Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Provincetown, Madonna, the World Cup, 19 Innings, et al... Part Two

Continued from Part One:

I board the boat from Provincetown to Boston, behind the young Italian exchange students, and reclaim the same seat I came down on - which was directly behind where the Italians decided to sit this time (better to see the television).

We get underway. It is a beautiful afternoon, but I am tired from the day (and several cocktails), so I decide to nap. As I comfy down, the purser on the boat comes out and turns on the TVs. Soccer appears to be the order of the day, and the Italians perk up quickly.

I was not going to nap.

The Ride Home and the World Cup

First off, let me start out by saying I was not living on another planet during the month of June. I might be completely clueless when it comes to soccer, but I was not unaware of the events happening in Germany that seemed to be all over the news. The thing I did not know, was just how long this damned thing was. Every weekend, there was another "big game", and I always thought that the game du jour being hyped was the final game (Germany vs. Brazil, France vs. Britain, Snakistan vs. Fritolaysia, etc.) - it just never seemed to want to end.

There is a nice Brazilian guy at my gym I always chat with. He would always say something to me along the lines of "what a game this weekend, ha?" - I always just kind of smiled and pretended to know the details. So throughout this process, I am always thinking the wrong teams are in the "finals" - Germany and Britain or someone from South America (not the US of course).

It was the morning I left for PTown that I finally got it straight. I am rarely up for the morning news on Saturdays, but I had to get to the boat, so I had it on. I hear that Italy and France will be in the World Cup "Finals". I say, "it's STILL going on?". I decide to go to my old friend the internet and finally get this right. Sure enough, it would be France and Italy. Whatever.

But back to the boat. It is the end of the fabulous day in PTown now and I am pretty drained (a few Mike's Hard Lemonades on the dock did not hurt this situation).

I am intrigued by the group of Italian students. They are obviously on some foreign exchange program. When I was about their age (I was guessing 17), I also went on an exchange program, spending my summer in Southern Germany with a host family along with about 20 other students from my High School. It was a wonderful time in my life that I will never forget and it carried forward to my returning for university studies there later in life (I spent a great deal of time there). So I am thinking about the situation that these kids must be in, and envying them a bit.

As soon as the boat pulls out of PTown, the TVs come on and now there is soccer - Germany vs. Portugal. I am instantly confused. I try to remember what I had actually "confirmed" in the morning. It was my impression that France and Italy were playing, but that the game was the following day. I decide that I am clearly not with it in soccer related issues. However, I soon realize while watching the game that this game is for "Third Place" (and hence, fourth place as well). Suddenly it makes sense, and I am interested. I decide quickly that Germany is my favorite, due to my experience living there.

Now the Italian kids perk up - they all collect in front of the televisions and start getting loud. Their Italian is not pure Italian - it almost seems like Swiss Italian, and it has a very strong Germanic dialect/accent. I begin to wonder if they are from Switzerland when suddenly a promo comes on for the final game the next day and when the Italian team is shown, they go wild - No question, they are from Italy.

I am amused by their reactions to the events in the Germany/Portugal game, they seem to favor the Portuguese. And so, I end up sitting and watching the game - or probably more accurately, watching the Italians watching the game. Their excitement for the next day clearly obvious in any language. It brought me back to a day not that long ago - in October, 2004 (I'll let you all figure that one out).

The ride back to Boston was beautiful, the view crystal clear and the wind was warm on deck. I occasionally went out to see. But mostly, I watched the World Cup.

... To Be Continued

Next: While Running to catch The Material Girl, I get caught by the 19th inning! (oh, and I watch Italy and France too)

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