Benny Jay: A Couple Of Miracles

October 19th, 2009

It’s Sunday night, and the bowling boys get together at J-Dub‘s apartment to watch the Bears play the Falcons.

We were going to watch the game at my house. As a matter of fact, at the first bowling game of the season — just about four or five Monday nights ago — I insisted that I play host. Just to repay them for all the times they have hosted me.

“That’s a beautiful thing, dawg,” said Norm, who had me over to watch a Bulls game.

“Yeah, man,” said Cap, who had me over to watch the NBA all-star game.

“You got high-def?” asked Norm.

“Well, no, but….”

“Fuck that, man,” says Cap.

“Yeah, let’s go to J-Dub’s,” says Norm.

So much for sentimentality….

But I’m not complaining. J-Dub’s does have the best high-def TV. Plus, my wife and younger daughter are happy cause they get to watch their stupid show, “Desperate Housewives.” And I bring in the broasted chicken and potatoes from Annette’s, this place by my house — man, I just love their broasted chicken — so it’s sort of like the best of two worlds.

Norm walks in a little late. Says it’s been a rough weekend cause one of his best friends — Sean Mac — had a heart attack.

Just the other day. Happened at work. Started feeling lousy. At first he wrote it off as a bad case of gas. But it wouldn’t go away. The boss sent him home. His wife took him to the hospital. They gave him an EKG and raced him into emergency surgery.

“He was lucky,” says Norm. “They said he had `the widow maker’ — 98 percent blockage….”

“The widow maker?” I ask.

“The widow maker,” says Norm.

“Damn,” says J-Dub.

We take a moment of silence to let it sink in.

Then I tell them about Milo. How he went in for a heart valve replacement and they found an artery that was about to burst. He wound up spending eight hours in surgery.

“My man, Milo?” asks Norm.

“You know Milo?” I ask.

“C’mon, dawg — you brought him to my house for the Bulls game, remember?”

“Oh, yeah….”

“How’s he doing?” asks J-Dub.

Well, as a matter of fact, I saw him just this afternoon. He’s in pain, but he’s better today than he was yesterday and he’ll be better tomorrow than he was today. Thing is, if he hadn’t gone in for that valve surgery….”

“He’s a lucky mutha fucka,” says Norm.

“Word,” says J-Dub.

We take another moment of silence….

It must be getting too mellow, cause J-Dub brings out the heavy artillery — a bottle of Jagermeister.

“C’mon, Benny,” he says.

They all tease me cause I’m not much of a drinker. And usually I’d say no. But — aw, what the hell.

“All right,” I say.

J-Dub pours the shots and we hoist our glasses into the air.

“To the Bears,” says J-Dub.

“To Sean Mac,” says Norm.

“To Milo,” I say.

We clink glasses and knock `em back. I sit back, feeling no pain, and watch the Bears, down by seven, take the ball at their 12-yard line with about three minutes left and march it up the field.

I’d like to say that our little toast inspired a miracle Bears come-from-behind victory. But, no, they make it all the way to the four-yard line before their last pass goes astray. Game over — Falcons win.

“Fuck!” says Norm.

“This is bullshit,” says J Dub.

“Yeah, man,” I say.

We stare at the TV.

But the disappointment doesn’t last too long because 1.) Jen, J-Dub’s girlfriend, brings out some delicious home-made Boston Cream Pie. And let me tell you, eating that stuff makes you just too happy to stay sad. And, 2.) let’s face it, it’s just not worth getting upset over a football game. Now the Bulls? That’s something else.

Besides, it would have taken a lucky miracle for the Bears to win that game. And we already had our fair share of miracles for the week….