We sat on the steps of the Civil War monument and were immensely entertained by the people-watching... senior citizens, unhappy couples, sweet families, kids with light sabers, everyone was down there and mingling with each other in a way that I rarely see.
Our little crew watched all the dynamics and made snarky comments about Lebron because everyone was supposed to wave their signs and the fireworks weren't shot off by Terminal Tower this year like they always were, but off the BP building (go figure) where the lights also spelled out "HOME," and thinking "oh come on."
But it was a beautiful night and we were walking down Superior Avenue and back over the bridge with our arms linked together so we wouldn't get separated and roommate singing "We shall over come" and Veronica leading us in chanting "El pueblo, unido! Jamas sera vencido!" just because.
And I'm still amazed and honestly a bit embarrassed to see the massive energy and resources used to keep our biggest star in a long time here.
We defeat ourselves when we beg a guy who grew up in Akron whose favorite team was the Chicago Bulls growing up to stay in our city. We are more than a player, not him. There are 400,000 of us in the city limits who have a whole range of talents and abilities but we pin all of our hopes on an athlete who could get hit by a car tomorrow and lose his ability to play basketball forever.
Honestly, it looks pathetic. If I was Lebron, I'd run like hell away from this city that acts so desperate. It goes back to the whole relationship dynamic. If you get too clingy and "please don't leave me" it kinda freaks the other person out because it shows that you have deeper issues than were first thought.
Why are we wasting our time making laughable "We are the World" style videos when we could be tutoring kids in our schools or painting over the lead paint in the houses in the older neighborhoods that causes kids to grow up with learning disabilities that they don't have to have?
But like I said before, it was a gorgeous night and I loved seeing people actually hanging out downtown instead of running for the parking garages and Rapid trains to avoid the spare-changers, and walking over the beautifully lit Detroit-Superior Bridge instead of dealing with massive traffic and general craziness.
1 comment:
People need rituals, and in the modern world, nothing is more of one than sports. That said, as much as I want him to stay, I've cultivated a nice relationship with misery, and having all three teams simultaneously suck is something that hasn't happened in a long time. Think of the possibilities!
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