TDL’s Sports, Wrestling, & Otherwise

After about two years of insisting that I really didn’t want a party for the celebration of my 30th birthday… and especially not a surprise party… Ms. L went ahead and did it anyway. I was set up about as perfectly as someone can be set up. If you ever wonder if 30 or 40 people can keep a secret, the answer is yes.

After convincing me she didn’t want to “travel to Albany” by herself for the weekend, she convinced me to take the trip, too. Her sister’s birthday was conveniently placed six days before mine so she had a perfect excuse. A couple of days after I discovered the trip, I happened to mention it to a friend of mine who happened to “mention” that there was a beer pong tournament at the place that was my local bar before I moved to Manhattan. I managed to contribute to their planning by scheduling a lunch with a friend of mine who I haven’t seen in a couple of years lowering the risk I would drive past the bar.

After lunch I came to my townhouse for a solid nap before a night of beer pong. My buddy showed up and we did a few pre-game shots, just like any other tourney. He then drove me to the bar, where I proceeded to not put together that there were a ton of cars outside the bar, yet no one actually IN the bar. He said the tournament was in the back room.

There was not a tournament in the back room. In fact, when the door opened the exact thought process was: Why is Pam’s sister here… why is my friend’s mom here… why is my dad at a Beirut Tourn…… ahfack.

Apparently when I’m surprised, face actually turns purple and I start sweating like a fat man eating a pile of atomic wings. It wasn’t pretty. I then proceeded to offer my slick, slippery hand to practically ever friend I’ve made in the last ten years. It was actually kind of filthy and I apologize profusely to those dripped on.

The turnout was great. The people were great. The gifts were great. Anyone who was there who reads this, thank you. I had a great time and that was even before we discovered that the bar was hosting kareoke from 9-1. There’s nothing quite like a group of lathered-up, tone-deaf* white people to really make the night go in a new direction.

Again, thanks everyone. It was fantastic.

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* Ms. L, Junior Ms. L, and The Big Show are, in fact, not tone-deaf. That is more than I can say for the other 40 or so people who tried their luck behind the microphone.