For the record, I was at my parent’s house to see the game of the season, and of the century.

The funny thing is, I had told my cousin I would make sure to wear my Cub’s hat for the two remaining games after Sunday’s win because when I took it off for a few innings that day, the Cubs fell behind, and when I put it back on, they won- and I forgot to take it to work yesterday morning, so I had to go home right after work at 5 to get it, and, wouldn’t you know it, Fowler hit his leadoff home run as I was in traffic on the way to Mom and Dad’s.

The meal of the evening was Pizza Hut pizza and a salad.

I arrived and my stomach was a little upset, so I put off eating anything until the fourth inning or so, but once I had one slice, I had two more soon after, and some salad.

Earlier in the day, at lunch, our office had a retirement meal to celebrate the retirement of William “WCW” Winkler from working for twenty-plus years at ARC. The meal was well attended over at Lindy’s diner. William has been my Sports Minute partner the last year or so. Most every day that he has been in the office, he has come by sometime in the morning for a sports recap, usually revolving around the Yankees, the Packers, or the Cubs. Recently, William and I exchanged phone and email info so we could continue sports talk when he was retired- and he’s been faithful throughout the World Series to chime in when the Cubs or the Indians have had big innings.

The game was played on a Wednesday, two days after we returned from a long weekend in Kansas to see family at Arkalalah (Thursday-Monday).

And like the other nights this postseason when we were in town and the Cubs played on Fox Sports, I watched the game with Mom and Dad at their house.

It was windy in Albuquerque, and you could smell rain in the air.

My Facebook page was flooded with well-wishes before the game, and congratulations after. I did watch 90 percent of the 162 regular season games, after all, and every postseason game. I guess that was sort of like I helped the team win, being an ardent fan. I did maintain a high level of Cubs posts on Facebook during the season, after all. To some, too much Cubs, I am sure. But I feel kind of like the brother of a guy whose wife has a baby- congratulated for being connected to something I really had nothing to do with, except as a feverish spectator.

But I get it- the well wishes and congrats were kind, offered by friends and acquaintances who rejoiced in my team’s fortune.

—

I questioned Maddon’s early removal of Hendricks in the 4th. I so wanted him in line for the win. Especially after the passed ball gaffe next inning when Cleveland plated two.

I was uncomfortable with Chapman in so early, as he’s blown up a few times in the past having to stretch out several innings of work- and he lost the lead.

But the bats. The bats arrived in games 6 and in game 7 in droves. Putting Schwarber in the 2 spot in the lineup was brilliant.

When the Indians came back twice in the game, you felt the familiar Cub fan “Oh no” feeling inside.

But it didn’t stay long.

This team was different. This team is different. Curses? What are those. These guys would have none of that.

When the rain delay hit after the ninth when the game was tied, I just had to laugh. Here they were, the Cubs, in game 7 of the World Series, tied in the ninth with Cleveland, and the weather stepped in to add to the drama, to let the clubs regroup.

Evidently during the rain delay, Jason Heyward gathered the guys in the clubhouse- that guy with the absent bat- and reminded them where they were and what they were about, and how it was time to finish it, to grind it out. To complete the story. And it worked.

The 10th inning was all they needed. Schwarber gets on. Rizzo gets on. And then that Zobrist drive up the line on the left, followed by Montero’s pinch hit single to add one more.

Cubs 8 Indians 7, your final score.

November 2, 2016. The world has fallen off its axis.

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I didn’t cry per se, but my eyes moistened when Montgomery threw that last pitch, and Bryzzo put the game away, and gloves went into the air as the dogpile started on the infield. Happiness rose from my chest and across my mouth as all of the emotion exploded on the ball field and I just watched as the team collected and the mass jumped and bounced and yelled.

Zobrist got the MVP, but there were lots of moments when different guys stepped up. Baez with his glove, Bryant and Russell and Rizzo with their bats.

Seeing Grandpa Rossy get into this historic game when Lester came in for relief, and not just play, but hit THE HOMER that may have made all of the difference in the Cubs winning the ballgame. That guy, so beloved by teammates and fans alike, getting to end his career like that. Amazing.

I am grateful my folks and family have humored me with this baseball thing- but I think I may have gotten it out of my system. I picked the right year to go all in, to make MLB.tv my best friend this summer, to put other stuff in life aside for a few months. And it payed off, allowing me to witness one of the greatest runs in all of sports history.

The Cubs have won the World Series. No more talk of goats or black cats or curses or Bartman, or of 108 year. No more “Lovable Losers”. No more “#NoMoreNextYear”.

As my brother put it, “Epstein for President!”

The Cubs, these Cubs, this 2016 team, are the 2016 World Series Champions.

And I can get back to living my life.

At least for five months.

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“Harry Caray’s Last Call” by Budweiser