Met Toots today at a sports bar to watch the Brazil and Croatia game. He took the day off work because too many good games were on today and he was literally going to get sick at the thought of missing them! I work the mornings this week and so have the afternoons off, giving me the chance to catch most of the games.


Astoria in Queens had World Cup fever. The Croatians had their own bars, the Brazilians mingled everywhere. It wasn't a particularly exciting game, but when Brazil won Astoria EXPLODED! Cars honking, people screaming, flags flying everywhere! After the match ended we walked back to his house and nearly passed a Croatian bar. The fans were standing outside, a bit morose, and I was TERRIFIED to walk in front of them because this is what I was wearing:

So I made him cross the street QUICKLY. As we were doing so we looked to our left and saw a Brazilian entourage walking towards the bar. It was like a scene out of West Side Story! The Brazilians on the left, making their way towards the Croatians on the right. We crossed the street and stood there, practically waiting for them to break into song and dance before duking it out. I think the anticipation of what was going to happen excited us more than the game itself!!

So the Brazilians are singing, they clearly see that they're approaching this bar, and next thing you know the cops across the street in their van honk to indicate their presence. Nothing really happened...the Brazilians walked past the bar, the Croatians bit their tongues. Toots and I were hoping for a little "Jets" and "Sharks" sequence, but no such luck.

We walked around for a little bit after that, the Brazilians cheering whenever they saw me and my shirt. At one point we pass an old woman, she must have been in her late 60s, who, when she saw my shirt, stopped us and said:

"I hate the Croatians. They're pieces of shit. I'm glad Brazil kicked their ass [yes, the 60 year old woman said that]. I hate the Serbians. I hate the Slovenians."

Quite a bitter woman, don't you think?

A little later a man told me that we just got lucky today and that our asses will be kicked next time (I enjoy pretending to be Brazilian!!!)

So World Cup Fever is alive and well in the U.S. for those of you who think no one is watching. You just gotta go into the immigrant neighborhoods to enjoy it!