January 8th - Fenway Park / Copperfield's / Pizzeria Uno

As I lied at the floor at Kenmore Station, immobile from the pain, I thought to myself "Where did I go wrong?"

For Christmas, my mom bought my dad two tickets to go see the outdoor college Hockey game at Fenway, BU v. BC. I have always liked college hockey, I even went to NYU hockey games at Chelsea Piers. Sure I would sit with a couple of my frat brothers drinking out of Cutty Sark bottle screaming taunts at the opposing team, but I thought it was cool. In real college hockey I have always cheered for BC. My dad is a huge BC fan and since the hockey is in Hockey East, my hatred of BC for going to ACC does not apply to the Eagles hockey team.

Of course, loving BC hockey means hating BU hockey. And I despise BU hockey which instantly puts me at odds with anyone who attended BU. You see, BU really only has one sports team, and that is hockey. All their other programs are middling D1 programs but Hockey, they are always ranked. That makes BU hockey fans more adamant then the most annoying Yankee fan. Basically Hockey is all they have. They have clutch on to it like tapeworm clings to an intestine for dear life.

I grabbed a book (Bourne Supremacy) and jumped on the 2:30 Bolt Bus to Boston. The ride was pretty good (would have enjoyed bringing my computer) as I sat and read. I even dosed off for a bit however I woke up awkwardly snuggled to the Asian girl sitting next me. That wasn't the last time this weekend I woke up curdled up awkwardly with someone. I made it to South Station about a half hour later than I anticipated and decided not to play with the green line in the offseason and I just grabbed a cab.

First five minutes of watching a hockey game outside in a snowstorm is awesome. We sat really close to the ice. The BU band was right near us. It was an awesome environment. Then about the beginning of the second period, my toes got numb. It was hellaciously cold and Fenway with its ruthless efficiency knew this. End result Hot Chocolate and Coffee = $8.75. Debating a bit I decided to buy the cheaper Bud Light though if Fenway was offering Irish Coffee or the such I would have probably went as deep as 12 dollars a cup. It was really awesome actually seeing the slush on the beer tap from the beer freezing and was curious about how much a beer slushy would rock in the summer.

The game went on. Of course, BC Hockey did everythign in its power to let the lesser BU Terriers win. BC made sure to pass the puck whenever humanly possible therefore to ruin every single scoring chance it had. Maybe all the power plays wouldn't have been killed, if they thought about taking a shot.

After the game, my dad and I went to Copperfield's. His ex girlfriend's niece was the bartender and we got a round of Harpoon IPA w/ a shot of Jameson. That helped me thaw out a bit. We sat around discussing Beltre and other Sox stuff. Talked about how cool it was to see a hockey game in Fenway now that we were warm inside. We got a second round of Harpoon IPA w/ a shot of Jameson then headed over the Pizzeria Uno for some food.

After having a decent burger and a third Harpoon IPA at Pizzeria Uno, my dad and I shuffled across the street to Kenmore Sq. As we started to wait for the Green Line, I realized I left my book the Bourne Supremacy at the Pizzeria Uno as well as my precious journal. I told my dad I would be right back and sprinted up the stairs like a fat kid chasing an ice cream truck.

I picked up the books and started to make way back. From the top of the station stairs I could hear the train coming in. I bolted down the stairs as fast as I could when I reached the ticket platform. Not paying attention to the sandy slush beneath me, I endeavored faster and further until I got close to the ticket kiosk. There I tried to plant a foot when I realized the folly of my ways. As I boldly streaked across the station I did not realize who little traction my shoes had. As easily as I bounced down the stairs my legs kicked up above my head as I flipped.

I think it was just before I hit the ground I felt a certain sympathy for Charlie Brown. Just as he would flip after Lucy pulled that damnable football away I too was airborne. I vowed if I ever found myself in a Schultz comic I would give Lucy one upside the head and nod to Charlie Brown in a gesture of solidarity. Just as I finished with this mental pack with a fictional character I realized my butt and elbow were screaming in pain. I was lying limp on the ground with a newly formed crowd gawking at my clumsy self destruction. I moved slowly until someone suggested calling an ambulance. At that point I shot up, quickly gathered my things, and quasimoto'd my down the stairs to which my dad just shook his head and said "what now?" Clearly 25 years of raising me has left my dad unsurprised at my self crippling. We grabbed the train and continued the trip back to RI.