You Are My Fire, My Only Fire

Last Saturday afternoon I was attending Mitsuwa’s yearly Bon Festival. I was stuffing my face silly with spam musubi and downing Calpico like it was water. And just like my anime, I was doing this while sitting under the tree.

While I was watching the cars buzz by I noticed two kids wearing a Chicago Fire jersey. Both bearing the name of Dax McCarty, which was kind of surprising. Nowadays if you see a Fire jersey out in the wild, it’s usually Bastian Schweinsteiger on the back.

That reminded me there was a Fire game later that night and I never really thought anything about it. I was more intrigued in the upcoming Taiko performance.

As the hours went on by, I just had an urge to know what was going on with the game. Questions like, “So is Pauno going to play Brandon Vincent as a #10 today,” or “Is Michael de Leeuw back in the lineup.” As someone who writes about the Chicago Fire, of course you have to think about the upcoming game. And as a fan, you are almost obliged to know what’s going on.

But as of late, it’s hard to follow the Chicago Fire for any reason. Their losing streak aside (now at eight through all competitions), the treatment of their loyal fans should be viewed with disgust. I’ve expressed my views on the matter and so did my colleague Rubin. We also did a blackout from covering the match against the New York Red Bulls.

I don’t know if it was the heat or food getting to my head but I just had to know what was going to happen. Maybe I just wanted to see everything just burn down to the ground or maybe I just have some strange connection with a club that I can’t escape.

I left the festival with my stomach filled and happy and I should of have left it at that. But I went on Twitter against my better judgement and looked up what was occurring during the match. Pauno as always, introduced a meme lineup. I closed the app and went on with the rest of my night.

But a few minutes later, I kept checking – I didn’t watch the match, but I kept one eye on the feed. The Fire were apparently doing good that night, but we all know that there will be a second-half collapse.

Bradley Wright-Phillips later scored the lone goal of the night and the Fire lost. I said “LOL” out loud, but deep inside I was disappointed despite knowing the probable outcome.

My relationship with this club is strange. It’s hard to describe, but I know some of you know what I’m talking about and feel.

The Chicago Fire, no matter how much the Front Office is hostile to the press and the fans, is still my club. In the tune of “You Are My Sunshine,” You are my Fire, my only Fire, so please don’t take my Fire away.