You know well that moment each and every year when the Kentucky Wildcats schedule is announced and you enter it into your calendar in order to avoid any conflicts of scheduling of the things you need to do with things you have to do. We have all been there more than once. Did you ever wonder why we are given the basketball schedule in advance? Okay, maybe you haven't but there is a real reason.
We plan for weddings and birthday parties, and schedule trips around games as much as we possibly can, we members of the Big Blue Nation. Call us crazy if you must, but we know what we want and most of the time we know when we want it. Let me tell you a little story and while I've occasionally been known to tell you of imaginary trips, this story is true only the names have been changed to protect the guilty.
It was a Saturday afternoon and the weekend had arrived. Kentucky would take on Wisconsin on a late Saturday afternoon/early evening in a Final Four game. A afternoon when Kentucky residents were beginning to see the spring season appear from the winter that seemed to never end. March had failed to yield much warmth for Kentucky and now a promising April had arrived. Those outside things that need a little attention had been pushed back to a day when the weather would permit. This was one of those days.
Setting: The neighbors, Rick and Lori, were getting ready to move in to their new house but winter had left their driveway in need of a little attention. There is a small culvert at the end of the driveway and the rain had washed away some of the dirt on one side.
Act I: Intro to Daryl.
You see, Daryl is the type of person that likes to help out, exceptionally eager to lend a hand after buying a nice new tractor. He must have been that kid that stayed in the sandbox playing with his big yellow Tonkas when the rest of us were playing tag. Daryl, unfortunately, found out that real life was not the sandbox. Where there is a culvert, there is usually a deep ditch. Can you guess what can happen when you are grading around a ditch, in reverse? You guessed it. The shiny new tractor was stuck in the ditch.
Act II: Daryl's brother-in-law enters the story.
Today we will call him Glenn. He seems to spend more time coming to help Daryl get out of messes he gets himself into. Not too long ago, Glenn had to help Daryl get his shiny Scoop (that was also stuck) in the pond dam, but that is another story in of itself. Anyway, Glenn shows up and starts to dig in order to free the tractor. And they dig, and dig, and dig. Of course it had rained, there's water in the creek, and the tractor tire just throws water all over the brother-in-law, only trying to help Daryl out of a pickle.
Act III: Another future neighbor, Hershel, hears of the dilemma and comes to the rescue.
By this time of the afternoon, the Florida/UConn game has started and the Kentucky game is coming up next. The tractor is still stuck and all parties involved, especially Daryl, are more worried about missing the game instead of getting his tractor out of the ditch. Hershel is looking at his watch every quarter hour because this Kentucky game is huge. Really huge. He keeps informing the group that the tractor isn't going anywhere that evening every single time he looks at his watch. Every few minutes he reveals the same conclusion, the tractor will move tomorrow. Finally they all agree that a fresh mind will help them think of a better plan and they scatter to settle in to watch the Wildcat/Badger game.
Act IV: Celebrations.
Everyone involved in freeing the tractor from the clutches of the creek arrive in the exact spot on Sunday and all are still dancing because of Aaron Harrison's ice-in-his-veins shot during the final seconds that gave Kentucky the win. The wrecker guy had now been called and when he arrived he informs the group that because they did not call him before, during, or after the Kentucky ball game, the normally $100 fee would only cost them $20. Yes, he was still smiling too. Oh, the things we do because of blue love.
What is the most memorable thing you have ever managed to find a work-around in order to watch a Kentucky Wildcats game?