Instant Comradeship via Sports

Okay, you will need some background information for this one.

– I’m in Australia. We have a very small ice hockey league. The AIHL.

– Most people here do not own a jersey of their favourite AIHL team, because most are not quite that dedicated to dish out the $200 or so necessary. I mean, it’s cheaper to buy our favourite NHL team’s jersey. Which is daft.

– Many people attending an AIHL game will hence wear their favourite NHL jersey to the event.

I attended the ice hockey today. It was the local derby. Melbourne Ice versus Melbourne Mustangs. I’m an Ice fan, as were the friends I went with. I’ve been broke for a couple years, so I do not own an Ice jersey. I wore my Chicago Blackhawks jersey to the game. I’m a huge Blackhawks fan.

So we turned up and there was a gigantic queue down the street to get through the doors. As we headed down the line we passed all matter of different NHL jerseys. Even the nicest looking of people became merely an advocate for whatever team’s merch they were sporting. Unfair judgments were handed out like candy at Halloween. (I’m not American, I swear.)

It wasn’t until we approached the very back of the long queue that we witnessed two blokes wearing Blackhawks jerseys. I saw them and they saw me. The simultaneous head-nod in recognition came next. I felt these were good people. The very best that this line of people had to offer. I have no doubt they thought the same about me. Instantly.

We got to the door eventually and while we had pre-purchased tickets, the two Blackhawks fans had to join an extra queue to buy theirs. Well, it just so happened that two of our friends had to pull out last minute. So we had two spare tickets. I left our line briefly to tap one of the dudes on the shoulder.

“Hey mate, we’ve got two spare tickets. I want you to have them.”

Well, the looks on their faces were priceless. They were like kids at Christmas. They leaped out of the secondary line, and almost out of their skins as they joined us and entered the stadium.

We had a bit of a chat and got to know each other. Discussed mostly ice hockey, how well the Blackhawks are traveling, and how damn good Melbourne Ice were last season. Well, the last three seasons, really. As that’s how many Cups they’ve won in a row now.

Then we cheered as our Melbourne Ice won 7-2 in tremendous fashion.

And this is a prime example of how sports teams bring people together. It’s amazing the instant respect and comradeship formed between people who otherwise know absolutely nothing about one another. And will very likely never meet again. But for that brief period of time, you are the absolute best of friends. It’s seen all the time at sports events. And it’s fantastic. Just another thing to love about sports.

Thank you, sports.

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My Oddest Dream For Some Time

I have quite a lot of very random and odd dreams.

I enjoy a good random dream. The more random the better.

Last night I had one of the oddest dreams I’ve had for a while. Which was cool. It was especially strange due to how vivid and necessarily detailed it was. I mean, there were links made that make the thing seem like it was pre-written, not just a random collection of thoughts. You’ll know what I mean, especially come the last part of the dream.

I haven’t had a dream quite so bizarre, since myself and Miley Cyrus found a Transformer in an abandoned house and fought an invading army with it.

But, this morning I awake with utter confusion.

Let it be known that I did not recognize anyone from this dream. Usually the faces are familiar, or  they are even people I know very well. This time, I couldn’t possibly tell you who they were, despite their characters being very vivid.

Okay, Let us begin from the start…

 

My gay flatmate came to me asking for a favor. For the record, I do not have a gay flatmate. My housemate is straight, and there was absolutely no resemblance between the two. Also, I did not recognize the flat we were in.

So, my gay flatmate says that an old friend from school is visiting and he and his partner are having dinner with this visitor. He begs me to join them in support at the dinner. Why they need me I’ve no idea, but that’s the way it went. So, of course, I agreed to help in any way I could, and promised to attend the dinner.

Now it’s the next scene and I’m in the middle of an orgy with three chicks and another guy. Don’t ask why, we never got into that. It was just happening. But this time I do recognize the bedroom as one from the house I grew up in. I still don’t recognize any people.

After the orgy, the other guy and I get into a fight. I don’t know why, but I got the feeling that maybe I wasn’t sharing. He attacks me with one of those BBQ torch lighter things. Why that was present is an absolute mystery. I win the bout though and leave in disgust. The girls wave goodbye. The guy, does not.

I arrive back at the flat, which now looks like the lounge room from the house I grew up in. Odd. My housemate and his partner are there, and they’re very somber. I missed the dinner.

I know. What a douche. I agree with you completely.

They ask why I stood them up. I apologized and very cleverly told them, “I was tied up at an orgy… Literally.” They agree that was a wonderful play on words, but a horrible excuse.

They forgive me anyway and we all get a little emotional. I remember weeping and hugging. From all three of us. Not all at once though. Get the orgy off your brain.

So we make up and I ask them how dinner went. They tell me it actually went well. Now I’m slightly confused as to why they were so emotional about my absence. But I’m glad, as well as happy and relieved for them.

Anyway, myself and my housemate go outside to talk. The song ‘Fire‘ by Kasabian starts playing. I heard it in my dream. Hearing music in dreams is rare. At least for me. But I could hear the chorus – “I’m on fire. I’m on fiiiiiiiiiire!”

So we start talking with the song in the background. In the window I can see bright yellow light reflections. I’m confused. I remember saying, “That’s weird. What the hell is all that?” He doesn’t know what I’m talking about for a moment. Then, he very calmly states…

“Your jacket is on fire.”

Sure enough, I take my jacket off and the bottom third is missing, while the fire is spreading. The song grows louder. I think back to the fight with the guy with the lighter and curse him.

 

Then I wake up.

If any of you out there are dream interpreters… Help a brother out?