Day of the Fan, Part II

Left of me is Harry, right is Donny. Both from Philly. Phillies fans! So many of them at the game; probably more Phillies fans than Pirates fans. Kinda like a Kings game when LA is in town.

Part II, Day of the Fan:

The tour of Heinz Field took almost two hours. And then I went to lunch.

AT JEROME BETTIS' GRILLE!!!!!!

For a serious Steelers Fan, this place is like free food to a foodie, the newest and best video games to a videoholic (made that one up), a kid in a candy store.... You get the idea.

I was really tempted to take a napkin (would they really miss a napkin???), but I didn't. (See, Jed, I don't take stuff all the time!) But I have to admit, if they had some kind of emblem on them, insignia or something... well, you know. They were just plain old black napkins. Ugh.

Caught the bus to the downtown area, then transferred to another bus to the Green Tree area where my hotel is. Got back just in time to change into my new Steelers shirt, jeans and Steelers Chucks -- and then got on the hotel shuttle to the Pirates vs. Phillies baseball game. What a rivalry that is! 'Course I looked like a Pirates fan cuz I was all dressed in my Steelers stuff, and in van with me -- five Phillies fans!! I guess I'm an easy person to make friends with cuz I just keep making 'em.

Chris (not in the picture above), Harry, Donny and I hung out together. I didn't have any tickets, so I get ready to buy them. There's a man outside the gate to the ticket window. I figure, "Ah, they're sold out." But no! He's standing there, just standing there. Looks at me. Says, "Hey, you want a couple of free tickets???" What???? Well, alrighty then.

From there, we all went to SoHo to get some liquid refreshment before the game. I meet a really cute, bubbly young woman. Probably mid-20s. Cutie. With a handsome man. Both work for Comcast. She was so bubbly! She loves my shirt (as do I), she loves my shoes (as do I), she says something really crazy, "I want to be you!" This, of course, in reference to me being a teacher (she quit school just before she got her degree), having summers off, working with kids, being a Steelers Fan (which she is, also), and having the best summer of my life. She tells me that even if she went back and finished school -- and I think she only has a semester or two left -- she would not be able to get a position. They are not hiring teachers in Pennsylvannia either.

Apparently, education is not a priority in this great country of ours. Benjamin Franklin would be so disappointed.

Pittsburgh won the game, 2-0. Philadelphia lost for the second night in a row. Benjamin Franklin would be so disappointed.