Copyright 2005 Daily News, L.P.

Daily News (New York)
June 23, 2005 Thursday
SPORTS FINAL EDITION
SECTION: SPORTS; Pg. 74

LENGTH: 248 words

HEADLINE: CAPPING OFF BAD DECISION

BYLINE: BY FILIP BONDY

BODY:


The unexpected fair weather here created the most difficult ethical dilemma of my life. The sun was glaring terribly on Court 2, and I required a baseball cap for shade.

I could either:

A. Purchase one at exorbitant Wimbledon prices.

B. Use the Boston Red Sox cap offered to me by Tom from the New York Sun.

I know what my Bleacher Creature friends would do. They would burn to a lobster crisp rather than donning the dreaded "B." But I am weaker than they are, and besides I would have had to walk to the ATM to get some cash for the cap.

So I put on the Boston cap. I figured nobody knows what it represents around here, anyway. The letter "B" could stand for Bolton, Birmingham or Blackburn Rovers. And then some guy sitting behind me on Court 14 said, "How far are the Sox behind Baltimore?" I took the cap off immediately, and I only hope I am still invited to Blue Lou's next barbecue.

Even while she made me a complicated cheddar sandwich this morning, Pamela told me about three friends who recently died. I listened sympathetically and now I think we are getting along much better.

Pamela has had a few boarders who were even worse than I am, it turns out. There was a guy who walked about all hours of the night, up and down the stairs, and then smashed a cupboard. There was a Lebanese journalist who stocked food all over the bedroom. "She must have grown up in a siege," Pamela said.

The Right Honorable Lord Carr of Hadley was in the royal box today, right honoring us with his presence.

LOAD-DATE: June 23, 2005