Thursday, January 30, 2020
Events in Czechoslovakia in 1938-1939 Essay Example for Free
Events in Czechoslovakia in 1938-1939 Essay Ultimately, the events in Czechoslovakia in 1938-1939 played a major role in contributing to the outbreak of world war 2 as it ended the appeasement policy and led to Britainââ¬â¢s realization that war was the only solution. However, the nazi soviet pact is also a factor as it gave germany the confidence to invade Poland, a move that guaranteed war. After the anschluss, Czechoslovakia was next on hitlerââ¬â¢s list of expansion. The Czech government felt threatened, and sought support from Britain and france should Hitler invade Czechoslovakia, and both Britain and france felt bound to help them. On 15 september 1938, Hitler told chamberlain that he would risk war to bring the Sudeten germans into germany. Chamberlain found his demands reasonable, and decided that areas in which more than half the population was germans should be handed over to Hitler. However on 22 sep Hitler stepped his demands and asked for the whole of Sudetenland. Originally, chamberlain rejected his demands. Eventually, in an attempt to avoid war, he, along with Mussolini and the prime minister of france decided that Sudetenland would be given to germany. This was known as the munich agreement (29 sep). Czechoslovakia was not consulted, and it had felt betrayed. Following that, Hitler then assured chamberlain that he had no further claims in Europe. However, in march 1939, Hitler took over the rest of Czechoslovakia, showing that he could not be trusted. Following that, Britain and france both abandoned the appeasement policy and announced that it would declare war on germany in event that Hitler invaded Poland. However, the nazi soviet pact was also an extremely important factor as it enabled Hitler to avoid a two frontwar, and allowed him to continue to provoke the western countries as stalin now secured his eastern border. Hence, Hitler could now channel all his resources to fighting the western front. Hitler learnt 2 important lessons from the First World War. Firstly, the importance of the involvement of Russia if a Slavic nation was attacked and next the strain of having to fight a war on two fronts. Therefore, the nazi soviet pact was signed on 23 august 1939 where communist Russia agreed to remain neutral if Poland was attacked. It also contained a secret protocol whereby germany and Russia agreed to carve up Poland between them, with germany getting the western parts and Russia getting the eastern parts along with Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. With this, Hitler felt assured and proceeded to attack Poland, which unleashed the second world war. In analysis, the events in Czechoslovakia played an extremely significant role in contributing to the outbreak of war in 1939 as compared to the signing of the nazi soviet pact. The events in Czechoslovakia had laid the foundation for the outbreak of war, and it was after the invasion of Czech that led to Britainââ¬â¢s realization that hitlerââ¬â¢s aims went way further than merely just redressing the wrongs of the Treaty of Versailles. It showed that Hitler aimed to dominate central Eastern Europe and British knew that war was the only solution in stopping him. Furthermore, the invasion of Czechoslovakia was so unjust that it gave Britain the high moral ground to ââ¬Å"defend the rightâ⬠without regard to self-interest. This was the point when Britain and France announced that they would declare war on Hitler were he to invade Poland. Although the nazi soviet pact did play a small role, it merely acted as the trigger for the invasion of Poland. Hitlerââ¬â¢s invasion of Poland was inevitable, and the pact merely sped up the process. Rather, the decision of Britain and france to abandon appeasement and to defend Poland was made after the events in Czechoslovakia is 1938-1939, thus making it more crucial.
Wednesday, January 22, 2020
The Erotic in Joyces A Painful Case Essay -- Painful
The Erotic in Joyce's A Painful Case à à à à The characters whom inhabit Joyce's world in "Dubliners," often have, as Harvard Literature Professor Fischer stated in lecture, a "limited way" of thinking about and understanding themselves and the world around them. Such "determinism," however, operates not on a broad cultural scale, but works in smaller, more local, more interior and more idiosyncratic ways. That is, the forces which govern Joyce's characters are not necessarily cultural or socioeconomic in nature, but rather, as Prof. Fischer stated, are "tiny," and work on a more intimate level. In any case, as a result of such "forces", these stories often tend to be about something, as Prof. Fischer said, that doesn't happen, about the "romance of yearning and self-disappointment." Joyce's story "A Painful Case" is a perfect example of a story about something that doesn't happen, and more specifically, about "the romance of yearning." It is through such yearning, however, and the various "erotic" for ms that such yearning takes, that Joyce's characters are able to transcend the "forces" which govern their lives. In "A Painful Case" the erotic takes on three separate forms: mental, physical, and what I call, "auditory." Although all three play a role in the story, it is only through "auditory" eroticism that Joyce's protagonist, Mr. Duffy, comes to experience a moment of "self-transcendence." à While "auditory" eroticism may serve, in the end, as the conduit for Duffy's self-transformation, initially it is "mental" eroticism that brings together Mr. Duffy and Mrs. Sinico. Joyce writes, "Little by little he (Duffy) entangled his thoughts with hers. He lent her books, provided her with ideas, shared... ...llowed to shine in full poetic fervor and "reality," although Joyce attempts to escape it, seeps back in through his words and metaphors. à Works Cited and Consulted Bidwell, Bruce and Linda Heffer. The Joycean Way: A Topographic Guide to Dubliners and A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. Johns Hopkins: Baltimore, 1981. Gifford, Don. Joyce Annotated: Notes for Dubliners and A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. University of California: Berkeley, 1982. Joyce, James. Dubliners. Penguin Books: New York, 1975. Peake, C.H. James Joyce: The Citizen and the Artist. Stanford University: Stanford, 1977. Tindall, William York. A Reader's Guide to James Joyce. Noonday Press: New York, 1959. Walzl, Florence L. "Dubliners." A Companion Study to James Joyce. Ed. Zack Bowen and James F. Carens. Greenwood Press: London, 1984 Ã
Tuesday, January 14, 2020
Why i picked up a gun
ââ¬Å"Bad stress, good stressâ⬠In about 150 words The story is about stress. Stress has become a common word In the dally parlance, and that's makes the present people to think they have stress Just by going to the mall or to have a hard day at work. But In the past you got stress by going to war or by pushing yourself to get through the day. We hear about that the Government In 2004 announced that stress has cost the UK economy El 3. 5 billion, because of lost productivity and illness at work.Then we also hear about Dry Bond who means that people often says they are stressed, when the actually just are afraid of feeling afraid. But the good news is that it is possible to teach people to handle stress more effectively than it has been and the technique which comes from Clare Harris, a lecturer from the Praxis Centre for Developing Personal Effectiveness, can be adopted across the world. Give an outline for the various stress-related problems presented in the four texts. Test 1: Mind & Body this week: Danger: stress at work Stress Is related directly with the need to hide emotions at work.Stress also affects teachers, because It Is them who have to control the children In the school. A high emotion work experience more stress than others. The most stressed group Is them who are thinking negative thoughts about the past. Test 2: Bad stress, good stress The stress problem comes because people have made the word become a common world in the daily parlance. Stress can also be related to the feeling of being afraid. Another effect could be that people are doing some ridiculous things, like punching the wall, drinking or attacking other people they know are weak like them self.Test 3: Stress relief Stress can take different forms. It's not only the negative things in life, which can create stress. Being too busy can result in excessive surges of adrenaline In the body. To work too hard to get the chance to buy expensive thing, Is also a pressure. Test 4: Stres s can be good for you but not for long Even small things can affect the stress level, for example the torture of commuting, frustrations with computers freezing in the worst moments. But a study claims that stress isn't always bad for people.But permanent stress will be dangerous and it will effect the immune system also. Comment on the following statement: ââ¬Å"If you want to live long and healthily, don't settle into routinesâ⬠Maybe the following statement means that routines can be bad for you, you might come In a bad routine, but not only that, but if you Just think in routines in general, then you might see that it is bad for you, because if you don't follow your routine, it might stress you or you even get in bad mood, because you feel that you are missing something.But when you think by living healthy Is can be both good and bad with routines, because maybe you have a DOD routine by going to the gym and eat healthy, then It's good for you, but at the other way, It als o might be bad, because It can also effect you If you one day don't have the time to go to the gym, then you might get In a bad mood or you can get In a bad routine and eat a lot of fat food and that can be very bad for you as well. Manage stress as a student.How to manage stress as a student? That's the question many people have these days. As a student you can some very stressed days, maybe you have to be in school until late afternoon, or maybe you have a part time Job side the school, or you are living alone or maybe you Just like spending time with your friends. All these factors can affect your stress level, but the way you can manage this, is by going to school, then making your homework, and Just take it easy.Friends can you later at the day or in the weekend. It's Just about taking it slow, do your thing in your own tempo and an important thing is priority. Most of it depends on how you priority your day and your things. Do the things that you and your body can manage, and don't go under for the pressure that can occur in your daily life. Fight for the things you want.
Monday, January 6, 2020
Bubonic Plague - 1154 Words
Bubonic plague is believed to have brought the Byzantine empire to its knees in the 6th century. This is the first ever documented record of bubonic plague in human history. But the fact that bubonic plague continues to afflict human population even today is a matter of concern. Your bubonic plague research paper would revolve around the premise of it being a deadly disease, but we assure you that we wonââ¬â¢t scare you by the facts. Bubonic plague is typically differentiated from other infections because of its roots in the bacteria, Yersinia pestis or Pastuerella pestis. The bacteria typically infects the spleen, lungs, kidneys and brain. It is spread by virtue of rats and fleas. The staff at ProfEssays.com could as Help with Bubonic Plagueâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦All research papers are written by native citizens so that you get the authentic information, and nothing else. Bubonic plague could even be detrimental to the biodiversity. Your buboinic plague research paper could tell you of all the harmful effects the bacteria is known to have on several species like the black-footed ferret. The ecological balance is hampered because species of prairie dog depend on the ferret. Endangered species like the black-footed ferret are thrown to the verge of extinction by virtue of an epidemic of bubonic plague. A biodiversity research paper could tell you of the threats to your nationââ¬â¢s biodiversity. Bubonic plague is believed to have originated in Gobi desert, Asia in the 6th century. It spread all over the continent by fleas and through other draft animals. Trade routes provided avenues for transmission to different parts of Europe and Africa. There has always been the possibility of the Yersinia pestis being used as a biological weapon, although doctors and scientists dismiss the possibility. A terrorism research paper could spell out the reasons for this. Looking for an exceptional company to do some custom writing for you? Look no further than ProfEssays.com! You simply place an order with the writing instructions you have been given, and before you know it, your essay or term paper, completely finished and unique, will be completed and sent back to you. The Black Death swept through Europe andShow MoreRelatedThe Plague Of The Bubonic Plague896 Words à |à 4 PagesBlack Death The Bubonic Plague was likely the first semi-global pandemic that rightfully merits the name which means affecting all people. The period of time in which the disease wreaked havoc was also known as the ââ¬Å"Black Death. Alexandere Yersin was a French bacteriologist and discovered the bacteria in Hong Kong This diabolical disease is characterized by both positive and negative outcomes for the few people that managed to survive the plague. The total number of people who died subsequentlyRead MoreThe Plague Of The Bubonic Plague1848 Words à |à 8 Pages The Bubonic Plague killed over twenty-five million people during the Elizabethan Era (David Perlin, PhD and Ann Cohen). ââ¬Å"The origins of the Black Death can be traced back to the Gobi Desert of Mongolia in the 1320ââ¬â¢s (Ed. Geoffrey J. et al).â⬠The Bubonic Plague has picked up many nicknames. For example, it has been called ââ¬Å"The Black Death,â⬠and ââ¬Å"one of the four horsemen of the apocalypseâ ⬠(Ed. Geoffrey J. et al). The Bubonic Plague was very prominent during its time with many peopleââ¬â¢s lives beingRead MoreThe Plague Of The Bubonic Plague1426 Words à |à 6 PagesThe plague was a catastrophic time in history, and happened more than once. It took millions and millions of peopleââ¬â¢s lives. It destroyed cities and countries, and many people suffered from it. What is the plague? The plague or referred to as the Black Death, according to the CDC (2015), ââ¬Å"is a disease that affects humans and other mammals and caused by the Yersinia pestis bacteria. Humans usually get plague after being bitten by a rodent flea that is carrying the plague bacterium or by handlingRead MoreBubonic Plague2091 Words à |à 9 Pageshttp://ponderosa-pine.uoregon.edu/students/Janis/menu.html Abstract Bubonic plague has had a major impact on the history of the world. Caused by the bacterium, Yersinia pestis, and transmitted by fleas often found on rats, bubonic plague has killed over 50 million people over the centuries. Burrowing rodent populations across the world keep the disease present in the world today. Outbreaks, though often small, still occur in many places. The use of antibiotics and increased scientific knowledgeRead MoreThe Plague Of Bubonic Plague1714 Words à |à 7 Pagescharacteristics. The diffusion, history, and cure are just a couple universal aspects that contribute to the well known, yet unforgiving disease known as the Bubonic Plague. The Bubonic Plague diffused to many people during its time of dominance. To start, the Bubonic Plague is transmitted to other living organisms in a distinct way. The plague bacteria circulates among different populations of certain rodents without causing an excessive amount of rodent die-off (ââ¬Å"Centers for Disease Control andRead MoreThe Plague Of The Bubonic Plague825 Words à |à 4 PagesThe Plague Discussion Questions The Black Death was an epizootic bubonic plague, a disease caused by the bacterium of rodents known as Yersinia pestis. The bubonic plague overwhelming effects of European history. The Black Death was considered one of the most ââ¬Å"devastating pandemicsâ⬠in human history. Whom Did the Black Death Affect The Black death affected mostly Europe. ââ¬Å"The disastrous mortal disease known as the Black Death spread across Europe in the years 1346-53.â⬠(Paragraph 1) ââ¬Å"By the endRead MoreThe Plague Of The Bubonic Plague975 Words à |à 4 PagesThe Bubonic plague, also known as the Black Death, was a severe outbreak of disease that spread in Europe in the 14th century from 1346-1353. The disease spread faster then originally expected of killing only twenty or thirty percent but killed 60 percent of Europe s population ( Benedictow). It is believed the population of Europe was around eighty million and that would add up to be fifty million deaths. It was a horrific death for one to experience and can still be found in the world todayRead MoreThe Plague Of Bubonic Plague945 Words à |à 4 Pages Essays 3. The bubonic plague was a devastating disease that rapidly swept across Europe. Also known as the Black Death, the plague spread from port to port and started to wipe out entire civilizations. All of Europe was eventually contaminated, with over two-thirds of the population dieing to the infectious disease. Believed to have started in 1346 when the Mongol armies overtook the Genoese trading outpost of Caffa on the Black Sea, over half the soldiers on the boat returned dead. The quicknessRead MoreThe Plague Of The Bubonic Plague1938 Words à |à 8 PagesBlack Plague DBQ à à à The Bubonic Plague or Black Plague devastated Europe in the fifteenth through eighteenth centuries killing anywhere from twenty to twenty-five million people or about one-third of the continentââ¬â¢s population. At the time, medical knowledge was not competent for understanding why the deadly pathogen was spreading; therefore, the plague radiated like wildfire. The Europeans believed that the plague was a sort of divine punishment for the sins in which they had committed, and theyRead MoreThe Bubonic Plague Essay1463 Words à |à 6 PagesThe Bubonic Plague Introduction Plague, was a term that was applied in the Middle Ages to all fatal epidemic diseases, but now it is only applied to an acute, infectious, contagious disease of rodents and humans, caused by a short, thin, gram-negative bacillus. In humans, plague occurs in three forms: bubonic plague, pneumonic plague, and septicemic plague. The best known form is the bubonic plague and it is named after buboes, or enlarged, inflamed lymph nodes, which are characteristics
Sunday, December 29, 2019
How Principals Can Provide Teacher Support
Having a supportive principal can make all the difference for a teacher. Teachers want to know that their principal has their best interests in mind. One of the main duties of a principal is to provide ongoing, collaborative teacher support. The relationship between a teacher and a principal has to be built on a foundation of trust. This type of relationship takes a lot of time to build. Principals must slowly cultivate these relationships while taking the time to get to know each teachers strength and weaknesses. The worst thing that a new principal can do is to go in and quickly make a lot of changes. This will assuredly turn a group of teachers against a principal quickly. A smart principal will initially make small changes, allow time for teachers to get to know them, and then gradually make larger, more meaningful changes over the course of time. It is important to note that any significant changes should be made only after seeking and considering input from teachers. Here, we examine ten suggestions for earning teacher trust and ultimately providing them with ongoing, collaborative teacher support. Allow Time for Peer Collaboration Teachers should be given time to work together in a collaborative effort. This collaboration will strengthen relationships among your faculty, provide new or struggling teachers with an outlet to gain valuable insight and advice, and allows teachers to share best practices and success stories. The principal becomes the driving force in this collaboration. They are the one who schedules the time to collaborate and sets the agenda for these times. Principals who reject the importance of peer collaboration are selling its value far short. Ask Questions and Seek Their Advice The principal is the primary decision maker in their building. This doesnââ¬â¢t mean that teachers shouldnââ¬â¢t be included in the decision-making process. Although a principal may have the final say, teachers should be given a platform to express their feelings or provide advice for the principal, especially when the issue will directly affect the teachers. A principal should use the resources at hand when making decisions. Teachers have brilliant ideas. By seeking their advice, they may challenge your thinking on an issue may validate that you are on the right track. Neither case is a terrible thing when making any decision. Have Their Back Teachers are people, and all people go through difficult times both personally and professionally at some point in their lives. When a teacher is going through a difficult situation personally (death, divorce, illness, etc.), a principal should give them 100% support at all times. A teacher going through a personal issue will appreciate any support their principal shows during this time. Sometimes this could be as simple as asking them how they are doing and sometimes it may be necessary to give them a few days off. Professionally you want to back a teacher as long as you believe they are effective, ethical, and moral. There are situations where you absolutely cannot support a teacher because the decision they made is ethically or morally wrong. In this case, do not skirt around the issue. Be up front with them and tell them that they messed up, and there is no way you can back them up based on their actions. Be Consistent Teachers hate it when principals are inconsistent especially when dealing with student discipline or parent situations. A principal should always try to be fair and consistent with their decision making. Teachers may not always agree with how you handle situations, but if you establish a pattern of consistency, then they will not complain too much. For example, if a 3rd-grade teacher sends a student to the office for being disrespectful in class, check your student discipline records to see how you have handled similar issues in the past. You do not want any teacher to feel like you play favorites. Conduct Meaningful Evaluations Teacher evaluations are meant to be tools that show a teacher where they are and to move them in a direction to maximize their overall effectiveness. Conducting meaningful evaluations takes a lot of time and time is not something a lot of principals have, therefore many principals neglect making the most out of their teacher evaluations. Providing effective teacher support requires constructive criticism at times. No teacher is perfect. There is always room for improvement in some area. A meaningful evaluation allows you the opportunity to be critical and to offer praise. It is a balance of both. A satisfactory evaluation cannot be given on a single classroom visit. It is a collaboration of information gathered through many visits that provide the most meaningful evaluations. Create a Teacher-Friendly Schedule Principals are typically responsible for creating their buildingââ¬â¢s daily schedule. This includes class schedules, teacher planning periods, and duties. If you want to make your teachers happy, minimize the time they need to be on duty. Teachers hate duties of any kind whether it is lunch duty, recess duty, bus duty, etc. If you can figure out a way to create a schedule in which they only have to cover a few duties a month, your teachers will love you. Encourage Them to Bring Problems to You Have an open door policy. The relationship between a teacher and principal should be strong enough that they can bring any problem or issue and trust that you are going to try your best to help them out confidentially. Often times you will find that teachers simply need someone to vent their frustrations to, so being a good listener is often all that is necessary. Other times you will have to tell the teacher that you need some time to think about the problem and then get back with them with some take it or leave it advice. Try not to force your opinion on the teacher. Give them options and explain where you are coming from. Tell them what decision you would make and why, but donââ¬â¢t hold it against them if they go with another option. Understand that every situation that is brought to you is unique and how you handle that situation depends on upon the situation itself. Get to Know Them There is a thin line between getting to know your teachers and being their best friends. As their leader, you want to build a trusting relationship without getting so close that it interferes when you have to make a tough decision. You want to build a balanced relationship between personal and professional, but you donââ¬â¢t want to tip it where it is more personal than professional. Take an active interest in their family, hobbies, and other interest. This will let them know that you care about them as individuals and not just as teachers. Offer Advice, Direction, or Assistance All principals should continuously offer their teachers advice, direction, or assistance. This is especially true for beginning teachers, but it is true for teachers throughout all levels of experience. The principal is the instructional leader, and providing advice, direction, or assistance is the primary job of a leader. This can be done through a variety of ways. Sometimes a principal can simply provide a teacher with verbal advice. Other times they may want to show the teacher by having them observe another teacher whose strengths are in an area where that teacher needs assistance. Providing the teacher with books and resources are another way to provide advice, direction, or assistance. Provide Applicable Professional Development All teachers are required to participate in professional development. However, teachers want these professional development opportunities to be applicable to their situation. No teacher wants to sit through eight hours of professional development that doesnââ¬â¢t directly apply to what their teaching or they will never use. This can fall back on the principal as they are often involved in the scheduling of professional development. Choose professional development opportunities that are going to benefit your teachers, not just ones that meet your minimum professional development criteria. Your teachers will appreciate you more, and your school will be better off in the long run because your teachers are learning new things that they can then apply to their daily classroom.
Saturday, December 21, 2019
The Career Of A Makeup Artist - 1778 Words
Starting at the age of 11, there was this young girl who began to get really interested into makeup. Her dad though, did not really like makeup at all so she snuck it on whenever she got to school and made sure she took it off either while she and her brothers walked home or before her dad came to pick her up. This young girl was only in the 6th grade, which is kind of reasonable now that she thinks back on it, but when she was 11 she thought it was the most unfair thing; why stop her from doing something she like that expresses herself and who she am as a person? But as time went on and she got older and understood that it just meant he was scared that she was growing up too quickly. Being a Makeup artist would be rewarding, because aâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦Your personality is a major key in this work field; you have to be able to communicate with others and work well with others. Being a makeup artist is all about working and interacting with people and if you can not do tha t or do not like to be around people then this is not for you. The experience you have varies a lot more than the education you have. You could have all the education in the world about being a makeup artist, but that does not mean you are good at it or have the creative eye for it. You could work with big name brand companies like MAC, Sephora, Makeup Geek, and Ulta without going to school for it, but just simply because you are good at it and you have the passion for it. Onto the duties of being a makeup artist, which vary as to what you want to do in makeup artistry. Some may have to sell makeup products if they are studying the businesses of the makeup, while others may have the duty of applying the makeup, whether it be special effects makeup, glam makeup, or regular day to day makeup which are the specific duties. General duties would be how to interact with clients, being a makeup artist you have to know your client like what they want how they want it and what they like. Wit hout knowing any of that information you could be completely clueless and the client may end up hating what you did for them. Personality is a huge thing when working with people, you do not want to have a bad attitude or
Thursday, December 12, 2019
Creating an Addiction free essay sample
The scorching August sun beat down on the sidewalk as I held my fathers hand tightly, afraid to let it go. We had just gotten off the T and the sweat was already pouring down our foreheads. Everyone around us was in a mad rush, all going to their own destinations and not acknowledging anyone elseââ¬â¢s presence. People moved in every direction, faceless in a sea of gray and black suits. My father and I were sore thumbs in the mix; my brand new bright red jersey that had my favorite players name on the back, Nomar Garciapara, and his red hat made us the typical tourists to the area. I was overwhelmed with curiosity; the city was a place we did not venture often. My father weaved us through the crowd until I slowly noticed more of an abundance of people also sporting the color red. We had been walking for an innumerable amount of time to a child my age. We will write a custom essay sample on Creating an Addiction or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page My hand was so wet that it was almost impossible to hold onto his any longer. Between the sunscreen that had recently been lathered all over me by my dad at the T station and the sweat from the summer heat, his hand kept slipping from mine. I tried to look ahead up the street, but all I saw were people. People were everywhere. I jumped into the air to see over their heads, but my nine-year-old frame would not take me up that high. Finally I saw it for the first time in person. My father had talked about it many times before, the Green Monster was up ahead, looking like an oasis in the middle of a desert, the green walls stuck out next to the glass skyscrapers and brick buildings. It was just like my father and I were a few blocks before, a sore thumb in the bland city. My dad pointed up ahead and yelled in my ear that we had finally made it. I felt uncomfortable and hurried in the city; we were packed into lines and shoved through metal detectors. My father had to remove his belt and the money clip in his pocket before we were allowed to advance towards the Green Monster. The sun was getting close to setting and I could feel a late summer breeze blowing my braids off of my sticky back when my dad finally made it past security. I looked up ahead and saw a huge banner over the street called Yawkey Way. The Green Monster was on our left, and on our right were brick buildings with red and blue awning. People walked down the middle of the street and no cars could drive through. Vendors were cooking sausage and selling beer, the smells filled the air as the smoke from the grills went up into the sky. I had to keep holding onto my dadââ¬â¢s hand because now everyone looked exactly like we did. A band played music outside a storefront and a man in stilts in a baseball uniform was playing catch with another kid in a red jerse y. My father and I entered a souvenir store and I stood overwhelmed at the thousands of tee shirts I had to choose from. I only knew Nomar Garciapara, and I chose shirt with his name on the back, to match the jersey I was wearing. The moment I decided what I wanted as a token to remember this trip, my father whipped it out of my hands and paid for it in a hurry. I had taken too much time deciding. He grabbed my arm and we hurried to Gate D, our entrance to the ballpark, inside the walls of the Green Monster. He did not want to miss the Red Sox take batting practice before the game. As we walked down into Gate D, we passed more food vendors and my father began to ramble about previous times he had been here. He asked me if I wanted a ââ¬Å"Fenway Frankâ⬠, and out of fear, I politely declined the option of a boiled hotdog and instead got a candy apple. As my dad rushed down the walkway under the grandstand like he owned the entire ballpark, I saw signs that had the same numbers that were on my ticket I held firmly in my free hand, with my candy apple and my tee shirt, everything sticky as the caramel melted all over my hand and arm. My dad held my other hand tightly and we were practically running at this point, and as we rounded a corner with a large sign over it saying ââ¬Å"Field Box 14-21â⬠in large red letters. My dad then paused and looked down at me. He bent over so we were at the same height, in the middle of path. He looked at me and told me this was his favorite part of Fenway Park, and even at the age of nine, I could see the importance of this moment in his eyes, and I could hear it in his voice. He was about to share his passion with his only child. It was then that he grabbed my hand again and we walked up the ramp and soon I could see light flooding the exit of the walkway. I squinted as my dad pulled me up over his head and I sat on his shoulders. He was smiling ear to ear, and before I knew it I was staring at the Green Monster from the other side. We had made it into Fenway Park. My dad stopped for a moment and stared out at the crisp green field and the thousands of red and blue seats. Even I was dumbfounded at what I was looking at. The Green Monster towered above us and the stadium lights blinded us even though it was still sunny out. Baseball players were stretching and passing the ball to one another. I looked frantically for Nomar, but I could not find him. In person they all look the same. As people were walking around us to get to their seats, my dad then began to walk again to get to ours. He kept me up on his shoulders until we reached Field Box 21, and then he lowered me to the ground and lead me down stairs until we were headed into a crowd of people standing in front of the Red Sox Dugout. He then politely asked people to move and told them they were our seats. I never thought we would be sitting this close! I followed my dad into the third row and picked my favorite number, 2, over 3, which were our two seats in the row. I unfolded the red wooden chair and stood on top of it and watched the many other fans that were not supposed to be there yell to players for autographs. I could not find Nomar, but suddenly my dad picked me up and threw me on top of the dugout. Standing in front of me was a huge man in a red sox uniform. My dad yelled in my ear to hand him my ticket and a pen, so I did. The man was very nice, he asked me my name and he signed his name on my ticket, handed it back, and continued to batting practice. My dad was elated as he took the ticket out of my hand and looked at the signature. I had no idea who the man was, but I thought he must have been important if he was so excited about it. He told me that he was the catcher, Jason Varitek. I didnââ¬â¢t really care then however, I was still scanning the field for Nomar. People were slowly retreating away from the dugout to their real seats, and my dad and I sat down. We were at eye level with the field. The sun was behind us and was slowly dipping lower and lower behind the park. My dad took out a wipe that my mother had packed for us and he scrubbed my caramel apple hands with it. It was then that I saw him. All of the players ran out onto the field right in front of my eyes. I was captivated. There was Nomar Garciapara directly in front of me. They all had their backs to us as the National Anthem was sung. I could not believe I was actually seeing him in person. That was the first time I cried at Fenway Park. My eyes swelled and tears ran down my face, however my father did not notice. He was too busy watching the players take the field, watching the sea of red and navy blue people cheer and listening to the announcers welcome us to Fenway Park. My dad did not know that day he created a monster. He had just poisoned his only daughter with an addi ction to the Boston Red Sox.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)