Answering the Door

Let’s go back in time, all right.

March 17, 1994

The second day of the NCAA Tournament for college hoops.

I was 29 years old. Living alone in a small apartment that my brother had nicknamed ‘The Rat’s Nest.’

After work there was the usual happy hour stop at the local watering hole. A number of people from the office had stopped out and it was the receptionist, Kathy’s birthday.

Had a few, but more than anything else I wanted to get some beer so I could watch the night games and fill out my brackets.

(Still among my favorite of all activities!)

I snuck out of the bar and headed home. Ten minutes after I arrived, my doorbell rang.

I lived in that apartment for a couple of years - my doorbell rang - at most 4 times.

I went to the door and what????

Kathy was standing there.

“Come on! Drink with me!! It’s my birthday!!!”

I had questions:

“How did you know where I lived?”

She explained that she saw my address on the paychecks they mailed out.

“But there are 12 apartments. How did you ring my doorbell?”

“Got lucky.”

I didn’t want to go.

All I wanted to do was watch the games…

…but go, I did.

And the rest is history.

I bring this all up because, the tourney starts on Thursday - Kathy’s birthday. She was in the mood to reminisce.

“What if you hadn’t gone out that night? Would we still be in this life now?”

“No,” I said. “It was a tragic decision.”

“Oh come on!”

Sam walked in to save me. 

Sam, is all-consumed by the tournament. 

It’s his favorite thing in the world.

“Sam, if a girl knocked on your door and asked you to go out with her while the games were on, would you go?”

“No,” Sam said.

“What if you really liked her?” Kathy asked.

“No,” Sam said.

“Under no conditions?”

“None.”

“Well, you’re lucky that your father made a different decision.”

Sam looked at me. Then laughed.

“Moron.”