There’s an eight ball in the news room that I shake on occasion. While I shook it tonight, I asked whether the Cubs would win game six. “It’s decidedly so,” the eight ball said.

Lose? I don’t even want to think about a possible game seven with those pesky fish. Lets get it done tonight. In the twenty years of being a Cubs fan, I have been let down time and time again. But not on this occasion.

How could anything go wrong? Mark Prior is on the bump. This man has been nearly flawless after the All-Star break. Is tonight the night he shows the world he is human? And who is Carl Pavano?

This is going to be one of those nights where 30 years down the road you can tell your grandchildren exactly where you were and exactly what you were doing. Or is it?

When Lofton gets on base he scores. I say this as I clap in a bitter Cardinal fan’s face. One nothing Cubbies.

The camera just showed the color of the ivy. It wasn’t bare like in the beginning of the season. It wasn’t lush and green like in the middle of June. It was colored. The leaves have changed color for the fall. I’ve never seen the ivy any color but green. I guess colored ivy goes along with October baseball.

Aramis Ramirez, a guy with 30 some odd errors this season, playing defense? One of the best bunters in the league in Luis Castillo can’t lay down a bunt? We got this game.

Don’t we?

Mark Prior just walked off the mound in the top of the fourth inning looking like he was walking to his refrigerator to grab a nice cold pop. He’s got ice in his veins. The man is 23 years old, how can he be this calm in this situation? Is he really this calm? As a Cubs fan I am tempted to ask myself, “In what inning will he blow it?” But I restrain myself and say, “This is Mark Prior!”

They just showed Waveland Avenue. It almost seems as if they’re watching the game. The only way they could be watching the game going on inside Wrigley Field is with portable televisions. Basically they’re all standing on a street, perhaps drinking beer and looking at a big brick wall hoping they get a chance to grab a piece of history in the form of an out of the park homer.

Did Paul Bako just throw out a man who stole 65 bases in the regular season? Yes he did! Things are going good. When does the goodness end?

Prior’s cruising. It seems all too easy at this point. This is too good to be true so far. When do the wheels come off? Or do they?

Dontrelle Willis is warming up in the bullpen? Bring him on!

Exit Pavano, enter Willis. I can’t stop pacing. Randall Simon had that big homerun in game three. He can also knock a bratwurst around like it’s his job. Pretend Willis is a brat. Knock him around a little bit. But as the commercials end, the camera is focused on pinch hitter, Eric Karros. “In Dusty we trusty.”

I just got the chills. It just hit me. If the Cubs win this game, they’re going to the…well you know where they’d be headed but don’t want to get my hopes up yet. Two runs will be plenty for Prior.

Oh yeah! Who wasn’t standing with me and singing “Take me out to the ball game,” besides the people in the newsroom. Two more shutout innings from Prior is all I need, then i can get my hopes up.

Why is Bako playing like the best catcher in this series?

I can taste it. Bako scores. Here comes Sammy. Another opposite field hit? Who is this guy?

The camera just showed Willis standing up in his dugout clapping. Is he rooting for the Cubs? Sit down Willis.

Who is this moron fan who robbed Moises Alou?

Kill that guy! Is he the only Marlin fan in the house? He’s listening to head phones. I wonder what Ron Santo would be saying if he were doing the game tonight. Now we have to face Pudge as they tying run. Base hit. It’s alright. Settle down Prior. One pitch and we’re out of this inning.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve said to my friends how sure handed Alex Gonzalez is. He just made an error. The next pitch tied the game. Unbelievable. Why does it have to be like this? The fish just scored the go ahead run on a sacrifice fly.

It’s 7-3 now. I can’t write this anymore. It’s happening. Or is it? Why can’t we come back? I say this as the Marlins make it 8-3. It looks like we’ll have to wait another day.

It happened, we better win Game 7.