I've been a bit slack on posting this week, as a Friday night of drinking turned into a 5:15 AM return to my bed (yeah, I thought I was 30 years old now too) and my body hasn't quite recovered with football and evening activities since.
Needless to say, I'm feeling a little under the weather today, which is not good since I'm flying down to Charlotte tomorrow night for a weekend with my old Fraternity brothers, celebrating Homecoming.
I'm sure I'll have some nice stories from that trip, given that the last two trips to Charlotte have included a one night stand with a cougar (one of these days I'll blog that story) and vomiting on a main street at only 10 PM (that one pretty much tells itself).
However, I'm not always up to trouble like that, I'm also there to lend a helping hand to those around me. And this was apparent last Saturday afternoon, as I left my football game (yep, played on 4 hours of sleep...and dropped every pass thrown to me like the "Thunderstruck" scene from "Varsity Blues") and headed over to watch Kevin's game, which started right after mine.
I arrive to the field to see Jen and Thor sitting down under a tree by the field. If you haven't seen Kevin's dog Thor before, he's a 1-year old English Bulldog, who resembles a small, 60 lb. tank, and weezes with every breath he takes. Despite his breathing issues, he's full of energy this particular day and is running around the sidelines on his leash chasing a ball and trying to go up to everyone who passes by.
I sit down for a bit and watch the conclusion of the first half. The second half begins and the other team has the ball. They complete only one pass leading up to a 4th down and 1 completion (it's a two completion co-ed league). Everyone gets set for the 4th down play and with the snap of the ball, all 16 players are running about.
This is apparently the last straw of excitement for Thor as he bolts for the field, reaches the end of his leash, and...SNAP! Yep, the leash broke. And the tank is in motion. For a thick dog, he moves pretty fast, but apparently steering is a different story when he gets that big body moving. Like a missile, he is targeted right at a girl on the field and with a perfect shot, he nails her in the back of the legs. She drops like a sack to the ground, up-ended by the collision. I would have laughed histerically at this point (other people's pain is always amusing to me), but I just feel so uncomfortable as Jen is yelling "Thor! Thor!" as he darts in and out of the groupings of people. The play concludes with an incomplete pass, Kevin chases Thor down with no assistance from any of the players already on the field, and an argument ensues as to whether the play should count.
Thor now has a 3-foot long leash part, a ton of energy after his jaunt, and I think he's worn out his welcome. So, I take one for the team. I'll take him home. I grab his short little leash and drag his stubborn self back to my car for the trip home. Once we're in my car, I have a few words with him and we're off.
While this was going on, up in Rockville, my other brother's wife is running into her own problems. She has gotten into the habit of using the Zip Cars at the metro, and is hoping to use one to drive some supplies to my older brother for an exhibit he's showing at a festival in Silver Spring. Unfortunately for her, the person before her is late in returning the Zipcar, and it's not there when she finishes walking to the metro from her house. She doesn't have her cell. phone, and the Zipcar people won't help you if you call from a different line, so she has to hitch a ride with a friendly mother-daughter combo back to her house to figure out what's going on.
After her phone conversation, they offer to get her a cab, which they claim will not arrive for over 1/2 hour. Thankfully, the Zipcar place calls her back when the person finally returns the original car to its spot. And then she places a second call...to me.
Yep, I'm sitting in my car with Thor, driving back from his mugging when the second call for help arrives. Pick you up from your place and take you to the metro? Sure.
So, ten minutes later, Sarah, Thor and I are sitting in my car, driving to the Grosvenor Metro so Sarah can pick up her car. My second good deed for the day. And Karma is good...for now.
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