The Cavaliers: A Beautiful Moment in Cleveland

Tickets were sold out. (In fact, I heard a person paid 50,000 for one ticket to see the  game in California.) Downtown Cleveland, Ohio jammed with people and vehicles.  

Though the game was not held there, it didn't matter because the Cavaliers is a big part of Cleveland's culture. And although the team had not won the NBA finals in 52 years, it didn't matter, too. A watch party was good enough.

Everyone hungered and thirst for a win. They waited with patience, anxiety and glee inside and outside of bars, restaurants, parking lots and on the streets. 

And it came. The win. 

Celebration took hold of downtown.  Where I stayed, people peacefully celebrated. Horns beeped, fans danced and some stood on vehicles while others stuck their heads or other parts of their bodies from their vehicles to celebrate with strangers.

The city, I think, was not truly prepared for the magnitude of people in celebration mode. 

When a lone police showed up, he quickly sped from the scene as fans crowded him in celebration. 

A firetruck could not quench celebratory spirit. 

Drivers who had other things or places on their minds, patiently inched through the crowd when they could. 

And, of course, my husband and partner, on impulse, claimed his unpaid traffic director’s job to help drivers who wanted to get out of the jam. And no one was upset.

 

 



 

 Strangers hugged, bumped fists and palms met with high-fives. 

 



Of course, I had to celebrate, too. I'm not a dancer, but a little giggle was good enough. And, Shhhh. It was the first time I had seen these two dancers.

 

 

The win, the historical moment, quenched the thirst for Ohioans.  

Even this guy had to show off his tattoo. 

  

Ohio, also known as the Buckeye State, now awaits the celebration parade on Wednesday, and it will be fun, and I know the city will be more prepared.