I'm told that Friday night Canes game were a thing here in the 70s, before I moved here in '79. The team was so mediocre, the thought was playing on Friday at the Orange Bowl would get them more press. There were still "Friday Night Live" bumper stickers around when I arrived on campus.
Now, those games are rare, but last night was one of them, supposably (love that Miami malaprop) an easy win over Va Tech. Ha. As if!
Joey agreed to go with me -- he hadn't been to a game since he was a UM student. Joey is a soccer and golf guy, but thought maybe it was time. I happily drove up to his and D1's house yesterday, and, as usual, it was happy havoc. D1's speech therapist friend Alex was there, with her Irish twin sons, and Baby Man was having a blast, until visiting Betsy stole his challah from his hand. He was mollified with a new chunk. Lemon was hopping around with her enormous cousin, and I recalled what I named our home back in the late 80s: "The house where it's impossible to be lonely." There were always kids or dogs around.
Joey and I left around 5 -- and it turns out that traffic is just as bad getting to the stadium from NE Miami as it is from Pinecrest. But we made it, and thought about going right into the stadium, but Norman's tailgate was close by. We saw him and Maria, and ate some great burgers and sausage, and caught up with Norman's youngest son, nephew, and older brothers. Barry stopped by, and soon after Josh, with some Flanagan's wings. Alas -- no alcohol -- which was fine, as I had acquitted myself the evening before at the comedy fundraiser.
Still, Joey, Barry, and I got to the Club, and there WAS one vodka. I mean...c'mon! At halftime, I saw my old friend Pete, and Eric and Dana, as we stood around bemoaning how poorly our Canes were playing. Until the end...
It was a great comeback, and then one of the strangest endings ever -- a Va Tech hail Mary that was reversed! For we oldsters, it was a sort of vindication for losing to the infamous Hail Flutie play in 1984. The stadium formerly known as Joe Robbie was rocking.
The ref made the reversal announcement like he was on "American Idol," with a dramatic pause, before stating that the Canes had won.
Joey and I drove home as we do best -- Joey navigating with Waze, through neighborhoods I had never been through before -- to avoid traffic.
D2 and Jonathan had texted -- given the late hour, why not stay over their place? After seeing Little Man, who adorably had fallen asleep on the living room sofa waiting for his Papa's return, I started the drive home.
It was quick, and after midnight I got a call -- from D2. She and Jonathan were checking on me! It is here -- the stage of life where your grown kids look after their declining parents -- was I ok making a drive I have made hundreds of times?
Eric was at Mike's tailgate -- it was a mini reunion of Killian High friends from the Class of '79. All the talk was "retired yet?"
Still -- it was a great time -- I haven't spent so much time without kids with Joey since the trip fleeing Hurricane Irma in 2017 -- days after their wedding. We had a blast.
I plan to do nothing but walk and watch college ball today. Tomorrow is set for unpleasantness -- prepping for my Monday colonoscopy.
A dear friend said he may want me to go over a contract with him -- I said I was free all weekend, but tomorrow he might hear a toilet flushing in the backround as we spoke.
The Days of Awe approach. I hope to go into them with a clean report from affable Dr. Shah.
D2 is a little disappointed that we won't all be together for Rosh Hashonah -- she and Jonathan are celebrating with his family. So, D2 said, how about a secondary RH Friday night? She knows I have a Palm gift certificate burning a hole in my computer desk.
That would be grand, too. But for today: Go Canes!
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