Super Bowl in the Hood

So it’s Super Bowl Sunday here in our neighborhood, and while in recent years it’s not been a big deal — obviously this year — it will be.

But wait, first, I need to tell you about our little neighborhood. We purchased this house for more than our budget in the early 1980’s. The real estate agent said it had been on the market for a long time and didn’t show well. Translated: the house was a dump, a student rental house for the university nearby – complete with shag green carpeting, leaky sink, drunken party scrawling on the walls, and ancient aluminum siding. We never looked back.

Our house is right in the middle of a single block of row houses which sport various Easter egg colors — it’s a thing out here – quite cheering in the fog. The block dead ends at a rec park with tennis courts, soccer pitches, a baseball field, and our local branch library. Across from us is a private college preparatory school – so no houses across the street.

In recent years our little ‘hood’ has become close – we have a nice, friendly mix of middle class neighbors who watch out for each other. We remind each other to move cars on street cleaning day. We call if a garage door is left open too long. We take delivery of packages and many of us have spare keys. Our mail person is never in a hurry and stops to chat if we’re around. We have lots of little ones learning to to ride bikes across the street and tossing basketballs at portable hoops. Dog walkers go by and say hi. Books are discussed as we come and go to the library. We trade excess farmer’s market hauls and overzealous cookie bakes.

Yes, it is just like Mr. Roger’s neighborhood.

Today will be gentle fun. We leave our doors unlocked and we are expecting a few neighbors who will come and go during the big game. We will do the same — sharing and helping ourselves to snacks and drinks. Here, there will be shrimp, guacamole, chips, lemonade and beers. We’re further prepared with our basket of kids toys. Next door has their basketball hoop set up and there is talk of someone firing up their grill.

Appropriate dress is not required, but appreciated.

Join us, will you, and cheer on the San Francisco 49ers.

I’ll be in it for the commercials.