In the Bay Area, I rarely see anyone wearing old school rugby jerseys. In the last ten or so years, the loose-fitting cotton shirts with white collars and chest stripes (some call them hoops) have given way to form-fitting, short-sleeve jerseys in high-tech fabrics. Come to think of it, I rarely see folks in the newer high-tech jerseys either. Still, when I see someone in one of the throwback cotton hoop jerseys, I assume he’s one of the rugby faithful. When I saw this guy outside Tomatina’s in Alameda, I wanted to ask him if he played, but by the time I passed by the door of the restaurant, he and his party had already gone inside.

Ajuan Mance