My mother and I are both huge Bruins fans. Well, huge hockey fans in general. Growing up, we went to UMass Lowell games all the time and went to a ton of the AHL games while Lowell had one franchise or another. Back in 2008, when I lost my job along with half of the country, I called my mother, to tell her the news. God bless her, as she doesn’t say, “I’m sorry you were laid off.” No, instead it was, “Now it’ll be easier to go to Bruins games!”
And so, a tradition was born. Once a month, we’d get dinner then sit in balcony 307 and cheer for our guys.
I’m disabled, so we’re a memorable pair. There can’t be too many women my age wearing a Tim Thomas jersey and pushing a walker, so the ushers remembered us after a while. One of them, Jim B., was determined that I should meet Tim Thomas. Finally, he hatched a plan. He knew we’d be at the Habs game this past November, since we never miss a Montreal game, so he arranged for us to meet Thomas after the game and get my jersey and a game puck signed.
Only, Thomas took a while to come down the stairs, so would we like pictures with and my jersey signed by a few other players? Heck yes! So, even after a loss to a hated division rival, the nicest, friendliest bunch of guys stopped to scribble on my jersey and smile awkwardly as my mother wrestled with my cell phone camera.
“Just hit the button, Ma.”
“Which one?”
“The only one.”
“Oh.”
If any of the Bruins were annoyed, they hid it well.
When Timmy came by, I was floored by how nice he was. He actually thanked me for wanting to meet him and was joking with my mother about how complicated cell phones are now, winning a fan for life. When another group — I think they might’ve been Adam McQuaid‘s family — drew him away to get a picture, he made a point of coming back to shake my hand and thank me again for being in his corner. He couldn’t have been more down to earth.
No other sport can claim athletes like hockey players. I tell everyone I know about that night. I don’t just squeal over the brush with celebrity — I make sure to tell everyone what a classy bunch is out there on the ice. How could I not root for such a humble, friendly and gracious group of guys? They deserve it all.
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