Monday, August 21, 2006

All I need is a PB&J sandwich

It's was July 1987 and my family was making the move back to the Twin Cities. I was sitting on the floor off our new kitchen, eating a PB&J sandwich watching the movers and various family members bring in box after box of dishes, towels, clothes, linens and most importantly GI Joe equipment. Not toys, equipment. Honestly, I was not very excited to move from the hallowed halls for Fellows Elementary School in Ames, IA and needed something to get me excited about this new house. That spark, that excitement, that edge of your seat anticipation was provided by some unlikely neighbors. I like to think of them as "Our Squad", most others know them as Puckett, Gietti, Hrbek, Brunansky, Gagne, Viola, Blyleven even Niekro and Reardon. The upcoming run to that Twins first World Series title and subsequent cold, but oh so delightful ticker tape parade (and day off from school) hooked me to this sport.

We are now in the midst of something very similar to that summer of 1987. This new group of Twins has me feeling so optimistic. We are again chasing the Tigers (now mighty again), with the Twins coming off a disappointing start to the season. Our hometown leader's name is Mauer this time around and his out-of-town hitting partner is played by Morneau. Blyleven and Viola are now known as Radke and Santana. Randy Bush and Al Newman look a lot like Punto and Tyner. With the Boston and Chicago pitching staffs falling apart and Boston seemingly cracking underneith the pressure of the mighty Yankees (maybe the Curse took a year off), how sweet it will be.

All I need is a PB& J sandwich, some Doritto's, a glass of milk, a warm Saturday afternoon and Herb's voice calling the shots. It's like 1987 all over again.

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