The Long Overdue Date

When I getting my college degree at Oregon State University, my "sweetheart" was Bernie, and he lived over a thousand miles away. While other happy couples cuddled in the stadium bleachers and kissed and hugged to celebrate each touch down, I sat alone.

Last night we finally had a chance to have that classic autumn date of going to the Big Game together!

It was a bit more complicated than it would have been if we had gone to a game as students. But with a little computer work, tickets were booked on line at the 50 yard line, "spirit wear" tee shirts in school color orange were acquired, and we were able to just stroll from our apartment down the street to pick up a ride to the local "U" to see the game, arriving there via public transportation.



The train was packed with U of U (University of Utah) fans garbed in red. Oregon State orange clad us stood out!

Who cared? We were on our WAY!

Or were at least until the train braking system locked up, leaving us stalled on the tracks.

The train car was stuffed with fans, it was hot inside, and the game was going to start in 7 minutes!

What to do, what to do...it was a full half mile or more straight up a steep hill...should we get off and hoof it, or stay on the train and hope for the best.

We decided to make a break for it, along with most of the other passengers. We raced about a block, then saw another train approaching, so we raced back and much to the surprise of the people who were already on the new train that was heading DOWN the hill, the train reversed course and headed up the hill to take all of us rabid fans to the Big Game.

By the time we made it to our seats, OSU had already put 3 point on the board! It was a fierce game, and the Utes won it in the last one second with a field goal kick.

Agggghhhhh!

Well, we still had fun, and the Beavers scored enough times that we got in our celebratory hugs and kisses in, enjoyed a hot dog and natchos, and even had a few drops of rain. The rain was needed to keep the Oregon State team fired up.

It really was a "big" game too: The third highest attendance number at any game in the U of U's history!

Next year maybe we'll try to go to an OSU home game in Corvallis. The Bevs have a new stadium, the old one where I used to sit with friends and play bridge while the 1975-76 team failed miserably is no longer in use for games.

Maybe we can just go to the old stadium anyway, and sit and talk, and celebrate old memories anyway. Games are good...and so is good company.

Sorry my Beavers lost last night. They played a great game, their stats were strong. But sometimes all that it takes to win is a lucky break.

That's OK. I'll still be cheering for them next week. I'm a Beaver fan for life!

(PS: the first line of the OSU fight song is "OSU our hats are off to you! ANOTHER good reason to wear a hat: So I can always be prepared to salute my favorite team!)