This is the first time Lu Ke has come to "Qiao's Bar". He has heard a lot about it, but he has never visited it in person.
Standing across the street, in front of you is an ordinary brick-walled hut with dark gray walls and dark green roofs. It is located among the rows of low and undulating houses in the Italian Quarter. It is really inconspicuous. On the left is There is a handmade tailor-made suit shop, and on the right is a second-hand bookstore with a touch of European style, forming an interesting contrast with the financial district next to it and Little Tokyo in the distance.
If there are no special instructions, you may not even notice that this is a bar when you pass by. But from another perspective, this is a bar that only locals will visit. It is not a tourist attraction, nor is it a check-in spot for internet celebrities. The rich atmosphere of life makes this place quietly integrate into the entire community.
Arriving at the door of the bar, Lu Ke pushed open the ajar door. The sound of "beep" reminded people of desert bars in Western movies. The trivial sounds of riding boots and iron palms outlined the scene of lawless madness amidst the dust. The vicissitudes of life of the disciples can be seen, and then you can see the entire bar decorated with red as the main color.
On the spacious wall on the left hand side, the history of the San Francisco 49ers is neatly arranged, including changes in jersey styles, team logos, photo frames inlaid with reports of important events, and commemorative scarves and ball caps from the year of the championship. ...and so on, displaying the memories belonging to the fans like a history museum.
On the brick wall directly in front, there were various photo frames placed irregularly. I originally thought they were photos of players or celebrities who had visited the bar. Unexpectedly, when I took a closer look, I found that they were photos of different fans. , truly recorded the classic moments of watching different games in different eras, and recorded the history of this bar.
Turning his head clockwise, his eyes passed over the bar counter, and then he could see the wall on the right. The dark soot covered the original appearance of the wall, and there were some burnt wood and garbage piled next to it. The damp ground and corners show the chaos that once occurred here, and it still looks like a ruin.
"Sorry, the bar is closed today." Anthony Tinozzo walked out of the warehouse, carrying a pile of garbage in his hand, and then he saw the figure standing in the middle of the bar and said politely.
But before he could finish his words, his steps involuntarily stopped on the spot, his expression blank, there was no special change, and the shock slowly overflowed. For a moment, Anthony couldn't tell whether it was because of the identity of the visitor or because the other party's appearance was so unexpected.
"Sorry, I know the bar is closed today. I came here specifically to find the bar owner Anthony Tinozzo." Lu Ke took the initiative to step forward and extended his right hand, "This is the first time we meet. I am Lu Ke."
Anthony's reaction was a little slow, "When we first met, I am Anthony Tinozzo." After finishing speaking, he thought for a moment and added, "I know who you are. But... why are you here?" Woolen cloth?"
It still doesn't feel real.
Although "Joe's Bar" is quite famous among fans, due to its geographical location-it is located in the center of the city rather than near Candlestick Park, there are not many players who come to the bar, let alone such a close distance. Contacted the team's leading quarterback.
Anthony is nearly forty years old and has long since passed those days of youth and frivolity. Even if he supports the San Francisco 49ers, he does it more in his own way. Those passions and enthusiasm have turned into foundation and experience. , gradually became calmer and lighter. He thought he was used to this method, but at this moment, he still couldn't help but get excited!
Facing such senior fans, Lu Ke is always full of admiration. His loyalty and love for this team have been integrated into the bones of the entire family and become part of their blood. "Is this the place where the accidental fire happened yesterday? "Lu Ke did not answer the question directly, but pointed to the corner directly in front of him.
"...Yes." Anthony responded, "But it wasn't serious. The situation was quickly brought under control, and later the firefighters eliminated all hidden dangers. It was no big deal."
Lu Ke stopped next to Anthony and looked at it carefully, "What was this place originally? You can see some writing on the wall." At this time, on the dark wall, there were large areas of wall The original appearance can no longer be seen, and only some vague traces can be vaguely captured, "That's...the Tigers, '26:21'? Is this our first Super Bowl victory?"
Lu Ke's voice was slightly hesitant. He still didn't know enough about the history of the San Francisco 49ers. He just made a relatively reliable judgment based on the attributes of the bar.
"Yes, originally on this wall was the track of our five championships, dates, opponents, scores, etc. It was like a championship wall, recording every peak moment of ours." Anthony's eyes flashed with pride. In the entire league, the San Francisco 49ers are second only to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the number of championships they have won. This is their pride.
What Lu Ke just saw was the first Super Bowl in team history, which happened in 1981. Anthony pointed to the completely covered position below, "The last time was on January 29, 1994, when we defeated the San Diego Lightning with a score of '49:26'. That was a big victory!"
Time flies, and in the blink of an eye it was already nineteen years ago.
But now this Glory Champions Wall has been destroyed in a fire accident. "The wall can be repainted, and everything can be saved. I don't think about the other walls. Those things are treasures that cannot be restored. So, we are lucky." Anthony still sees the positive and optimistic side.
If Seattle Seahawks fans have this idea and hope to shake their firm belief in winning in this way, then they obviously have the wrong idea.
Lu Ke also showed a smile, "Maybe, this is a revelation, it's time to update the wall."
Anthony's eyes suddenly brightened, but he still did not say out the thoughts in his mind. It was like a birthday wish. If he said the wish out, it would not come true. He should keep it firmly in his heart. Deep in my heart, I quietly wait for the day when my wish comes true.
After coming back to his senses, Lu Ke looked at Anthony, "I made a special trip here today because Ryan and Jonathan told me that some accidents occurred after the game yesterday. This is obviously not what we want to see." The source is The Baldwin brothers and Lu Ke are now in regular phone contact with Ryan to inquire about his rehabilitation and physical condition. As the team progresses, he also expects Ryan's condition to improve.
"Oh, Ryan. We went to the hospital to visit him last Friday. The doctor said that due to the recent active rehabilitation, his muscle vitality is slowly recovering, at least it has not continued to deteriorate. This has been the case for half a year. The rare good news." Anthony was still older. After the excitement, his emotions slowly settled down and he began to speak more freely.
Lu Ke said easily, "We have agreed that if the team can enter the Super Bowl, then he will take his date to watch the game. So, he must be working very, very hard now."
"Then you need to keep working hard." Anthony said smoothly.
"Aha!" Lu Ke nodded in agreement, "No matter what, after learning the news, we were all very worried. No one wants such an accident to happen." Lu Ke got to the point, "We know that the bar There must be insurance, and the insurance company will pay for the damage, but after discussion among us players, we still hope to do our part and express our support."
"..." Anthony looked at Lu Ke in surprise, "Bambi, no, no, no, we don't need it, we can't..."
Lu Ke took out an envelope from his pocket and placed it flatly in front of Anthony, "Don't worry, our team has fifty-three players, and every player has participated in this fundraiser, so, It’s not a big problem. It’s just to express that the team and the fans will always stand together. Without the support of the nine people, there is no way we can get to where we are this season.”
Anthony just stared at Lu Ke blankly, his heart racing. After all, he did not continue to be polite and took the envelope with both hands, "...Bambi, thank you."
"No need to thank me, this was David Akins' idea. I just sent the check as a representative. They were all joking that I am the team's flag now, and I hope I can come forward to accept everyone's thanks, but I always believe that we are a team and I am just one of them." Lu Ke said sincerely, without taking all the credit on himself.
Because Lu Ke's words were relaxed and joking, Anthony couldn't help but chuckle and joked, "They old guys must be lazy, so they deliberately dumped the matter on you. You are a sophomore again." , being the quarterback again, it’s perfect as a walk-on representative.”
Lu Ke immediately showed a big smile, "Really? Really? This is how I complained to David, but David just stood aside and snickered, not helping at all."
You can feel between the lines that the atmosphere in the San Francisco 49ers' locker room is very good now. After a stumbling season of undefeated victory, they finally found their rhythm in the playoffs.
"Although I really want to enjoy a beer here, there are a few other bars that I need to complete the errands. You know, the team's appearance always needs to be harder." Lu Ke did not stay here too long. After exchanging pleasantries with Anthony, he turned around and left.
The bar became quiet again. Anthony stood in the open space in the center, carefully recalling the short conversation just now. His mood soared, and he hummed a little tune and started to get busy again.
He had a hunch that something good might happen this year.
