Mercifully, I get to see game 3 of the hockey playoffs tonight. On a Saturday night, no less! (HNIC has been a tradition on Saturday night since the 1920s on radio and 1950s on TV. HNIC broadcasters are legendary. Here, it was NBC and not CBC, but no complaints.)
Having lived in Ottawa for 2 years, and it being the capital of the Motherland, I was looking forward to the game and of course the national anthems.
The opening anthems may have been the best I have ever seen. A portly, gray-haired military guy with an operatic voice belted out the US anthem. Visitors first, per tradition.
And then the Canadian version. My my... I didn't tear up but it was close.
The first part was in English; the 2nd in French. And then he held the microphone up and, in a premediated move by the arena, allowed the fans to sing the last part of the anthem.
It was electric, even way down here in the midwest USA.
It has been a long, long time since I have felt so alone and yet so connected.
ps. My only hope is that it goes onto YouTube, as I didn't think to record it.
No comments:
Post a Comment