Monday, August 22, 2011

Today's fortune: August 23, 2011

Today's fortune: You will receive a surprising gift very soon.

In the form of a conversation with a widget customer, I received a very surprising gift today indeed. Now I will share it with you, thus giving a surprising gift to my father.

This one falls into the "Small World" category.

My dad grew up in Jefferson City, Mo. My mom grew up just a few miles down the road in a little town called Loose Creek (No, I didn't just make that up - it's real). One of the many things my dad is proud about is that his high school, Jefferson City High, was awesome at everything, particularly football. My dad never played football, but as an alum he is proud of the team and its accomplishments. Around the time dad went there, the Jefferson City Jays embarked on a historic winning streak that, for quite a while, was the longest winning streak in U.S. high school football history. They've also won more state championships than any team in the state.

Being the ungrateful punks we are, my brother and I often make fun of my dad for going to Jeff City High School, even though we really know nothing about the school other than that they let guys like my dad graduate from there.

I was speaking with a customer from Utah today. He asked me where I was located, and I told him. He said, "I go through Kansas City all the time on my way back home to Columbia, Missouri."

"I know Columbia well," I told the man. "My parents grew up in and around Jefferson City."
"Ooooh," the man said. "We used to play Jefferson City in football, and they always used to kick our butts!"

You're welcome, Pop.

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