Cubs Fans, Stephen King & Stephen Crane

After reading some of the latest BCB diaries, yet again, bemoaning the Cubs latest, and historical, woe-is-us, this team REALLY sucks laments, I turned to a book by Stephen King & Stewart O'Nan about the 2004 Red Sox: FAITHFUL.

The book chapters are indexed and titled by months.  Appropriately, the chapter titled June, is subtitled 'The June Swoon'.  Even more ironically, the accompanying chapter's black and white photo shows Nomar G. while fielding a ground ball.

Here's where Stephen King & Stewart O'Nan come in to play... &nbsp. So, for what it's worth, here is Crane's poem, 'In the Desert' written in 1905, EVEN before Cubs fans had a chance to be embittered, cynical, pessimistic, forlorn, catastrophic, and any other negative descriptor you may feel or wish to add:  

In the Desert

In the desert
I saw a creature, naked, bestial,
Who, squatting upon the ground,
Held his heart in his hands,
And ate of it.
I said: "Is it good, friend?"
"It is bitter - bitter," he answered;
"But I like it
Because it is bitter,
And because it is my heart."

Stephen King is furiously recalling the BoSox early June losing streak while the Yankees keep winning; and how serious Sox (Boston that is) fans "CAN'T DO A F***ING THING ABOUT IT"...all I can do is stand by and watch."

However, two other things are mentioned.  One is to find the Stephan Crane poem about a guy that says that "he likes what he's eating because it's bitter, and because it is his heart."

Kinda reminds me of embittered Cubs Fans right now!  King immediately follows that thought with reality: "Stop that and stay upbeat, I tell myself."  He goes on to add that the season is a long one, and that September is the only month where a long losing streak can kill a team, and only when coupled with a winning streak by the "wrong team."

I highly recommend FAITHFUL as a timely read right now.  

At this juncture, the 2007 Cubs remind me a lot of the 2003 Cubbies when they were losing in pitiful style during early and midsummer, pre-Aramis, and Lofton trades.

So, from the master of the macabre, weird, and twisted tales of darkness, Mr. Stephen King, our 'June Swoon' has yet to kickoff (barring the Barrett/Big Z Brawlgame today!), so try to stay a bit more optimistic:

"Stop that and stay upbeat, I tell myself."

SOMEDAY…

"If they won a world championship, sure, we'd be proud. But we couldn't love them any more than we already do." –anon. Cub fan