It's About Relationships - Even with Red Sox Fans

I like to wear my Yankee shirts all the time, even when I'm in Boston. I've been a fan of the Yankees for as long as I can remember, and despite the rivalry (which clearly has waned in recent years), I proudly wear the interlocking NY in Beantown. No, I don't wear it to Fenway, but essentially everywhere else, I display my pride in my team. 

We visited my in-laws for Labor Day weekend for one last gasp at summer. On the way to the Cape, we stopped in the North End neighborhood of Boston and found a table at a nice Italian restaurant. The service was great, the dinners were delicious, but the dessert was something special. 

The owner and chef came to the table and sat down. He asked if I was really a Yankees fan, and of course, I said I was. He asked the rest of the family their affiliation. My Wife is neutral. Our oldest son Patrick is a Yankees fan, and our youngest son Brendan roots for the Red Sox. We do, after all, live in Vermont, and I routinely tell anyone who asks that I dropped Brendan on his head when he was younger. 

When our host heard this, he quickly got up from the table and promised to bring us back something special. We watched him disappear down a flight of circular stairs. When he returned, he was holding a rectangular box. When he put the box on the table, I could see it had a glass top, but as I tried to see what was inside, he opened the box. A light came on as the box opened, and I could finally see what was inside: it was a World Series ring. 

Specifically, it was the World Series ring from 2013, the year the Red Sox defeated the St. Louis Cardinals. I've never seen a World Series ring in person before, and this one did not disappoint. Our host showed us all the details, let us hold it, and even let one of us put it on. 

My Favorite Red Sox fan with the 2013 World Series ring

I love baseball so much that when my high school playing days were over, I began umpiring just so that I could continue to be a part of the game. And while I will always root for the Yankees to beat the Red Sox, I have enough respect for the game itself to honor what the Sox accomplished in 2013. Do I wish the Yankees had won it then (or any year since 2009)? Absolutely. But I was not going to let that spoil this night. 

We sat at the table and listened to our host tell stories about that Red Sox team. He has had players, team executives, and fans alike at his restaurant. This was our dessert. Sitting while our host regaled us with his tales of the Red Sox made our night in the North End magical, even for a Yankees fan. 

This would not have happened had I not worn my Yankee shirt that night. It would not have happened if a die-hard Red Sox fan hadn't seen it, came over, sat down, and started a conversation. I know there's a rivalry but at the heart of it are just fans, all of whom put their pants on one leg at a time. I'm so grateful to have eaten at Piccolo Nido, and to have met Pino Irano, the owner and chef. 

The next time you're in the North End, please stop in, say hi, and have a meal. Tell Pino his favorite Yankee Fan sent you.