It wouldn’t feel like the last day of the regular season without an epic Mets collapse, but what made this year’s version extra special is that the collapse-completing loss came during the last game ever at Shea Stadium. But cheer up, Mets fans. One thing they can never take away from you is your memories. Until you get senile and old, at least.

With that in mind, we thought this would be as good a time as any to share with you a great look at some of the more eccentric personalities that have inhabited Shea. For an article for THE NEW YORK TIMES, Corey Kilgannon spent last Thursday night at the stadium (a 7-6 win over the Cubs) and ran into pretty wild assortment of interesting folks.

From the NY TIMES:

Who else could I bring my heavy heart to but Frank Messina – the “Mets Poet” — who I chronicled in a front-page story last year. Mr. Messina has unpacked his heart with words as he endured heartbreak after amazin’ heartbreak over the seasons at Shea.

He told me he recently signed a book deal with a tidy advance, for a collection of his Mets poems. It is called “Full Count: The Book of Mets Poetry.”

“Now I can afford season tickets next year,” he said, settling into his usual spot — Section 253, Row 3, Seat 7, roughly 25 rows up from the right-field line.

The story goes on to introduce such memorable Shea Stadium residents as Luke Gasparre, an 84-year-old usher, Seth Miller, the vendor who balances his beer tray on his head, and the aptly-named Eddie Cowbell. It’s really a story worth reading, no matter the team you follow.

And hey, look on the bright side Mets fans. It’s not like they’re leaving forever. Next year, they’ll be right there across the street, initiating their new CitiField Park the only way they know how: with another epic collapse.