Saturday, November 03, 2007

When The Phone Rang

I have known Country The Brother-In-Law for-- oh, it's going on fifteen years now. That's half the time I have been alive. Of those fifteen years, he has never, not once, picked up a phone and dialed my number.

Until, of course, 6:20 PM today. I didn't even recognize his number on the caller ID, and when he identified himself on the other end, my initial impression was either that somebody was dead or that my nephews had somehow flushed their mother down the toilet. But no. This is what he called to tell me:

"As a former officer in the United States Navy, I felt it was my duty to inform you what, right this second, is happening on every single American-deployed ship at sea across the face of the Earth. What's happening is that priority traffic--and, so that you fully understand the import of this, that's reserved only for something on the level of 'Somebody pushed the button'--anyway, that is right now turned over to broadcasting the score from today's game, and every single person hearing this news is pointing in the direction of South Bend and laughing very, very hard. I mean, just so you know."

very thoughtful of him at: mbe@drinktothelasses.com

10 comments:

WiserlemmingAZ said...

Oh that's just cruel. It really is just beyond the pale, and it demands retribution of some sort. After all, your honor as a graduate of College at St. Mary's (hope I worded that correctly, my apologies if it isn't right) must be defended!!!! Once a Fighting Irish, always a Fighting Irish!!!

On that note, my condolences for an "annus horribilus" of a season.

Anonymous said...

As a current member of the United States Army, I will withhold my true feelings for the US Navy. All I have to say is, "Go Army! Sink Navy!"

Samantha said...

With my baby cousin at the Academy, I have to share a bit of pride with the win...

Unfortunately, my own school team had an extremely embarrassing loss to UConn on Saturday, so I can totally feel your pain.

Anonymous said...

I never knew there was a youtube link to "Anchors Aweigh" that could be posted on my Myspace...

a sad day.

But not for Navy. Maybe Charlie Weis will have to sell his horse farm in South Bend after all...

mep said...

". . . every single person hearing this news is pointing in the direction of South Bend and laughing very, very hard. I mean, just so you know."

Maybe not every single person, certainly not the many Navy ROTC ND graduates, many of whom are now officers in the Navy.

Unknown said...

Da-yum! That's harsh!! (but also hilarious, in a cruel sort of way)

Starnarcosis said...

Are you sure you wouldn't like to root for Ohio State?

Anonymous said...

It could be worse; you could be a Minnesota Gopher fan!

Sara N

Anonymous said...

"Are you sure you wouldn't like to root for Ohio State?"

...Yes.

Well, you kind of can't blame the man. There has been four decades of waiting built in, and he also acknowledged that he probably won't get the opportunity to make another phone call of this nature until Jim and Will have met their children's children.

MEP raises a good point. Man, I wonder what the NROTC grads from Notre Dame are going through at work today. Whatever it is, I don't envy them. Perhaps their weapons, but no more than that.

Anonymous said...

I should be better than this. Somehow, I'm not.

Starnarcosis: Are you sure you wouldn't like to root for Ohio State?

See, when we lose, we don't fight after the game.

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