A broken heart, but not a broken spirit

My wife Shellie and I live in Mount Prospect.

We love the town and the nice people who live here. I met Shellie (a Crown Point, Ind. native) in the bleachers at the Cubs home opener in 2002 and we started dating soon after and were engaged at the Cubs home opener in 2006 at the same spot we had our first kiss.

I am a true blue, die hard, Cubs fan and all of my neighbors are aware of this during the baseball season since we hang our Cubs flag on the corner of the house from opening day until the baseball season ends (hopefully late into October this year).

I also have the big W flag that hangs next to the Cubs flag to signify a Cubs win.

I am religious about making sure the W flag comes down if the Cubs lose and it goes right back up after the Cubs win.

Anyway, last week I left for work and when I returned home, my beloved Cubs flag was stolen off the house.

That night, the Cubs won a game and I put out the W flag, which was also stolen during the night.

This made me very upset that this happened in such a great neighborhood.

I purchased two new flags and poles ($100) this past week and would love to put the flags back up on the house to keep up the tradition, but I am afraid to have them stolen again.

I see many flags, Cubs, Sox, college sports etc. on houses throughout the neighborhood and can only hope they do not have their flags stolen also.

My mom happened to be in town for a visit when the flags were stolen and before they were stolen, she mentioned what a nice, friendly neighborhood we live in.

Now I am not sure. I know this story may sound trivial to a lot of people with so many other problems going on in the world, but to anyone who knows the passion I have for baseball and especially my love for the Cubs will understand how hurtful this can be.

Well, as of now the new flags are not on the house until I figure out a way they will not be stolen again.

The only thing on the house right now is a large sign in our front door window that my wife made and reads "You can steal our flags, but not our SPIRIT, Go Cubs Go!"

Steve Dell

Mount Prospect