Go Blue Jays go

As you probably figured out by now, Toronto is usually a pretty low-key place. But yesterday, things changed dramatically.

On a bridge I regularly cross alone, there were hundreds of people. Music blasted from everywhere and the street entertainers were out in full force. One was using several buckets for a drum set and another was dressed as Santa Claus and asking for money for his sleigh. People were selling pictures and other trinkets. A stand that sells fries and perogies (this rare combination clearly reflects Toronto's multi-cultural environment) which I have never seen open before had two lines of customers waiting. Even the homeless came out, rattling their cans every few blocks.

The Blue Jays were in town.

This was puzzling to me, as I was still cold in my winter jacket, scarf and gloves and I somehow thought baseball was a spring/summer sport. But the Blue Jays did indeed have their home opener last night.

The event brought out blue-dressed Canadians, who must have all been in hibernation until now. There were repetitive chants of "Let's go Blue Jays," teenage-like obnoxiousness and smell of beer, street meat and marijuana. For the first time in Toronto, I saw a regular cop and a traffic cop, as even they had work last night. A sea of white trash Canucks flooded downtown Toronto, dropping F bombs like it was the middle of Baghdad. Everyone from the bearded men to the overweight middle-aged women wore Blue Jays T-shirts (don't they make jackets or scarves?) and other baseball paraphernalia. Some (like the fans pictured above in the Toronto Star) were even too hot for T-shirts.

While the crowd generated by this event was my worst nightmare, I could not help but feel rejuvenated by the rare sight of so many people. So I joined the party and started chanting the Blue Jays slogans.