Apparently I have not learned my lesson. I promised myself never to invest too much emotion in sports teams anymore but I'm sitting at the edge of my seat right now watching the Mets battle their way against elimination. We're doing really well right now and if we can keep the Cardinals from scoring for the next two innings I can actually start breathing. Till tomorrow that is, when it's do or die. The Mets MUST win tonight to stay in the game, and they MUST win tomorrow if they're to make it to the World Series.

I was never into sports. I always understood their appeal but never really watched any games while I was growing up. I would always, ALWAYS watch the World Cup and I remember the year Egypt played in it. I was visiting my grandmother for the summer and I had never seen the streets of Cairo so empty. The entire city practically came to a standstill for those couple of games. I was actually able to walk in the street without getting harassed!

But baseball...I HATED baseball. It made no sense to me. What is this game where grown men hit a ball flying at them at 90 miles an hour? And then proceed to run from base to base. It was stupid. The entire concept was stupid. No one in the world played baseball except for America, a handful of Latin countries, and Japan. So why even care?

Four years ago my now ex, who is a die-hard baseball fan (you'll never meet anyone as dedicated to the game without being obnoxious about it, think the American version of "Fever Pitch"), took me to my first ballgame at a stadium. Someone at his job had given him Yankee tickets and although the ex believes that the Mets are God's gift to baseball, he is not one to turn down tickets to any baseball game.

So we went. And he gave me a play by play that would rival any of those commentators on TV and I found myself becoming enchanted with the game. I always tell him that he took a BIG chance taking me to Yankee Stadium for my first game. I mean, I could've very easily have become a Yankee fan!!!!! It was a huge risk that he took.

Luckily, I have class and common sense and therefore was able to shun the Yankees. The Mets won my heart for two reasons that have nothing to do with their talent or baseball:

1. They play at Shea. Shea stadium is where the Beatles had their first ever American concert. When we first moved to this country, I was obsessed with the Beatles. I had their posters on my wall, owned EVERY SINGLE ALBUM and every single they ever released, watched all their movies, and even attended the annual Beatle-fest that took place at the Hilton in Jersey where I once met James McCartney, brother of Paul.

The Beatles, for me, were the greatest thing since sliced bread. I learned English through their songs and the first song I was able to play well on the piano was "Across the Universe". So any team that played at the house that hosted the Beatles was good enough for me.

2. They're the team of the people. They're also the true underdog. One of my boyfriend's colleagues was recounting to him how, when he was young, he used to go to all the Mets games with his father. The fans at Shea were always blue-collar workers who went with their familes and had a great time. The one time he went to Yankee stadium he said he found himself surrounded by suits and prim and proper behavior. The Yankees have always had a reputation of being stuffy. That is definitely not compatible with my lifestyle.

Top of the 8th and we're still leading, 4-0. I'm afraid to turn the TV off to go to sleep. It'll be an AWFUL morning if I wake up and find out that they lost.

**UPDATE**

WE WON!!!! It was scary for a moment, but we won in the end!!!
Tonight is going to be a killer...
Am I totally nuts for being willing to pay $150 to get tickets for tonight's game?????