# Guys, did that bring a tear to your eye?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-did-that-bring-a-tear-to-your-eye/32894>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [September 12, 2000, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-did-that-bring-a-tear-to-your-eye/32894 "2000-09-12T15:02:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 19\
**Page:** 5

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**Author:** ![BlackKnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb8c5e/32.png) [@BlackKnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlackKnight)\
**Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-did-that-bring-a-tear-to-your-eye/32894/81 "2000-09-14T00:37:31Z")

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Almost forgot: That one song, you know-

Where oh where can my baby be?  
The lord took her away from me!  
She’s up in heaven so I’ve got to be good,  
So I can see my baby when I leave this world.

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**Author:** ![Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helen_s_Eidolon)\
**Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-did-that-bring-a-tear-to-your-eye/32894/82 "2000-09-14T02:28:34Z")

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Okay, cause of the way I am I cry to release emotional tension very often, so I won’t be listing recent stuff, but affecting stuff:

Columbine High Massacre - I just sat in front of the news programs and sobbed for hours. Maybe because I was in highschool and it really related to me, but it was soooo tragic.

I rarely if ever cry at movies. As a matter of fact I can’t reacall crying at any…

Buffy the Vampire Slayer - The characters are so well developped and the writers do such AWFUL things to them! I have to admit there were about 5 or 6 episodes I cried at.

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**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\
**Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-did-that-bring-a-tear-to-your-eye/32894/83 "2000-09-14T02:43:08Z")

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1987

“It’s a ground ball to Gaetti! He throws on to Hrbek…AND THE TWINS ARE WORLD CHAMPIONS!”

You don’t know how long someone from Minnesota has waited to hear those words: World Champions.

Tears? Sobs.

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**Author:** ![tomas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/439d5e/32.png) [@tomas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomas)\
**Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-did-that-bring-a-tear-to-your-eye/32894/84 "2000-09-14T02:56:25Z")

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Definitely when Payton succumbed to his illness.

And any golfer that did not cry when the bagpiper walked through the fog at Payne Stewart’s memorial should be beaten to death with a nine iron.

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**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\
**Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-did-that-bring-a-tear-to-your-eye/32894/85 "2000-09-14T03:31:59Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by tomas \*  
> \*\*And any golfer that did not cry when the bagpiper walked through the fog at Payne Stewart’s memorial should be beaten to death with a nine iron. \*\*

Er… **Tomas** , didn’t you mean _clubbed_ to death?

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**Author:** ![Shylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Shylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shylock)\
**Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-did-that-bring-a-tear-to-your-eye/32894/86 "2000-09-14T03:36:46Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Coldfire \*  
> \*\*Ooh. More sports.
> 
> The moment Ayrton Senna went straight in Imolas Tamburello corner, something died inside of me. I immediately knew that there is no way on earth anyone could survive such a crash.
> 
> The greatest racer of them all.
> 
> \*\*

Wow - funny this is mentioned. I happened to be living in Brazil at the time this happened…living with my GF (at the time) and her parents. Her mom knocked on the door (the race was being shown live, from Italy) and woke us up with tears streaming down her face, saying that Senna had been in a terrible accident. We gathered around the TV as news reports came in…everyone in the house was in tears except me, not out of callousness, but because I didn’t have any real connection to him.

They brought the body back and had a two-day funeral procession, day two through the streets of Sao Paolo, 500,000 people lining the route to pay tribute. It is difficult to understand the depth of feeling people in Brazil had for Senna. I cannot think of an American athlete who meant as much to an entire nation.

I was still in Brazil when they won the World Cup in '94. That brought tears of a different sort.

As for me…not much offhand, although definitely Ripken breaking the record.

Movies, I cry at the sad ones. Just saw Cider House Rules and got misty-eyed at the end.

Books - can only recall two. One was “The Notebook” by Nicholas Sparks (ok book not great), and, strangely enough, “The Sirens Of Titan” by Kurt Vonnegut. Can’t explain that one.

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**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\
**Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-did-that-bring-a-tear-to-your-eye/32894/87 "2000-09-14T04:18:00Z")

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BlackKnight, pretty sure that song is _Last Kiss_ most recently by Pearl Jam…its a remake of a very old (50’s I think) song, I can’t recall the original singer offhand. A quick web search will get it for you.

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**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\
**Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-did-that-bring-a-tear-to-your-eye/32894/88 "2000-09-14T05:24:35Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by BlackKnight \*  
> \*\*Almost forgot: That one song, you know-
> 
> Where oh where can my baby be?  
> The lord took her away from me!  
> She’s up in heaven so I’ve got to be good,  
> So I can see my baby when I leave this world.
> 
> \*\*

::tearing up and sobbing quietly::

I listened to this song with my best friend’s dad and brother 2 days after she died. We all cried together. Yet we still listened to it over and over again. ☹

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**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\
**Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-did-that-bring-a-tear-to-your-eye/32894/89 "2000-09-14T05:28:19Z")

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P.S. Omni’s right. Last Kiss, Pearl Jam.

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**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\
**Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-did-that-bring-a-tear-to-your-eye/32894/90 "2000-09-14T05:57:04Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by rastahomie \*  
> _Old Yeller_. 'Nuff said. \*_snif_

But this reminds me of the book **Where The Red Fern Grows** , about a boy and his coon dog. I sure choked up at the end of that one.

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**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\
**Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-did-that-bring-a-tear-to-your-eye/32894/91 "2000-09-14T06:31:57Z")

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A number of events (Challenger) and movies (Schindler’s List, Life is Beautiful) still make me tear up when I see them.

Only 2 books, though, and I don’t really understand why they affect me the way they do.

The last page of God Knows, by Joseph Heller.

Inferno I, Line XX (don’t remember), a one-page essay by Jorge Luis Borges. A leopard in a cage in Florence is told by God the purpose of his existence.

–sublight.

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**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\
**Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-did-that-bring-a-tear-to-your-eye/32894/92 "2000-09-14T07:53:36Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Black12 \*  
> \*\*Oh come on. Everybody knows that all you men cry at the end of Field of Dreams. I have this one from a very reliable source. \*\*

Well, you got me there. I tear up if I even repeat those lines to myself. But then, A lot of movies make me tear up.

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**Author:** ![Gary\_Kumquat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gary\_Kumquat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Kumquat)\
**Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-did-that-bring-a-tear-to-your-eye/32894/93 "2000-09-14T08:06:28Z")

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I mean just about anything can get to me - books, music, films, the works…

So, is it a healthy expression of emotions or an unmanly revelation that would rightfully shame our grandfathers?

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**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\
**Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 9:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-did-that-bring-a-tear-to-your-eye/32894/94 "2000-09-14T09:32:22Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Shylock \*  
> **I was still in Brazil when they won the World Cup in '94. That brought tears of a different sort.**

And they dedicated the World Championship title to… Ayrton Senna. The images of his funeral are still in my head. That was awesome.

A few weeks ago, Rubens Barrichello (Ferrari) took first place in the German GP at Hockenheim. His first win ever. He stood at the top stage, clenching his Brazilian flag, and cried like a baby throughout his national anthem.

It took me a few seconds to realise why he was THIS emotional.

He is the first Brasilian since Senna to win a Grand Prix. Brasil must have been delighted and sad at the same time.

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**Author:** ![Spiny\_Norman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Spiny\_Norman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiny_Norman)\
**Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-did-that-bring-a-tear-to-your-eye/32894/95 "2000-09-14T15:04:23Z")

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At funerals, of course. I had my share of those a couple of years ago, it certainly wouldn’t hurt to postpone the next one at least a decade or so. Death sucks.

The wall coming down in 89. If it had been a movie, people would have snorted at the heavy-handed symbolism - but it happened IRL, and it’s probably the biggest thing that’ll ever happen in my lifetime. WWIII got cancelled - amazing.

Seeing the war cemeteries in France & Belgium.

Chirac & Kohl holding hands in front of a war memorial (I think it was the 50-year anniversary of VE day, but it doesn’t really matter). Made me realize how far we’ve come in Europe.

The letter by the female character in “The English Patient”.

The Challenger explosion has been abused so often whenever an idiot producer wants some “dramatic footage” to make a point about technology failing, so normally I yell at my TV to show some respect for dead heroes. Never works.

Pvt. Ryan had me utterly terrified, but I didn’t get choked up. My GF laughed at me (VERY out of place) because I started looking for threats outside the screen. THX can be such a pain, sometimes.

Nice thread, BTW.

S. Norman

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**Author:** ![Space\_Vampire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Space\_Vampire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Space_Vampire)\
**Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-did-that-bring-a-tear-to-your-eye/32894/96 "2000-09-14T15:36:36Z")

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People cry about SPORTS?! This is news to me.

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**Author:** ![zero\_hr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/6de8d8/32.png) [@zero\_hr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zero_hr)\
**Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-did-that-bring-a-tear-to-your-eye/32894/97 "2000-09-14T16:59:20Z")

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Stubbing my little toe. (The big one isn’t a problem.)  
I had to leave a party I was so weepy.

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**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\
**Post date:** [September 15, 2000, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-did-that-bring-a-tear-to-your-eye/32894/98 "2000-09-15T15:44:41Z")

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Duke wrote:

> [@](#):
>
> I can’t believe no one’s mentioned crying at their own wedding.

Well, of course not. This is an Internet message board. We use it as a substitute for a real social life. You don’t think we’re going to be able to find someone in real life who’s willing to marry us, do you? 😉

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**Author:** ![Lux\_Fiat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bc79bd/32.png) [@Lux\_Fiat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lux_Fiat)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2000, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-did-that-bring-a-tear-to-your-eye/32894/99 "2000-09-16T05:17:52Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> You don’t think we’re going to be able to find someone in real life who’s willing to marry us, do you?

I’m crying again.

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