Thursday, October 11, 2012

Very Superstitious

Superstitious I am not.

I had a black cat.  I once got married on a Friday the 13th (okay that one didn't work out so well), and I stepped on many cracks without hurting my mother's back.

There is only one place that I get a little hinky and that's where it comes to sports, or baseball, more precisely.

My SF Giants are in the playoffs.  They lost the first two games putting them in a hole that had never been climbed out of by a National League baseball team.  (The playoffs are the best of five games.  Two down is a deep hole.)   I was quite concerned that they might be eliminated from the playoffs which would happen if they lost one more game.  I was really praying this would not happen,.

On Tuesday, Alex came home from work early to watch the Giants play the Reds in Cincinnati.  .  I had put on a pair of ugly old black yoga pants and an orange tee shirt (Giant's Colors) to watch the game.  I was so tense that I felt like I might crack my spine if I moved.  Alex was drinking beer, but I stuck with Diet Coke, promising myself a glass of nice red wine IF the Giants won the game.  The Giant's squeaked by with a 2 to 1 win over the Reds.  With this win, the Giants were still down 2 games to 1.

On Wednesday, Alex came home early again to see the game.  I put on my same black yoga pants and the same orange tee shirt but also wore the same underwear I had worn the day before.  I put on the same earrings I had worn on Tuesday and drank Diet Coke.  Before he thought about it, I had opened a beer for my husband.  Everything had to be just the same as the day before, right down to Alex's 3 beers.  The Giants won by a score of 8 to 3.  We were thrilled.  Again, I rewarded myself after the game with a glass of red wine.

My friend Nelson had asked me to have lunch with him on Thursday.  I told him yes, but then I reconsidered.  The Giant's had won two games and needed my complete support to win the next game.  Alex informed me that the game would start on Thursday at 10:15 AM our time, and that since he had a morning meeting, he would not be able to stay home for it.  I was in full panic mode.  If we didn't do the same things, it would be our fault if the Giant's lost today's game and were eliminated from the chance to go to the World Series.  I telephoned Nelson and lied, telling him that Alex would be home from work to watch the game.  (I couldn't invite Nelson to watch the game with me, because that would have been too different.  Telling the lie sort of made it like Alex was home drinking beer and watching with me.)

I got up this morning and struggled into my used underwear for the last day.  I put on my tired old yoga pants and orange tee shirt and the same earrings.  At 10:15 AM, I opened a Diet Coke and stuck a straw in the can.  My friend Marina called me and asked if she could stop by.  I hesitated but ended up saying okay.  She wanted to eat some of the beef stew I was saving for her before she went to work.  This little variation troubled me quite a bit.

The score had been 6 to 0 Giants before Marina called.  When Marina arrived, the Reds scored two runs.  I was in a huge hurry to get her out of the house.  She thought I was kidding.  I was not.

The Giants ended up winning the game by a score of 6 to 4.  I was so glad I didn't cause them to lose. Because they won so early in the day and they won't play again until Sunday when they will either play the Washington Nationals or the St. Louis Cardinals, I went without the red wine.  I hope that wasn't a mistake.

I was also very happy to change clothes, including underwear.

55 comments:

  1. Oh, Linda... you crack me up!  Now, please, go change your underwear!  Hahahahaha!

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  2.  I changed it already, Paula.  I'm pristine like that.

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  3. Go Giants! Now go wash those clothes and have some wine. I command thee! 

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  4.  Angie, I'm going to opt for a very dry Sapphire martini this evening when we go out to dinner to celebrate.  I'm clean and pretty now.  Honest Injun!

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  5. Nancy/BLissed-Out GrandmaOctober 11, 2012 at 8:06 PM

    Every team should have such loyal fans. You should be proud. 

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  6. I think the Giants owe you.  You are probably their lucky charm and just aren't aware of it.  They probably wouldn't want to know about the dirty underwear though.

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  7. I'm glad they won. Also, I approve of your use of a cat pic.

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  8. Damn the things we will do to ensure victory for the team. And, all they have to is play to game. If they only knew the stress the peanut gallery goes through. Talk about taking one for the team!!!

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  9. You changed your underwear? Oh no. (I think there's a joke in here somewhere about the 7th inning stretch.)

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  10.  Keep in mind Dufus, I didn't even turn them inside out this time.

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  11.  You sound a lot like a woman who knows exactly what I'm talking about, Ann!

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  12.  That cat looks a lot like my cat Smokey.

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  13.  Cheryl, the underwear wasn't that bad.  Honest.

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  14. Oh, Linda! This is sofa king funny! I'm slightly superstitious, too. And I'm glad you didn't make the Giants lose! AHhhAHhAHHAhahAhhahaha

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  15.  I still feel bad for causing the 1989 earthquake in California, Meleah.

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  16.  It's a blessing and a curse, Meleah.

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  17. Thank you for your assist in the Giants' win.  Go, Giants!!!

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  18. The Equestrian VagabondOctober 13, 2012 at 5:06 PM

    so for the next rounds you can choose a different outfit, you don't have to wear the same black yoga pants and orange Tshirt. i am not superstitious, but when I worked at the track, I always had to wear my horses' colors when they ran, and I could never bet on them.

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  19. No No!  I have to wear exactly the same thing, do the same thing, and so on.  I'm not superstitious either, but it has be be the exact same way.

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  20. I know.  I took one for the team, Jeanie!

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  21. I am so happy that disqus is finally letting me leave a comment.  For some reason it temporarily kept telling me that I had to get firefox or some other browser to leave a comment.  Whew! 

    As for superstition, I was raised by very superstitious southerners.  I could write a book about it - from it means to see a shooting star to putting the right shoe on first for luck.  They considered $2 bills unlucky and never let water drip off their fingertips - your luck will leak out.  Yikes! 

    Then my son took up baseball.  And as you say, there were lucky clothes and lucky dirt on the cleets, etc.  Hey, if it isn't broke, don't fix it, right?

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  22. Good Work Linda! They should reward you with season tickets : )

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  23.  Jeeze!  I wish!  No wait!  I only like day games in good weather.  I don't suffer for my team physically, I just wear ratty dirty clothes for them.

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  24. Hahaha, now that's a true fan to wear three day old underwear! They should reward you with game tickets or something...maybe a case of red wine?

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  25.  At least they should give me a new pair of chonies.

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  26. Dear gawd, this is hilarious. I REFUSE to tell you about the idiotic lengths I've gone in order NOT to be the cause of one of my beloved athletes or teams. (Since I don't watch baseball, I have to rely on second-hand news. Sounded like the Cards had their Series mojo going again on Sunday. Sorry. Is everyone doing what they're supposed to be doing in your house????)

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  27. I'm sure glad you're not superstitious - just willing to make any sacrifice for your team.  I'm super-glad these games didn't last any longer.  Five or six day worn underwear - could you take that?

    (Late to comment but happy I didn't miss this funny post.)

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  28. You are so funny. I hope they win their next series in a sweep. :  )  I'm superstitious, too, or obsessive-compulsive. If the Yankees start losing after I sit down to watch a game, I leave the room. That usually helps.

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  29. Cheryl, you and I have a lot in common here.  Actually, I was really angry at Alex on Sunday because he first insisted on watching the Oakland Raiders and then the SF 49ers games.  I told him over and over not to even mention football to me until the end of baseball.  Did he listen???  NO!  What's worse he kept yelling about stupid plays and scores to me the whole time.  I told him he was going to make the Giants lose.  (But last night, they won and he didn't do anything weird thank goodness!)

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  30.  Lauren, there are times when you just know you can do your best supporting by turning away.  I'd love a Yankees / Giants World Series!

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  31. Oh Myrna, I might do a whole month if I needed to.  

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  32. That would be so cool! Then, I would hope that the Yankees win in a sweep. : )

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  33.  Then we could see who has the most powerful juju!

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  34. Ah hahahahahaha! I can just about hear and see you from here. I hate when someone messes with the game/race day rituals. I know my team/driver is sunk when that happens.

    I read that they won last night and was so happy for you. May the force continue to be with you and your beloved Giants.

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  35.  Thank you so much, Cheryl.  Can I send you an orange tee shirt and some black yoga pants?

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  36. You could but I do have some comfy black pants & I just got a gawd-awful orange tee (from a road race I photographed). I'll check out the schedule and dress more ugly than usual when the Giant are playing.

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  37. Same underwear for how many days again? My! I'd never have reckoned you to do that, Diva. I', giving you the side-eye now.

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  38.  You are truly a sister of mine.  I love you, Cheryl.

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  39.  I have been told I'm a true fanatic.

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  40.  Don't you go giving me the side eye for supporting my team.  I did bathe for heaven sakes!  And I'm actually pretty pristine.  No ants or bugs crawling on me.

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  41. Hah! How wonderfully silly and sweet you are, Linda. I am positive they won thanks to you. You're a good fan. Me, I just love black cats. ;)

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  42. On behalf of Giants fans everywhere, I thank you.  ;)  

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  43.  I'm getting kind of sick of Diet Coke, Jayne.

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  44.  I love black cats too Ziva!  I LOVE cats!

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  45. You are hysterical!  So are you putting on the same underwear each time too?  Have you WASHED the stuff?  You might not want to wash it... it would rinse out the good luck!  Soooo funny!

    13 is my lucky number.  My first born, my oldest son, was born on Friday the 13th during a full moon and meteor shower.  He is my good luck charm!

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  46.  Katherine, bite your tongue!  Of course you don't wash the underwear.  I didn't even turn it inside out for heaven sake.  My rituals have to be done exactly the right way.  Any variation could cause disaster.

    Your boy was obviously born under lucky stars!

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  47. Mom you are hilarious. I'm laughing out loud here! The Giants are lucky to have you rooting for them. lol.

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  48.  Baby, the Giant's went on to win the World Series!  This is some powerful mojo!

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