Superstitions Be Gone: Cubs Win the 2016 World Series!

Chicago is a very happy city today.
I am a very happy person today.

I am nearly too exhausted to write about this but I’m going to give it a shot: bear with me. I was up until 2am and slept in a most terrible manner for the duration before my eyes sprung open again at 6:45am. I suspect it was because internally I sensed that “Good Morning America” was coming on and I didn’t want to miss the World Series recap, which I enjoyed immensely.

Let me back up.

Chicago Cubs. Cleveland Indians.
What a World Series: a real nail biter.
Game 7, though? I literally thought I was going to have a heart attack at one point.

Ahead of the game there was a lot of chatter among my friends about what to wear, what to do, who could watch and who couldn’t watch…for example, my dad told my sister and me a couple of weeks ago that whenever he used to watch the Cubs play, they would lose. Suffice it to say, he was banned from watching the game.

I bought a Cubs NLCS Champions shirt last week and heavily debated (with myself) whether to wear it or not:

Me: “You should wear it: Cubs spirit! Let’s go!”
Me: “Ugh maybe not. Introducing new Cubs wardrobe items might jinx the whole game.”
Me: “Nah, don’t be silly.”
Me: “I don’t know…I wouldn’t want to be responsible for a Cubs loss in Game 7…”

On the other hand, I KNEW that Dylan and I needed to enjoy Portillo’s Chicago hot dogs for dinner. (They paired really well with the rum and Coke in my Cubs glassware.) No superstitions there. Or were there? I guess so.

I was on the phone at the start of the game; I had scheduled a business-ish call before knowing that the Cubs would be playing in the World Series. My friend on the other end of the line is a White Sox fan so the timing didn’t bother her. (I forgive you, Steph.) While we were talking, the Cubs scored a solo home run. Jim suggested that perhaps it happened because I was on the phone and, well…

About an hour and a half into the game, my friend Kori posted on Facebook: “I made myself a Bloody Mary, and the Cubs started scoring again. Coincidence? I think not. #gocubsgo”

Naturally we all encouraged her to keep drinking. (Thanks, Kori!)

Of course, what it boils down to is that the Cubs had a great night. They played so well and while Cleveland did too, the Cubs just scored more runs, plain and simple…no superstitions involved.

Side note: when Cleveland scored two runs to tie the game at 6-6, that’s when I started preparing myself for a Cubs loss and the nausea began. The near-heart attack happened in there too, and then the 17-minute rain delay nearly killed me. In the end it was a 10-inning game and the Cubs won, 8-7. I cried, shouted, screamed, and jumped around. I tweeted it, I Facebooked it, and I created the graphic (below) I had envisioned since Game 1. I will never forget this World Series, and I’m super proud of my team. Next year IS this year. Yesterday afternoon it had been 108 years since our last World Series win. Late (SO LATE) last night, all of a sudden it was zero.