Big up the Buffalo crowd for singing the Canadian anthem

[July]

32. Canada is special to Buffalonians

I grew up in Buffalo, and Canada was the friendly neighbor we liked to visit. Back when, crossing the border was simple (“where were you born”? was the extent of it), and some of my relatives had summer cottages there. Dad (WWII pilot) would take us to the air show, and every now and then we’d go up to the other Falls.

When I was a kid, O Canada was played after the Star-Spangled Banner at the television’s late night sign-off, pre-24-hour-a-day TV, so we nightowls learned at least some of the lyrics. I liked watching the Olympics on Canadian television, because they focused on all the best players from around the world, not leaning heavily just on their own country, so it was a better experience for the sports fan than U.S. coverage. Always felt we Buffalonians had a special affinity for our neighbors a few minutes away.