I must say, I didn’t expect to see the ol’ Yankeemobile at the train station today, after the Yankees’ ignominious distant second place finish in the ALCS against those fearsome Rangers from the Lone Star State. But there it was, Mount Pleasant’s own Derek Jeeper, gracing the lot. There it sat, the fearsome A-Ride, in that familiar spot, facing the rest of the lot along prime “I get up at 4 a.m.” row.
For months, it said, I dare you to take the World Champs title from me.
Today, it’s a no less defiant, I dare you to take Cliff Lee from me.
I figured, if the Yankees were eliminated, the lease on the Yankeemobile–a pinstriped, Yankee logo’d Jeep Cherokee that’s been turning up several a week at our train station for the past few years–would be canceled within minutes. I mean, who wants to drive a car covered in pinstripes and hats-and-bats after the Yankees have cleaned out their lockers pre-World Series? Wouldn’t it be sort of embarrassing to be sitting at a light, bedecked in pinstripes, other motorists pointing and laughing?
But no. While I still feel the notion of a grown man (or woman?) driving an automobile covered head to toe with their favorite baseball team’s trade dress (I mean, would it be cool if I drove a Spidermanmobile? A SpongeBobmobile? A Hall & Oatesmobile?), I have to tip my (Mets) cap to the Yankeemobile driver. Nobody but nobody is wearing their Yankee hat or Yankee jacket or Yankee underwear (well, that last one I can’t prove) in the city today. No one.
Yankeemobile man? He’s still representing. A cheer to you, sir — and I don’t mean the Bronx variety.
Squatting in its space, looking in all its pinstriped glory like Alex Rodriguez frozen in place staring at a called third strike.
How’s that for a metaphor?