Thursday, April 23, 2009By Joyce Mandelkern
I received a text from one of my sons in the 7th inning of Thursday night's game that said, "I wish I wasn't a Mets fan". I answered the only way I possibly could. I simply typed the words "I'm sorry" and hit send. And then it occurred to me, while I sat there depressed and miserable, that I, along with Pete, have passed this legacy of frustration, heartbreak, hopeless expectations and dashed dreams down to our children and now our grandchild. We must be crazy.
The boys could recite the Mets lineup before they knew their ABC's. They knew everyone's position and number and knew all they could know about baseball before they knew their colors. While other parents took their kids to museums, we took the kids to Shea. They wore Mets clothes and Mets pajamas and their rooms had Mets paraphernalia all over it. One of my closest friends once said to me that I was the only mother she knew that would prefer my child make it to the majors than get into Harvard. I said that she was right, but only if he was going to play for my Mets. And before you accuse me of being too bad a mom, my boys grew up to be fine, upstanding, educated and productive members of society. They also grew up to be diehard Mets fans.
You would think I would've learned, but I haven't. From the day my beautiful granddaughter was born I started in with all thing Mets with her. She has Mets clothes. And none of this pink nonsense either. Real girls wear blue and orange. Every day I sing "Meet the Mets" and "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" to her. I think it's important that she be ready for her first 7th inning stretch. We have also been practicing the Jose chant. We watch games to together and I try to explain and talk strategy as it develops. Every day we discuss Met issues. She's not quite 5 months old yet, but I think she has a good feel for the game. I am looking forward to taking her to her first game at Citi Field. After watching the 2009 Mets start the season for which I had so much hope, I have to wonder if I should put her through the emotional roller coaster ride that being a Mets fan entails. The highs are so high, but those lows, those lows can just devastate you.
It is obviously too late for me and the kids, but I can still save my granddaughter. Bottom line is the Mets have my heart. I can't explain why, but they do. This is who we are - we are Mets fans. They can't get rid of me no matter how hard they try. They are stuck with me and me with them. It is not rational or logical. So I'm taking a leap of faith here that things will turn around because that is what fans do. I'm hoping they don't disappoint me. If they do, it won't be the first time and it probably won't be the last. Sigh.
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Comments (4)
I hear you Joyce, I am at the point of "it is what it is"! It's like a bad relationship as someone once described here. We just keep taking all the guff and keep coming back for more. You know what though, I am going to remain the optimist, and believe that this crew can turn it around. Of course a 3 game sweep from the Cards did not help matters, but like that woman that is no good for me, I going to take her back once again.....Hoping that things will be different this time.....lol.....Go Mets 2009!
Posted by L.J.Phipps | April 24, 2009 9:30 AM
joyce, speaking of pain,as a jet and met fan for 45 painful years, i'm almost convinced that woody johnson and fred wilpon are the same person.has anybody ever seen these 2 people in a room at the same time??the proof that they are one and the same will be next year when the new jets stadium opens and the jets have a rotunda honoring tom brady and the new england patriots ..
Posted by gary s. | April 24, 2009 12:36 PM
This was an awesome post.
Whenever we see a family where the children are decked out in Yankees gear, my other half makes noises about calling Child Protective Services, while parents who have taught their offspring to say "BOO YANKEES" at age 2 are praised for their childrearing skills.
On the other hand, a work colleague of mine, who grew up a die-hard mets fan, raised his kids to be Yankees fans so they didn't have to go through heartbreak. It's the one thing I can never, ever talk to him about.
Applause to you for not buying your granddaughter one of those little pink cheerleader outfits.
Posted by Caryn | April 24, 2009 3:13 PM
It's not like a relationship, LJ; it's like family. Family is family, however much they disappoint. What you can do is stand away for a while; but it's hard to actually close the book on family.
That is our predicament.
Posted by DD | April 25, 2009 12:23 PM