Day: October 8, 2017

Patrice and I enjoy Broadway shows.  The smash hit “Hamilton” has created the main buzz in town but the show “Dear Evan Hansen” has not been far behind.   It has been a huge success and a very difficult ticket to get.  All shows have cancelation lines and if you wait before the performance you can sometimes get lucky and be rewarded with excellent seats.  Patrice is a pro at this and volunteered to wait in line for “Evan Hansen” while I went back to the hotel and worked out at the fitness center.  She is a real trooper.

After my workout I showered then went to join Patrice on the cancelation line.   As I was exiting the hotel lobby I saw basketball legion, Julius Erving, aka “Dr. J” talking to some people.   No one seemed to even notice him.  I knew Patrice was waiting but I had something that I needed to share with him.  So I turned around and went back into the hotel lobby and all I said was, “I would like to tell you a Dr. J story”.  He graciously agreed to give me some time to tell my tale.

It was 1976 and my brother-in-law, Morty, and sister, Annette, had season seats for the Los Angeles Lakers.  They offered me the seats to see Dr. J’s first appearance in Los Angeles with the understanding that I take the daughter of one of Morty’s friends to the game.  I agreed in an instant.

I spent the days leading up the game telling my friends, “I am going to see Dr. J, I am going to see Dr. J, I am going to see Dr. J”.  The big night arrived and I went to pick up my date.  Soon after picking her up it became apparent that this was not going to be the woman of my dreams.  I didn’t care because, I was going to see Dr. J.  It didn’t matter that this woman was awful, hell I would have taken Hitler as my date if it meant I could see Dr. J.

We arrived at the Forum and when we were about to enter the arena I reached into my pocket for the tickets AND THEY WERE GONE!.  I went into a panic.  I retraced my steps but I couldn’t find the tickets. My date then said in her high-pitched, squeaky voice, “I guess we can’t go to the game?”.   She said it in a way that you knew she was relieved.  I on the other hand was trying to decide where to hide the body because I had decided to murder her.

Finally I asked a security guard the most ridiculous question.  “Did anyone find any tickets and turn them in to you?”   I waited for the guard to reply, “In your dreams, buddy”.  Instead he asked “Where are the seats?”  I had to confess I didn’t know, they were a gift from my sister and her husband.  He then reached into his pocket and pulled out the tickets.  Needless to say I was incredibly grateful and I got to see Dr. J.   Now 41 years later I got to tell the great one the story.  He only had one question, “Was that the girl you married”.  I quickly said no, with such disgust in my voice that I got a laugh out of him.

I then went to meet Patrice in line and tell her what happened.  She asked if I got a picture with him but in my excitement I failed to think of that.  Oh well, next time.