Chapter 608: 607 City Lifeline Chapter 608: 607 City Lifeline In just one year, it all felt so real, yet so dreamlike, that at any mont in daily life I would find myself in a daze, questioning whether all this had truly happened.
After repeated confirmation, the fact that “the Kansas City Chiefs are the defending champions” always managed to bring a smile to my face, restoring a sense of happiness.
Perhaps, to outsiders, eight whole months had passed since the Super Bowl, and the city was still basking in the glory of the championship, which seed quite insane.
But West would say that’s because they didn’t live in Kansas City.
“These past years, the entire city has been struggling, as if enduring an invisible storm—with factories closing, neighborhoods crumbling, widespread unemploynt, and young people forced to leave in search of survival.”
“It was a slump, a gloom.”
“If soone asked what Kansas City was like, I’d say it was a disaster, no need to co here, we’re all worried we’d beco the next Detroit.”
West noticed Li Wei’s surprise and couldn’t help but give a bitter smile.
“Yes, we were in that bad of a state.”
Detroit, the once-great Motor City, declared bankruptcy in 2014, the largest municipal bankruptcy in North Arican history, resulting in the city being managed by The Federation.
...
Luckily, the bankruptcy didn’t last too long.
After a whole year, the city’s finances returned to normal, and The Federation handed back control to the municipal governnt.
The Detroit Lions, this NFL team was also struggling on the edge.
Unexpectedly, Kansas City was facing the sa depressive and bleak hardship.
In fact, even now, Kansas City’s economic situation was still terrible, with a high unemploynt rate casting a shadow over the entire city.
West took a deep breath.
“This is a blue-collar city, ho to a bunch of workers.”
“We don’t have much cleverness or talent, just honestly, diligently, earnestly relying on our hands to make a living.
We can’t keep up with the trend of the internet economy, living our lives straight and simple, without extravagant desires or dreams, just trying to live simply.”
“Once the factories can’t keep going, people can’t find a way out.”
“This city has always been fighting adversity, suffering from hardship, and people don’t deserve this treatnt.”
“Football is the only thing we have, it helps us find the strength to keep on living.”
“If we win, even Monday doesn’t seem so bad, you can see smiling faces, you can find a weak ray of sunshine in the gloom.”
“But if we lose, things start to get difficult…”
He trailed off.
West looked at Li Wei, slightly embarrassed, “Sorry, we don’t have any other entertainnt.”
Li Wei shrugged lightly, “Hey, you’re discussing my job, could you show so respect, please?”
“Haha,” West could not control himself, “Hahahaha,” his laughter simply uncontrollable.
Initially, West had been worried about putting all the pressure on Li Wei.
These young second- and third-year players had already endured enough attention and expectations; he really shouldn’t keep piling all the hopes on Li Wei’s shoulders.
But now it seed, the reason Li Wei was able to beco Li Wei was not without cause.
My mind relaxed a bit.
“Football, for us, is more than just football.”
“I know you’ve never been to the Old Oak Tavern on ga day, after all, you have your work, God, what am I even talking about, I hope you never have the chance to witness the tavern’s ga day in full swing.”
“But…”
“Every ga day, it’s guaranteed to be packed.
One hundred percent.”
“For us, football is not just a ga, from early in the morning, we gather in the bar, joking with each other, looking forward to the ga, right up until after it ends.”
“It’s not just about drinking and having fun, but a group of old friends coming together, people needing support, needing soone to listen to the troubles in their lives, you can feel you’re a part of this community.”
“My parents were regulars here, I still rember the scene following them to the Old Oak Tavern for the first ti after a ga, that ti we won.”
“September 20th, 1993, the first ho ga of the season, against the Denver Broncos, ‘7:15,’ we won.”
“I was only five years old that year.
Imagine , holding my father’s hand, pushing open the door of the tavern, the jukebox blaring loudly, people joyfully singing, clinking their glasses, hugging each other, even dancing in the middle, that scene, deeply etched in my mind.”
“From that mont on, I fell in love with this place.”
In just a few words, West painted a picture in Li Wei’s mind.
Li Wei had never experienced it, but he couldn’t help but imagine that, just like football in the United Kingdom, Spain, Germany, football is also rooted in North Arican communities, this sport has long transcended re entertainnt.
“In my mory, the Old Oak Tavern has only closed once in twenty-five years, because Old Anderson fell at ho, and David had to rush back, later Mr.
Anderson was diagnosed with Alzheir’s, and then…”
“In any case, this place has always been open, even on Christmas Day.
Open all year round.”
“People always say, hey, buddy, it’s just a ga, no need to take it so seriously; but it’s not, really, it’s a part of our lives.”
As he spoke, West beca animated, his face flushed with excitent, unable to hide it.
“The first ti I went to Arrowhead Stadium with my parents, I still rember that scene, a massive red wave sweeping through the stands, face after face brimming with happiness.”
“After my father passed away, my mother never went to Arrowhead Stadium again, because it held too many of their mories, their first date, my father’s proposal, oh God, can you imagine that he actually proposed at Arrowhead Stadium?
Haha, but he did, he really did.”
“It’s the sa for .
In my mory, ti isn’t important, the stadium and those gas are what matter.”
“The first ti I fell in love with a girl, November 28th, 2004, we were routed at ho by San Diego, officially losing our playoff hopes, I t her right here at the Old Oak Tavern, a girl who cursed and vented her emotions with .
I still rember her black jeans under her jersey.”
“But at that ti, I didn’t have the courage to ask her out, until December 25th, the Christmas Day showdown, we defeated Oakland for the victory, right outside Arrowhead Stadium, I mustered the courage and asked her if she would like to watch a movie with , and she said yes.”
A smile climbed to the corners of my mouth, filled with happiness.
In the world of football, there is a famous saying that football is not a matter of life and death, but it is more important than life and death.
Actually, football is the sa.
But this is not to say that football is more important than life, but that football has long beco a part of life, including life and death, the birth of life, the passing of life, also intermingles with the stadium, the teams, and football, giving life weight, giving life warmth.
Be it happiness or sadness, neither can be separated from football.
Perhaps, no one can escape the fate of death, but those vivid mories associated with the stadium and the team will never fade away.
Reviews
All reviews (0)