We had lots of friends come by for the Boston College game. Matt Fredericks and Allison Collevechio drove all the way from Palm Beach after teaching a full day of school Friday - 6 hours of driving. Also our buddy Wayne's daughter and granddaughter flew down from North Carolina for the game - all nervous that Harry would not be able to get them tickets. So there were tons of pressure for Harry to land "7 seats together on the 50 yard line in the shade."
The weekend started nicely enough with FSU beating Wake Forest in volleyball on Friday night - 3-0. The gym was packed to the rafters for the nationally televised game. We were hoping this was some kind of good sign - unfortunately things went downhill from there.
On Saturday - Harry took the truck and the tent over to the stadium to stakeout their favorite parking spot only to find some fellow there with 7 chairs on "Harry's" spot. After a little convincing - Harry got the guy to move two of the chairs and Harry set up camp. Then Harry rode his bike home - feeling the "bad vibes" of the day beginning.
At 2PM - Wayne, daughter Cori, and granddaughter Alysha arrived at our house to take us all to the game. I could tell they were all skeptical of Harry's ability to get games tickets - the radio was touting the game as "sold out."
Upon arrival at the stadium - Nancy set up the tailgate party. Hot dogs were the main entre - but the hit of the day was Nancy's chocolate cupcakes decorated in FSU Garnet and Gold. The big deal around the stadium was that the Seminoles were wearing all black uniforms - somehow Nike conned everyone into thinking this somehow honored the Seminole Indians. Frankly - it honored the Nike cash registers because all the "sheep" insisted on wearing these stupid shirts. By the way - black shirts with garnet (maroon) numbers are impossible to read from 50 rows up in the bleachers - even in bright sunlight.
Harry and Matt took a quick exit from the party to go "bargain for tickets." Florida recently passed a new "scalping law" that allows people to openly sell their tickets for whatever the market would bear. This is a great law - because so many folks were selling extra tickets - it put the "real" scalpers out of business. Even 2 hours before game time - ticket prices were well below face value.
The ground rules were simple - Nancy insisted on being in the shade - and also wanted between the 30 yard lines - this was very limiting and Matt and I turned down lots of tickets that could be had for $5 to $10 because they weren't "in Nancy's parameters." Then - a young man offered me 2 seats exactly on the 50 in row 17 but on the sunny side of the field. He wanted $50 each - but I finally got him down to 2 for $30 total. I looked at Matt and he said "take them." So Matt and Allison were set - he put the tickets in his wallet. Just as Matt was ready to go back to the party - a fellow walked up and handed me a free ticket - I planned to use that one. I am glad Matt was there because no one would have believed me otherwise.
Now I needed 4 together for Nancy and Wayne's family. A kid about 12 years old walked up to me and offered 4 in section 9 - good seats but on the sunny side - I offered $10 each - as a safety valve - I looked over at his dad about 30 feet away - and he said okay. I bought the tickets for $10 each and figured I could safely get back to the party.
When I got back to the party - my lovely grateful wife Nancy - started whining about the seats being in the sun - this from a lady that dragged me kicking and screaming from Tamaqua, Pennsylvania to live my golden years in the sunshine so she would not have to dye her hair. Also Alysha attending her first FSU game ever - although I predict it will not be the last - noticed that the 4 tickets the kid sold me were not together - just in the same section. I was tricked by a 12 year old kid.
So back I went into the boiler room of "trading Seminole game tickets." I started by holding up 7 fingers and also 5 tickets - feeling very stupid. Folks started offering me all sorts of deals. They either pitied or trusted this old "grayhead" because they started buying and selling. I felt like I was on the New York Stock Exchange floor because I had buy and sell limits. I bought tickets for $10 and sold tickets for $25. When the smoke cleared - I had 5 seats on the shady side near the 50 in my hand - and I had more money in my wallet than I started with. I felt like Jesus with the 5 loaves of bread and 2 fishes. Back to the "tailgate" I strutted with my new found booty in hand.
The weather was perfect for a game - 75 - bright sunny - a little breeze. Matt and Allison sat in their sunny side tickets - roasted - and came back with sun burn and raccoon eyes. The rest of us enjoyed the breeze in the shade.
The game - Boston College won - the black uniforms sucked - and now FSU is 4-3 and worried about winning enough games to make a bowl game. FSU has lost 3 games by a total of 15 points - and you would think Bobby lied us into a war in Iraq and after 4 years and a "mission accomplished" sign we were losing over 100 soldiers a month. Such is life in Tallahassee.
To make matters worse - our second place volleyball team played Duke on Sunday and they beat us 3-0 on national TV. Harry got his first closeup on national televison and to make matters worse went home to find out our national number 3 ranked soccer team was beaten by the Blue Devils in Durham.
I guess it could be a lot worse. I could be in Iraq with Chuck searching out roadside bombs with my dog - but instead I am loafing around the house - unshaven - on a Monday morning - in sunny Florida - avoiding cleaning the bathroom - and whining to you on the internet.
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