dilemma1

Oct 2003

The Athenian Loyalty Dilemma

    Okay, some weird planetary alignment thing was happenin' for the Athens crowds (both the Athens 4 and Damn Fine Coffee) over the weekend, and these things must be reported.
    First off, pal Mike called a few weeks ago and said Ed's L.A. cronies (who have Athens roots and/or branches) told him they were throwing Ed a big surprise "this is your life" birthday party for him on Saturday Oct 11th, and they wanted Mike, Mark and me to fly out and surprise Ed. I agreed that it would be especially cool (especially if I could also go to Disneyland with Mike, Mark and Ed and ride the cool Pirates of the Caribbean ride again, now that I've memorized and been mesmerized by the movie after way multiple viewings), but just couldn't manage it (the whole getting away from work thing). Mike agreed he probably couldn't, as couldn't Mark. And then Mike announced he WAS going to go, so there. Twinge of guilt and jealousy, but it couldn't be helped, and Mark and I sent Mike off as the rep of our Athens 4 contingency. While they would be enjoying a fine celebratory birthday dinner party in L.A., I'd be sitting home watching the Georgia-Tennessee game -- sort of an Athens continuation thing and consolation.
    I was also especially looking forward to chillin' with the game because another Athens pal Joe and his wife Donna (who also gets bonus points for being a fellow Addams fan and wishing she was Morticia when she was little -- unless Joe coached her to say that to make me like her, which still gets her points) are expecting a little tyke in November, and Donna invited me to her baby shower (the girl morning version - there would also be an evening coed thing later, I'd been told) the previous Saturday, and it had jeopardized my viewing of the Georgia-Alabama game. (Side note: Georgia college football is my favorite sport, and there are only 5 or 6 great games to watch all year, so Saturdays in the fall are especially tricky for me to swing when a big game is on - plus when I was in L.A., there weren't that many games televised out there, so I'm still catching up.) Fortunately, it was a 3:30 game, and I had time to get home -- but Dad had made family dinner plans with friends and I had to leave the house at 3:29 to go with them. (The game was on the friends' TV, but it was tricky watching a game while trying to look not rude.) So I was looking forward to the staying home and chillin' and watching the game undistracted, and you'd think that would be that.
    You're so naive.
    Donna had sent me an email early this week, saying that the coed version of the gathering would be THIS Saturday evening, even though the invitations hadn't gone out yet because her sister said she all ready mailed them but Donna didn't trust her sister and two days later I got the invitation.
    Ugggghhhhhh! I liked her group of friends from the shower and was really looking forward to seeing them and other friends again at the big evening gathering, but the gathering wasn't NEXT Saturday when Georgia was playing Vandy or the NEXT Saturday when Georgia was playing a similar not-promisingly-exciting (nor televised) game. Nooooo, the party was THIS Saturday, against the Tennessee ESPN2 evening game. How all occasions do inform against me.
    Within an hour of reading Donna's email, another email, this one from Joe, arrived, addressed to me, Chris and Reed:

Subj:   Parties and modern society
Date:   10/6/2003 10:47:27 PM Eastern Daylight Time

There was a time when a MAN had a buffer from the outside world. Where
things that were manly would be presented to them and all things otherwise
could be shunned. There was a time when a man could welcome a man-child
into the world without need for dalliance into the world of non-manly
things. Days such as those, when it would be enough to see, but not hear
from, a child only at the dinner table, and perhaps be afforded thanks when
giving him a football at Christmas, are truly gone. Now Men are expected to
change diapers. And to go to parties for such impending arrivals, when
mixed with testosterone they don't call them showers, and thank God at least
that there are no cute little games and that alcohol is served. But the
parties remain, and men and their FRIENDS SHOULD GO and be happy that the
camaraderie that it affords their good friend will serve to bolster them
through the sleepless nights ahead.

Which is to say that Chris and Reed, you are invited to a party that is
being held to celebrate my virility and the son that Donna and I have on the
way. And Marilyn, you are not only invited, but encouraged to also
encourage Chris and Reed to enjoy this happy occasion with us, because truly
this is the type of invitation that can sometimes require prodding. So you
are all very invited, along with any accompaniment you wish to have (and
children are welcome). I'm told it should be a very happy and pleasant
event and I have no doubt that somewhere amidst the food and drink a
television will be showing a football game.

For the good fortune of all of you the party is this very Saturday night.
Soon enough that regrets are understandably accepted, but will be mocked all
the same. The party is conveniently (really) located in Brookhaven (off Mabry
near Windsor Parkway or something I'm told, if
you'd like directions I would be thrilled to provide them). Saturday at
7:30.

Hoping to seeing you guys there.

Joe

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