Off to Boston

If you were grossed out by meatball and grilled cheese eating competitions, you’re probably not going to be a huge fan of our next venture: corned beef and cabbage. In fact, I’m not even sure I’M a big fan. Cabbage is some, uh, gassy food. Also the competition is at 10:30 in the morning for some ungodly reason, so if you were thinking that you might be hesitant to go to such a show at a reasonable, stomach-ready-for-the-day time, consider going first thing in the morning. But I just can’t turn down an opportunity to see the eating athleticism in action. Attending these competitions is like watching Olympic athletes vie for the gold. Yes, there are less triple salchows and more potential vomiting, but focused minds and trained bodies nonetheless. Greasy, burping bodies.

I have some friends in Boston, so it was lucky this competition was able to coincide with a visit. It’s coinciding with St. Patrick’s Day, too, and if you are everyone I’ve mentioned this to, you’ll also feel the urge to say, “St. Patrick’s Day in BOSTON? Are you crazy?” Apparently, it’s a phrase people can’t help uttering, a biological response like when the doctor tests your reflexes by hitting your knee, so I forgive them the overstated sentiment. Unless, of course, they know something I don’t? I do live in New York. I have been to my fair share of raucous green beer swilling pub-crawls. And Willow spent one St. Patty’s day in Ireland and she said it wasn’t nearly as crazy as it was here when she was working in an Irish Pub. Could the Irishness of Boston really put New York’s enthusiasm to shame?

I’m the one driving the car up tonight, and I have a fully arsenal of IDs and credit cards to get me through the transaction of renting the car. My last name on my drivers license no longer matches the one on my credit cards, so I have my passport to prove I’m me. But I may hit a snag there, because my passport/credit card name has me living in Brooklyn and the rental company has some weird hidden clause about being able to charge Brooklyn residents $50 more a day. So I also have my Denver license an old credit card on hand in case I need to do a quick switch.

Then it’s four hours of road trip time, which I always look forward to. I think some of the best times I’ve had in New York have involved escaping by car to go somewhere else. And if competitive eating has brought me two so far, I have that much more to owe the sport.

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