No Escape

Where I grew up, in the suburbs of Boston, at most every movie theater, before most every movie, they showed a short film about kids with cancer, produced by The Jimmy Fund.

After this short film, the houselights would come up, and the ushers would walk through the theater with a can. Patrons would reach into their pockets and throw some change or small bills into the can.

I remember thinking even then that maybe, like me, some of these people came to the movies for escape. I wondered too if some of these people might even be trying to escape, for a few brief hours, a child or loved one with cancer.

Which brings me to the upcoming, month-long, pink extravaganza that is about to overtake the NFL. What I remember beginning as a one game, nice thing for the NFL to do, raising breast cancer awareness by outfitting teams with pink sneakers and gloves for a game, will be going on now for the next month.

To be fair, I suspect many of those who suffer from this terrible disease and their loved ones appreciate very much the awareness given and the money raised to combat this awful disease.

But I think too about the folks who look to sports as an escape from the sometimes harsh realities of this world, from an uncaring universe and the drudgery of their daily lives.

If you’re a football fan, for the next month, there is no escape from any of it.