To be a fan of a losing team, for a lifetime

The New York Islanders are a perennial loser. My father is the biggest loser, he has lost many things in his life, including his marriage, old flames, his license and countless sports bets. He is a narcissist with a gambling addiction and an aversion to authority. His wife married him despite her sisters' protests.

My father is a chronic gambler and sports fan. He lost a lot of money on sports bets and his marriage. My mother married him despite her sisters' protests. She was crippled with credit card debt after the wedding. When he was younger, he used to drive around in his Toyota 4runner with his cigarettes, cassette tapes, fishing poles and a stolen New York Jets windbreaker. He would talk to his daughter about the New Year's Eve game between the Jets and the Islanders. His teeth stained yellow from years of cigarettes and chipped from Budweiser caps. They would discuss the game as if she was there.