Beantown Gazette

Wanna know why I love Boston so much?

I mean, aside from fresh seafood, smart people, a stunningly pleasant result from the Big Dig, great neighborhoods, a ton of history, and personality to spare?

It's because you never know who you're going to run into.

Took my son to his first ever Major League Baseball game on Sunday, and it happened to be the Red Sox at Fenway. As we fought our way through the crowds on a sun-splashed Back Bay afternoon, working our way towards our seats along the first base line, we stopped at a food stand for the obligatory Fenway Frank. As I'm waiting in line, I hear someone call my name.

Huh?

It was Scott Anez, the sports director at Orlando's 580 WDBO. Scott is the Magic pregame host on radio, and his wife is from New England. Turns out, he was on vacation, visiting family, taking in a Red Sox game, exactly as I was doing. I would later learn that we were staying at the same hotel. Weird.

Wanna hear something even more weird?

Earlier this summer, I found out that Bill Pidto was leaving ESPN after ten-plus years. My former co-workers sent me an e-mail inviting me to a going-away party, which, sadly, I could not attend, but I taped a farewell message alongside Mark Cassoni, another ESPN refugee, who, like me, worked with Bill in Bristol many years ago.

So anyway, same Red Sox game, a few minutes after I saw Scott, I hear my name called again.

Huh?

Pidto. Sitting four rows behind me and Zach. We chatted for a while -- he was on his way to the Cape for a vacation with his family as they plot their next move. Said hello, he thanked me for the video tribute, and he was off.

The Red Sox won, by the way. Oh, and my son got to drive the boat during our Duck Tour yesterday.

This has been a VERY good week.