Tonight was definitely one for the books. Had no idea how to really spend it since I have no idea who's here from Purdue. Anyways the Alumni Assoc. was sponsoring a New Year's Eve reception for all Boiler fans, and so Sam and I rode the train downtown to join it at the Hyatt. Didn't know if it would turn out to be a dud, so had residual plans for a massive outdoor celebration called NYE D.
When we got to the hotel, I asked someone at a desk about the "Purdue reception" and immediately we are put on this elevator with its own door person. That should have been the first tip. When we got up to the reception, we found ourselves at the top of Reunion Tower - 54 stories above Dallas. The folks were dressed really nice, and Sam and I were in our jeans and sweats. We sheepishly made our way thru the small crowd, and said this was certainly a dud party.
So as we tried to leave and were ready to call the elevator, this very nice and elegant woman named Lisa moves over to us to ask where we were going. We explained that we were under-dressed and probably in the wrong place. She told us that was nonsense and asked us to join us, and said that there would be "sliders" for Sam to eat. Then Lisa gets me a beer, and asks about our plans for the game. I said we hope to get tickets at the door, and which Lisa states that she "would take care of us." Mind you, we only have know this Lisa for 10 minutes...tops. This guy then comes over and says he would work to get those tickets, and sure enough put me in touch with a guy who later delivered not two...but FOUR freebies for the game.
This is the classic definition of serendipity if there ever was one. We thanked Lisa profusely for her extreme kindness, at which point she leaned over and said that the party we attended was for "million-dollar donors." Gulp. She said it was fine and the party we were looking for was on the second floor. To say the least I was so very thankful for the chance encounters, and also to God Himself for not only showing up for us...but showing off :)
After our "million dollar encounter" it was time to join the real plebes at the Alumni party. We found this woman and her Purdue-aged son and pretty much hung with them all night. Traded lots of stories while Sam worked the room talking to players and coaches. Midnight finally rolled around with us now in plastic hats and horns. Sam was a pig in mud. After we made our way to the train, and beat the hordes leaving the massive Dallas celebration. Probably one of the best New Year's I have ever spent...and all thanks to a mistake :)
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