felt a tear....

The dream started around 4:45 pm as we entered ... obviously through Gate C... Lansdowne St..

Initially we were hustled up many stairs to the top of....

... the infamous Green Monstah !!!

Not a bad start as this is a great spot to snap a picture

We then proceeded back down the stairs, waited for a bit and were herded onto the Fenway field along with thousands of others. The entire perimeter of the field was roped off and fans gathered along every inch of that rope, several deep. DeCAF and I dug our heels in here...

(who's that handsome devil and WTF is he DOING !?!?!? I could NOT resist)

The wait wasn't long but I still felt the need to entertain...

...myself, at least (ignore DeCAF's finger!!!)

THEN the parade started and the players circled the inside perimeter in both directions....

...stopping to shake hands and allow pictures with members of the Nation along the way

INCLUDING ME !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

.... with J.D. Drew, Kevin Youkalis, Clay Buchholz and BIG Papi, respectively !!!!

Admittedly, I was star struck to be able to shake hands, talk to and ultimately be photographed with some of our heros that we watch all summer on TV and from the seats at Fenway... UNTIL...... until I watched Big Papi make the rounds, and make it all seem real.

Big Papi was like a big kid on this FAN Appreciation night... and truly demonstrated HIS appreciation for the members of Red Sox Nation - jovially circling the corral, hugging everyone, snatching kids out of the crowd for pictures and even signing autographs when they weren't supposed to be allowed...

So, I would like to thank the Boston Red Sox baseball organization from top to bottom for granting this fan a night of a lifetime - a night more memorable than all of my 43 years of Red Sox memories combined... A DREAM COME TRUE NIGHT !!!

BUT.......... PLEASE don't tell the grounds keeper that I took a couple of handfuls of dirt from the warning track, it is VERY critical now as I have decided that when I die, I want to be cremated..... have my ashes mixed with "my" portion of the warning track..... and then be returned to where it all began.....

NOTE: none of the players were injured in the filming of this documentary

Oh, wait... was there a game after the Meet and Greet !?!?!?!?

Thanks for stopping in for a visit. It's just my opinion, so please PAHDON it. Y'all come back now, ya heah !! Nuf Ced