Forward Passes (Part II)
(It's not exactly Indian Summer, but it's been in the low 60s the last several days here in New York City, and today, finally, it's also sunny. I was determined to get in one last outdoor blogging session for 2006, so here I am in Bryant Park, typing away in sunglasses and a sweatshirt.)
It's a slow Thursday night at the Bar because of on-and-off torrential rainstorms. I'm on with Maya, and her friend Samantha the physical therapist is at the bar chatting with us. She can barely keep still, because she's due to fly out to Ohio in the morning, where her The Ohio State University Buckeyes are hosting Michigan in football, both with 11-0 records so far. She says it's the first time those two teams have ever met as the #1 and #2 teams in the country, which I gather is a big deal. She reminds me a little bit of the way people at UNH used to talk about playoff games against Maine, but this isn't the playoffs, it's just that serious a rivalry. Her whole family is going.
"It's just unreal - we've got eight tickets, and somebody actually offered my dad a thousand dollars a ticket! I swear, I was almost tempted to tell him to take the damn money and we'd watch at home on television with a big pile of lobsters and champagne or something."
"Oh, yeah," grins Maya, "there's nothing like Ohio champagne and fresh, Columbus lobster."
"Oh, shut up, you know what I mean."
Then, in a flurry of umbrella, in walks Will. He's a regular around here, and played ball in college himself. But as far as I know, Samantha and Will haven't been in the Bar at the same time since she picked him up and took him home - and since she later complained about him being a jerk. He waves at us, and as I'm getting him his Anchor Steam beer, he says, "Hey, Samantha."
She doesn't even look at him. "Prick."
He shakes his head. "We're really not going to get past this, are we?"
"Maya, how could you let me sleep with this guy??" Samantha pleads.
Maya throws her hands up. "For Christ's sake, Sam, you've never told me what he did wrong!"
Samantha screams so loud, everybody in the Bar can hear it, even over the Clash that's playing: "HE PLAYED FOOTBALL AT MICHIGAN!!"
There's a pause, and then I can't help it - I burst out laughing, and so do a bunch of other people around us. Maya turns to Will, grinning. "Is this true?" she says, in mock accusation.
He shrugs. "Guilty as charged."
Maya say, "Seriously, Sam, that was it? He played football at Michigan years before you met, so he's a jerk?"
"Don't you get it? I was a trainer! Some of those guys are good friends of mine! How can I possibly go back there and face them? I slept with the enemy!!" I snort and start laughing again, and Samantha throws a coaster at me.
"Listen, Sam," says Will, "we had a good time together. I like you, even if you did choose the wrong college." Samantha gasps and reaches for another coaster, but Vince quickly whisks them away from her. "Can we make a deal?"
Samantha cocks her head to one side and looks at him suspiciously. "What kind of deal?"
"If Michigan wins on Saturday, you'll let it go, and stop acting like I have the plague."
"Ha!" she reacts. "Like Michigan could possibly win this game."
"Okay, so, what have you got to lose?"
She stands up, grabs Will by the shirt, and gets in his face. "When Ohio State wins on Saturday, you will do anything I decide to demand of you, for an entire twenty-four hours!"
Will's grin widens. "Well, then, it's only fair that when Michigan wins on Saturday, you will do anything I decide to demand of you for an entire twenty-four hours."
Maya says, "Uh - Sam?"
"Deal!!" she yells, with a maniacal look on her face, and a round of applause and cheers goes up.
Now I might even bother watching this thing myself.
It's a slow Thursday night at the Bar because of on-and-off torrential rainstorms. I'm on with Maya, and her friend Samantha the physical therapist is at the bar chatting with us. She can barely keep still, because she's due to fly out to Ohio in the morning, where her The Ohio State University Buckeyes are hosting Michigan in football, both with 11-0 records so far. She says it's the first time those two teams have ever met as the #1 and #2 teams in the country, which I gather is a big deal. She reminds me a little bit of the way people at UNH used to talk about playoff games against Maine, but this isn't the playoffs, it's just that serious a rivalry. Her whole family is going.
"It's just unreal - we've got eight tickets, and somebody actually offered my dad a thousand dollars a ticket! I swear, I was almost tempted to tell him to take the damn money and we'd watch at home on television with a big pile of lobsters and champagne or something."
"Oh, yeah," grins Maya, "there's nothing like Ohio champagne and fresh, Columbus lobster."
"Oh, shut up, you know what I mean."
Then, in a flurry of umbrella, in walks Will. He's a regular around here, and played ball in college himself. But as far as I know, Samantha and Will haven't been in the Bar at the same time since she picked him up and took him home - and since she later complained about him being a jerk. He waves at us, and as I'm getting him his Anchor Steam beer, he says, "Hey, Samantha."
She doesn't even look at him. "Prick."
He shakes his head. "We're really not going to get past this, are we?"
"Maya, how could you let me sleep with this guy??" Samantha pleads.
Maya throws her hands up. "For Christ's sake, Sam, you've never told me what he did wrong!"
Samantha screams so loud, everybody in the Bar can hear it, even over the Clash that's playing: "HE PLAYED FOOTBALL AT MICHIGAN!!"
There's a pause, and then I can't help it - I burst out laughing, and so do a bunch of other people around us. Maya turns to Will, grinning. "Is this true?" she says, in mock accusation.
He shrugs. "Guilty as charged."
Maya say, "Seriously, Sam, that was it? He played football at Michigan years before you met, so he's a jerk?"
"Don't you get it? I was a trainer! Some of those guys are good friends of mine! How can I possibly go back there and face them? I slept with the enemy!!" I snort and start laughing again, and Samantha throws a coaster at me.
"Listen, Sam," says Will, "we had a good time together. I like you, even if you did choose the wrong college." Samantha gasps and reaches for another coaster, but Vince quickly whisks them away from her. "Can we make a deal?"
Samantha cocks her head to one side and looks at him suspiciously. "What kind of deal?"
"If Michigan wins on Saturday, you'll let it go, and stop acting like I have the plague."
"Ha!" she reacts. "Like Michigan could possibly win this game."
"Okay, so, what have you got to lose?"
She stands up, grabs Will by the shirt, and gets in his face. "When Ohio State wins on Saturday, you will do anything I decide to demand of you, for an entire twenty-four hours!"
Will's grin widens. "Well, then, it's only fair that when Michigan wins on Saturday, you will do anything I decide to demand of you for an entire twenty-four hours."
Maya says, "Uh - Sam?"
"Deal!!" she yells, with a maniacal look on her face, and a round of applause and cheers goes up.
Now I might even bother watching this thing myself.