Super Bowl XX Rematch at Shaw's Supermarket

In this years’ playoffs, The Patriots and Bears failed to make good on the possibility of the rematch of Super Bowl XX.  But yesterday, 25 years to the day of that fateful game, there was an epic battle between a Patriots fan (me) and a Bears fan.

I was at Shaw’s supermarket yesterday morning, stocking up for the coming storm.  I went to the deli and the meat department and was rounding my way to the produce aisle when I heard wheels creaking next to me.  Seconds later, a carriage hip-checked me.  I look up and saw the operator of the carriage was a guy in a Chicago Bears winter jacket, radio buds in his ears and face-down rummaging through his groceries.

The guy clearly wasn’t paying attention – were I not in the way to stop him, he would’ve been on a collision course with a cooler of Van de Kamp’s fish sticks.  I didn’t think much of it and continued toward the produce department, until, second later, I heard behind me….

“Asshole.”

I turned and saw Bears Guy head around the corner.  I followed him around the corner and said, “Excuse me?”

“Thanks for bumping into me and not saying you’re sorry, asshole,” Bears Guy said.

“No, ya got it all wrong, pal,” I said, “You bumped into me.  Maybe if you’d look up, pull the radio out of your ear and your head out of your ass, you’d have seen me.”

At this, Bears Guy freezes, as if he a) didn’t realize how loud his “asshole” comment was with the radio in his ear, b) thought I wouldn’t confront him about it, or c) all of the above.  He turns and quickly runs away with his carriage to the next aisle, with all the wussiness of Jay Cutler or Tony Eason.

The 2011 NFL Playoffs were disappointing for Patriots fans everywhere, no doubt.  But yesterday was a great moment of redemption.  It took 25 years, but I was able to avenge the Patriots’ loss in Super Bowl XX to the Bears.