Say Uncle

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The football season had a different feel to it this year. You see, Sam had wounded his Uncle Chuck with a couple of wins in the previous two years. As Sam (and I) ate our free Outback Dinner with an add-on lobster tail both times, Chuck picked up the tab, and took all the heat that Sam brought...

Day

After

Day

After

Day

It wasn't really close this year.

Chuck took the lead with a big week one, and he kept the hammer down.

"I'm 45 points behind," Sam said at mid-season with tears at the corner of his eyes and his beloved Chargers taking another whipping.

"What are you upset about?" I asked.

"That's right! You're paying."

I paid up this past weekend.

You know who cost me the most cash?

Yeah, Sam.

He ordered the full-rack of ribs. He ate 2 pieces of bread. He ordered the side lobster tail and the side grilled shrimp. He had two sides of mashed potatoes with his ribs.

I must admit that my steak and side tail was great, but I was filled to the brim when the waitress came around with the check.

"I'll take the cheesecake," Sam said.

The tab was high.

The laughs were too. Thankfully for Sam I had entertained him by missing the curb in front of Dick's Sporting Goods and stumbling to the pavement. It wasn't near the flop I took a few weeks back, but the results were similar.

"I looked back and he was on the ground," Sam laughed with his cohort, my sister, Corinne. "I was laughing too hard to even think about helping him up."

And the laughs continued all night long as Corinne and Sam worked on mountain-size piece of cheesecake.

"Next year it'll be different," Sam told his uncle.

Damn.

I hope so.

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