THE RIVALRY OF RIVALS

 

It was a lovely late lunch with a friend this past Saturday at a local restaurant. As we requested, they seated us in the bar area to watch the Texas/Texas Tech game. My undergraduate degree is from UT (Southwestern Med School, School of Health Sciences). He has an undergraduate degree and a law degree from Texas Tech. I might add that we're politically on opposite sides, but we avoid that topic most of the time. He can't help himself sometimes, which triggers me, and I dislike him until the heat of the moment passes. I think he enjoys goading me.  Surely someone seemingly as intelligent as he would agree with me in all things meaningful.  Not. a. chance.

 

He frequently predicted that Tech would win throughout the first two quarters, even though Tech was behind at halftime. His crestfallen face after each point made by UT belied his overconfidence. I have to admit that I relished those moments!

 

We soon parted ways, and I figured this would be the last of our conversation for the day. I was wrong. Soon, he was calling me every few minutes to announce that Tech was scoring. My TV wasn't on because political debates and football games make me too anxious to watch at a certain point. Instead, I prefer to read about the aftermath of such events the next day.

 

He was in full bragging mode that Tech would be victorious when he announced the score with a few minutes left on the clock. The insufferable game would soon be over. Hallelujah.

I had begun to hate him.

 

It wasn't long before he called to tell me that Texas had won in overtime with a score of 63 to 56.

 

I might like him again.

 

Hook 'em.


UPDATE:

My tormentor invited me to go with him to the Alabama/A&M game a week later. He has an affinity for Alabama because he was born there, so he follows Alabama football closely. I'm always up for an adventure, but there was an enormous catch to this particular invitation. I would have to divvy up $600 for the ticket, pay for my own room, and split meals/gas. I might be old and independent, but when I'm invited on a trip by a person of the opposite sex who "adores" me, I don't expect to shell out over $1400 for a game for which I have absolutely zero interest. No, thank you. Plus, as if it weren't bad enough that we are on opposite ends of the political divide, he thinks the pandemic is a hoax. He also believes that he's immune to the virus since he took hydroxychloroquine over 50 years ago. And---he refuses to wear a mask. There was no upside to traveling to Alabama with this lunatic, although he's an excellent writer and a colorful character. Those might be his only good traits.
The Alabama/A&M game didn't start until 2:00PM, and the Texas/TCU game started at 11:00 AM. I'm trying to forget how many times he called me during the Texas/TCU game to tell me we were losing, but it was too many times. It mattered not that he was sitting in the middle of the Alabama stadium while he gave me updated reports on the Texas game.
Texas lost by 2 points.
I haven't spoken to him since last Saturday.  

I think I hate him.
Hook 'em, anyway.

 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

REIKI AND ME

Image
Reiki was developed in Japan in 1922 by Dr. Usui as an alternative form of medicine to reduce stress and promote healing through light touch, which transfers energy from the practitioner to the individual. Although I had heard of Reiki in the past, I had never experienced it personally. When I managed a rehabilitation hospital for those with recent strokes, amputations, head injuries, etc., I was contacted by a group of people who practiced Healing Touch, a similar treatment method. I agreed to let them use my hospital to train practitioners. We were cautious in introducing this to patients, as they were required to consent. Most patients were open to Healing Touch and reported feeling better and more relaxed after the sessions. I consider myself open-minded and wanted to give Reiki a try. A close friend has a daughter named Heather Elizabeth, who has her own Reiki practice. Heather Elizabeth is a licensed master's level social worker but found traditional psychotherapy me...
Read more

CHANGE THE SUBJECT

Image
After living over three months in an apartment complex for people over 62 and listening to group conversations periodically, I'm at a loss about handling future encounters when health issues are the primary topic.   If you're around people my age for longer than a few minutes, the conversation invariably centers on various ailments, operations, and conditions. It's true; old folks talk a LOT about their illnesses!   I've had quite a few health and physical issues over the past five years, none of which will kill me, but they are annoying as heck. I long for distractions from those topics. I don't want to hear that someone living here has had four hip replacements when I'm facing the possibility of a hip revision soon or to be told while I'm waiting to go to the nearest ER with symptoms of diverticulitis that someone's relative had part of their colon removed due to the very same condition. Hearing about ailments of people I barely know is depressing and ...
Read more

MY LIFE WITH TERI FLANAGAN

Image
  (Teri authored a story about me entitled "My Life with Dana Rushing" in the local newspaper after I moved from Horseshoe Bay to Austin. It was a total surprise and touched me beyond words. She is now in hospice at a facility in Marble Falls. Teri's husband has given me permission to publish this story. It will be in The Beacon this week.) I’m incredibly fortunate to have a friend I could call to assist me with the various projects I began or coordinated while living in Horseshoe Bay for five years. Other friends also answered my call to action, but Teri was always the first one I contacted because I was confident she would agree to help. Teri once said when she saw my name on her caller ID, she knew I wasn’t calling to chat and that she was being recruited for another project. Still, Teri answered my call. Teri is a talented artist and an avid reader. Her beautiful painting of a colorful donkey hangs in my home. A burnt orange wooden walking stick David made helps k...
Read more