Moxie

   When I was young my Mother did not allow us to drink Coke.  (She also served us wheat germ for breakfast; she was way ahead of her time.  Although I am pretty sure that's why I now guzzle Red Bull and chain smoke cigars.)  My Grandmother used to allow us to drink soda although it was something called Moxie.  Moxie was like drinking carbonated V8 with a thick molasses sweetener.  I imagine it was akin to drinking sewer water as it happened to be the same color.  Moxie was so unpleasant it actually became an adjective to describe toughness amongst other things.

  People in Boston have Moxie.  You have to to survive the winter, nearly a century of Red Sox heartbreak and all around mistreatment.    You can also tell people who don't have Moxie.  These are people who have been repeatedly blessed with good fortune and confuse it with actual accomplishment.

  People with Moxie have an edge to them.  Think of Matt Damon versus Robert Redford.  Both great actors but Damon being from Boston has that edge while Redford being from the West Coast has more of a glow. 

  Personally, I don't like people (in general), but especially people who lack Moxie.  The whole country has anointed The Miami Heat with D Wade and King James the new champions of the NBA.  Fortunately, the defending East champions and former world champion Celtics garnered all their Moxie last night and gave the rest of the country the middle finger salute, big time.  No one showed more Moxie than Rajon Rondo, who after suffering at a minimum a dislocated elbow, but more likely a broken bone played with one arm in defeating the Heat.  Wade and James while glowing with star quality had no response.  Neither has any Moxie. 

  My nephew's first communion was yesterday.  Much to my cousins' chagrin my sister didn't have juice for the kids, only Coke.  One of my four-year-old cousins, who had never had soda, defied his parents' orders (with my assistance) and sucked down a half a can in one sip. 

  "How was it?" I asked.  "Awesome," he replied.  "How come I never had this before, it makes me want to do the tango!"  He began spinning around the room.  His mother, none to pleased gave me the evil eye.

  "What do you want from me?" I said.  "The kid's got Moxie."

  KOKO