Read It And Weep (Anthony Rizzo)

Fifty One~ Thanksgiving Tradition

Hannah

Thanksgiving has always been a time for me to appreciate my grandparents. They didn't have to take my brother and I in, we could have gone to foster care or been adopted. Most likely we would have been separated and I wouldn't even have him left.

But they put their foot down and they raised us the best they could. I was only four and my brother was two when we moved in here. And while we had to listen to their rants about politics and why TV rots your brain, I would do it all again. I would give them the world if I can, but sadly I can't. And with them getting older and them starting to slip I want to make sure that I make memories that will be with me forever, even though they won't be with them.

So for thanksgiving I'm taking them to a Bears game up on Packers territory, get them good seats and show them around after the game. They've been fans since they were the Decatur Staley's back in the day. And although being at Lambeau isn't the same as Solider Field this place still has a lot of history and they were around for a bunch of it. And the bears playing on thanksgiving is a tradition like no other, we've never missed a game.

So today I was going to try my best to give back and show them how much I love them. Have a good thanksgiving even if our family wasn't exactly whole.

"This is nice" my grandpa admits as he looks around. I got us seats in the boxes so they're away from the cold and the hostility that is a bears-packers game. Plus there's someone up here I know my grandparents would love to meet.

"I'm glad you like it" I smile.

"I can't believe you get paid to go to these games, that's kind of crazy" he admits.

"It really is. I say that every time I sit down at a press box and look at my credentials. I know that I'm here for work but it never feels like work. It feels like I'm at home with you watching the bears piss another good game away in the last two minutes of a game like how it happens way too often" I tease.

"My Mind isn't what it used to be, but I still remeber you sitting in my lap and is watching games together. You had so many questions, what's a curve ball, how many yards is a holding penalty, why do the hockey players go to time out" he lists off making me giggle. "And I when we agreed to raise you I was so afraid that I wouldn't have the answers to your questions. I thought I wouldn't know what to tell you. But luckily for me you never asked why your parents never came back, or why they left in the first place. I think even when you were just a little girl you understood the situation you were in better than anybody. So answering your questions was a lot of fun because I knew the answers. It was a pitch that suddenly drives and changes spin and angel when approaching the plate, 10 yards and because they have to pay for tier hockey sins" he smiles.

I turn to look at his little wrinkled face and I smile back. I would give anything for my grandparents they took the time to teach me things that I'm going to use for the rest of my life. I have a feeling they don't have a lot of time left outside of a assisted living place. I can't provide the help they need, not like they provided the help I needed anyway. And I wanted them to be happy, that's all I wanted.

We sit there and enjoy the game as much as we could with our awful record. This time they asked me questions about players and stuff like that and I answered them. We have a good time on thanksgiving being thankful for the weird ways the world works and how it threw us together. Surprisingly enough the Bears beat the packers at home and it made for a very few happy people in the press box.

After the game I take them down to the media spot. Even though I'm not working I still use my pass to bring my grandparents to meet some of the players. My dads favorite was Matt Forte and my grandma was obsessed with Robbie Gould. So they get to meet them and take pictures and ask questions. I let them do it on their own because I want their memories to be special to them, something they can't forget.

"You just had to bring them to this game, didn't you" Kyle Long asks as he nudged my side. I laugh because I told him that if I brought them to a game they had to win, and that's what they did.

"I told you they're good luck" I tease.

"I guess so" he agrees.

Kyle and I had a pretty good relationship. He was just a year older than me and he enjoyed the other Chicago sports too. We often times tasks about baseball or hockey or basketball or soccer in the down time before and after games. I knew his life pretty well and he knew mine. When it comes to interviews he's one of the best, but even when I'm not working I liked having his company.

"So how are you and lover boy" he wonders as I roll my eyes.

"Please don't bring them up in front of my grandparents" I beg. "They love him and I feel like if Anthony and I don't end up together they would pick him over me" I joke.

"They could never. He's pretty cool but he's not you. Plus you hook them up with tickets like today's game, they won't throw that away" he winks.

"I wouldn't put it past them" I mumble.