It has been a horrific couple of weeks on the economic front. Wall Street goes in fits and starts, down 700 points one day, back up 900 the next, fluctuating wildly even during one day’s trading.

The fear is that we are either approaching or already in a recession.

Try telling that to the faithful standing in line outside a store on Baltimore Pike last night. They could not peel off the bills fast enough. You could still see the smoke coming off their credit cards.

And what would cause such a boost to the local economy?

National League champion duds, of course.

At one point the line was 20 deep and out the door at the Modell’s store. Hats, T-shirts, souvenirs. So long as it had a Phillies logo and declared them National League champions, it was being snapped up as fast as the items could be put out on the shelves.

Guess that’s what happens when you spend 15 years between appearances in the World Series.

Recession? Maybe everywhere else. There’s no caps on spending in the Delaware Valley. At least not where the Phillies are concerned.

There’s only a run on caps. We’re painting the town red. And turning the local economy green in the process.

Of course the red that comes with those credit card bills in a month will be a sobering experiences. By then we might be standing in line to buy World Series Champion goods.