A great many Cub fans were born, lived, and died without ever having the chance to see their team make the playoffs. An entire generation lived and died without seeing them win the World Series (last in 1908), and much of a generation died without seeing them even make it to the championship (last in 1908). The bulk of us born during and after the Baby Boom got to at least experience the rush of the odd division title (1984, 2003), while knowing we had no shot at tickets that would actually put our butts in stands festooned with playoff bunting. So many lifetimes of waiting with no reward, eternal hope very rarely met with the chance to catch a few games on TV.

But today when I got to work, my girlfriend slid a piece of paper into my hands. Tickets. Cubs-D'backs, Game 2. For me and my boy. Once in a lifetime just happened. I bawled like a baby.