Long Way From Leaf Land

Long distance relationships. I’ve always heard they were hard. When I decided to move here to Vancouver from Ontario, all my friends said I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. I thought they didn’t know how strong our relationship really was.

Sure, we’ve been off and on for 16 years and the last couple have been kind of rocky, but 16 years is 16 years and I thought we were going to make it.

But it’s been tough.  My long distance relationship with the Toronto Maple Leafs has been one of the hardest things I’ve had to go through in my life. Not only is the team struggling, but I’m spending $86 a month in long distance phone bills calling people in Ontario who actually care about the Bud’s plight.

Making it harder, the Canucks are doing well in a tough Western conference while the Leafs are foundering well below the final playoff position in a weaker Eastern conference. I’m by no means a Canuck hater, but it’s like being alone on Valentine’s day, surrounded by couples, in Paris, sitting on the bench where you once proposed to your now ex-girlfriend.

Well, where do we stand? Are we still together? I think so. I’m not ready to throw away the years we’ve had together, although I sometimes cry myself to sleep, listening to Nina Simone records, trying to convince myself that I am indeed “feelin’ good”.

I don’t have to look very far to see how long distance relationships can fail. My colleague Blake was once involved with the Leafs as well. However, after spending four formative years in sultry Montreal… well you know where this goes from here. I resolve to not follow the same path.

They say that every successful relationship has one common ingredient. Good communication. I think our relationship is no different. I’m going to use this forum as way of keeping the dialogue flowing with the Leafs all the way from over here in Vancouver, while at the same time being honest about my (waning?) feelings. Wish me – and the Leafs – luck.