Brady's health is still talk of the town

JOHNNY MATHISChances are, he'll get Indy rockin' (File/Aram Boghosian/ for the Globe)

"How's the foot?"

Since I had never met the man, the question took me by surprise. It was just a trip to buy the morning newspaper and he was simply doing his scratch tickets, but when he looked up and inquired, I figured what the heck. Why not be friendly?

"The left one's OK. As a matter of fact, so is the right one. Thanks for asking."

Then, with a touch of shame, I figured it was only neighborly to return the favor.

"How's your foot?" I asked.

"It's not my foot I'm worried about," he said, pushing aside the scratch ticket. "And I'm not concerned about your foot, either."

Wow. What a grouch. A second earlier the guy couldn't wait to find out how my foot was. Now he said he didn't care about my foot? What a coldhearted person. Strange, too.

"Well, you asked, so I told you."

"Brady's foot," the man bellowed. "How is Brady's foot? I'm trying to find out and figured I'd ask you, but instead, you start telling me that your foot is fine. I don't give a hoot about your foot."

"Well, you didn't make that clear," I replied. "Had you been more specific and asked me, 'How's Brady's foot?' then I wouldn't have spent one second of my time providing an update about my foot. Instead, I would have told you that I don't know how Brady's foot is."

"You don't?" asked a woman who entered the conversation late, having come into the store for milk and bread. "That's a pity, because I was hoping you'd know."

"Well, I don't know," I said.

"Know what?" asked a man who had come around the corner with his cup of coffee.

"The foot," I said. "I don't know how his foot is."

"I'm sorry to hear that," said the man with the coffee, turning to the man with the scratch ticket. "What happened to your foot?"

Tossing down the scratch ticket, the man was clearly agitated. "My foot is fine. There's nothing wrong with my foot," he said. "And there's nothing wrong with his foot, either," pointing at me.

"Whew. I'm glad to hear that your foot is fine," the man with the coffee said to me. "I was a bit worried for a second . . ."

"Oh, for crying out loud, don't you get it?" said the woman with the milk and bread, speaking to the man with the coffee. "This man's foot is fine," she said, pointing to me, "and so is this man's foot," she yelled, pointing to the man with the scratch tickets. "They aren't the problem. The problem is Brady's foot. We're trying to determine how Brady's foot is, and all anyone wants to talk about is his foot or your foot or his foot."

The man with the coffee slumped his shoulders. "You're right," he said. "Obviously, it's positive news that your foot is fine," as he nodded to me, "and the same goes for you," acknowledging the man with the scratch tickets. "Brady's foot is the paramount issue here."

There was silence as we fumbled with money to pay for the newspaper, the scratch tickets, the milk and bread, the coffee.

"If anyone hears any update about the foot, let's keep each other informed," the man with the coffee said and we all took out our cellphones to punch in numbers.

The man with the scratch tickets went back to his cause, but still, he shook his head.

"How's the shoulder?" he said to no one in particular.

The picks
Kansas City at New England (-15 1/2) - Proving the foot's OK, Tom Brady booms the opening kickoff. Pick: Patriots.

Seattle at Buffalo (-1 ) - Mike Holmgren announced this is his final year as a coach in the NFL. Actually, he won't even spend it coaching; that's because he's switching to wide receiver with the Seahawks likely missing Bobby Engram, Deion Branch, and Ben Obomanu. Pick: Bills.

Tampa Bay at New Orleans (-3) - The Bucs' Joey Galloway wants to play, but isn't sure coach Jon Gruden is going to let him. "The zookeeper posts the times the white tiger gets to eat," said Galloway. Darned if I was just saying that to a friend the other day. Pick: Saints.

Houston at Pittsburgh (-6 1/2) - Sad news with the Texans. Offensive lineman Ephraim Salaam has lost his starting job. Reminds me of the day "F.B.I." was canceled and Efrem Zimbalist Jr. was out of work. Pick: Texans.

NY Jets (-3) at Miami - Big news with the Jets. Brett Favre was elected captain "by his peers," said coach Eric Mangini. Of course, in Green Bay he was an emperor, so it's actually a big demotion. Probably because the apples, oranges, nectarines, and kiwi abstained, and the prunes, miserable as always, went with Don Maynard. Pick: Dolphins.

Detroit (-3) at Atlanta - Tatum Bell is waived by the Lions to make room for Rudi Johnson. Johnson then accuses Bell of taking his two Gucci bags from the locker room. Johnson is outraged. Lions coaches are somewhat impressed that Bell didn't fumble the bags going out the door. Pick: Lions.

Chicago at Indianapolis (-9 1/2) - Johnny Mathis is scheduled to sing the national anthem in the Colts' new digs, Lucas Oil Stadium. But first he'll get the place rockin' by singing "Chances Are." Pick: Colts.

Cincinnati (-1 1/2) at Baltimore - With Kyle Boller out for the season and Troy Smith ill, Joe Flacco gets the call at quarterback. Sounds desperate, but the Ravens' new coach, John Harbaugh, isn't at all nervous about his quarterback situation. After all, he has brother Jim on speed dial. Pick: Bengals.

Jacksonville (-3) at Tennessee - We have a team named Jackson, but it has come to my attention there isn't one player in this matchup with the surname Jackson. Shocking. So, with a visit to Nashville on tap, let's fill that Jackson void, fittingly with some Johnny Cash and June Carter: "We got married in a fever, hotter than a pepper sprout. We've been talkin' 'bout Jackson, ever since the fire went out . . ." Pick: Titans.

St. Louis at Philadelphia (-7 1/2) - The Rams have re-signed Steven Jackson? Let the music continue . . . "Yeah, go to Jackson. Go comb your hair! Honey, I'm gonna snowball Jackson. See if I care." Pick: Eagles.

Arizona (-2 1/2) at San Francisco - The 49ers will go with J.T. O'Sullivan at quarterback. Wings and pints for everyone and the Eire Pub gets next week's start. Pick: 49ers.

Carolina at San Diego (-9) - Shawne Merriman will play, despite having two torn ligaments in his left knee. The only NFL spot that's more sore is quarterback with the Bears. Pick: Chargers.

Dallas (-5 1/2) at Cleveland - Adding Corey Williams (6 feet 4 inches, 320 pounds) and Shaun Rogers (6-4, 350) should help the Browns' defensive front. It will do wonders for shielding fans from the winds off Lake Erie, too. Pick: Browns.

Minnesota at Green Bay (-2 1/2) - Yeah, yeah, we know. Aaron Rodgers replaces "what's his name" for the Packers. But with defensive end Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila out, who fills in for those nine vowels? Pick: Vikings.

Denver (-3) at Oakland - Brandon Marshall won't play for the Broncos. He's been suspended for violating the league's "personal conduct code." That's quite a feat, because the three most difficult things in the world to do are: Buy gas for $1.75 a gallon, find a valid birth certificate for a Chinese gymnast, and fail the NFL's "personal conduct code." Pick: Broncos.