Note: First, a shout out to Gary, it is his birthday today! That means I will be celebrating Gary Bakst Day! He deserves it! Second, I know it has been a while since I posted here, but so much has been going on with my book and family life (happily all good things!). I wanted to come back with something fun. I hope you enjoy.
Time for something lighter.
The New York Knicks are headed to the playoffs with high hopes for a long run. For about two decades, the team had offered little to cheer about, until the last few years. I can’t say I follow them as closely as I did as a teenager. It would be impossible to do that and have a life as a functioning adult. I was obsessed in those days. I still keep an eye on them, watch an occasional game on television (I love listening to Walt ‘Clyde’ Frazier’s rhymes and seeing his outlandish suits), and root for their success. It is also an interest I share with my son, Daniel.
Daniel and I have developed a tradition. Each year I buy us tickets to a game as his Hanukkah present. We seem to be a good-luck charm, as they have won those games. We went in January and saw a double-overtime win over the Denver Nuggets. Obviously, it was an exciting contest. More important than the game, I get to spend quality time with my son. We have entertained the idea of inviting Gary, his dad, my husband, and each time we decide, nah, this can be our special time. Besides, I’m more of a fan than Gary anyway.
Dan and I meet for dinner beforehand. He usually picks the place – he has good taste in restaurants. This time, he suggested a small Italian one near Madison Square Garden. It turned out to be excellent. Dan insisted on treating. It is very cool to have your adult child be in the financial position to treat you to a meal in New York City. I am grateful and proud of his generosity. I also just generally enjoy his company.
Our seats were reasonably good – about halfway up and just off midcourt. The crowd at MSG is well-behaved. There was only one idiot that I noticed. This older guy was upset that there was one Nugget fan in our midst, and he was looking for a fight. He almost got one, too. Fortunately, everyone else was level-headed and prevented fisticuffs.
I told Dan about a time, years ago, when Gary and I went to a game. The Knicks were terrible, during the two decades they stunk. If I recall correctly, they beat the Seattle Supersonics (that’s how long ago it was – the team left Seattle in 2008, and this experience was years before that) in a close one. The thing about it, though, was that there was a man sitting next to Gary who smoked reefer throughout the entire game. He didn’t move, he didn’t cheer, he just sat there inhaling. We probably got a contact high, but it didn’t interfere with our enjoyment of the game. When it ended, the guy still sat there. I think it took a while for it to penetrate that the game was over.
Many things have changed since then. The Knicks have dancers, and at every break in the action, there is something – a brief shooting contest for fans, t-shirts shot into the crowd, etc. God forbid there is a moment without entertainment. And after the fiasco at the Coldplay concert, I was surprised they still had a kiss cam. Yuk. I don’t mind them putting video of fans up on the big screen if they are dancing, waving, smiling, or whatever – but forcing a kiss? Really? Enough of that.
I guess I’m just too old or uptight for that kind of thing. Another piece of evidence that I am old is that when they show the celebrity row, I rarely know who they are! Who are these people? They are generally actors or performers of some sort; I only know that after googling them. And that’s despite the fact that I read some of the gossip pages. I do recognize the steady, old-time celebrity fans like Spike Lee, Michael J. Fox, Tracy Morgan, Matthew Modine, and former Knicks like Patrick Ewing. I wonder how they decide who makes the cut as a celebrity.
Anyway, it is always exciting to go to a game at the Garden. For as long as I am able, and Daniel is willing, we will be there at least once a year. Meanwhile, I hope they go deep in the playoffs. They can start by beating the Atlanta Hawks tomorrow.
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