the world's game

On the other side of the country from home I sat and watched Italy play Spain in Austria (or was it Switzerland?) with two gentlemen from England. What a funny little world it is. The two gentlemen were my father's age. We chatted freely about Manchester where I was born, about soccer, about anything in between hold your breath moments when the ball was arched across the goal mouth with a forward stretching full length just to get a touch on it.... but no one did and it went harmlessly by and over the end line for a goal kick. pretty soon we had most of the staff and a few others gathered around watching too. Most of them weren't into soccer and more than a few didn't know who was playing but watching a live sporting event always generates a camaraderie, superficial though it may be. It was a good game with chances for both teams. It ended 0-0 and the crowd broke up predicting the two overtimes would end without a goal and the winner would be decided by penalty kicks (which is what happened). I bid goodbye to the English gents and wished them a pleasant remainder of their vacation. They did the same. The wait staff and bartender thanked everyone and out to the streets we went, each heading their separate way. It's a funny little world how a soccer game half a world away can bring strangers together for a pleasant afternoon.