A (Hockey) Christmas Story

[RTSDaddy2]

Took our child to the mall Saturday night to see Santa arrive. They were bringing Santa in by reindeer-pulled sleigh.  Yes, the deer were living.  I don't know how the mall managed that, but it was very cool....place was packed and people were flipping out.  I can't count to you how many people I heard on cell phones calling loved ones to say "Ther are REAL reindeer in the mall!"  But I digress...

At any rate, at one point I hopped on the elevator to ride to the mall's second level.  I didn't really have anything Christmasy to wear, so I wore my Thrashers jersey and thought nothing of it. 

This older couple, dressed solidy in red, got on the elevator with me. On the short ride up, I notice them just staring at me....and then suddenly their faces turned to slight smirky grins.  I thought "ok, what's their problem?" and then noticed their red shirts a little closer. You see, on the left side of each was a small...all together now... Red Wings emblem!

'Tis the season! (we both had good laughs about it)

[J_K_M_A_N]

I don't know if I would have cared that it was Christmas. I still hate red wing fans! BOOOOOOO RED WINGS!!! YOU SUCK!!!!!

J_K_M_A_N



Just kidding of course. I like all hockey fans. They keep the sport alive. Go Wild!

[RTSDaddy2]

   I agree - I can't make myself like Detroit no matter how hard I try.

Just an addendum.  Been out of work for a while, have had to close several retirement accounts to stay afloat, Mom's helping us out with Christmas shopping, etc. etc.  I kid you al not, I've been ticked off most of the year.  It's one thing to not be able to find a job in your field;  it's quite another to not even be able to get a job at Toys R Us, Best Buy, etc. even doing cashier work.

ANYWAY, I digress.  This took place at our local mall, again, yesterday.  Lady spotted me in my Thrashers jersery and came by and punched me on the shoulder as she added "Go Thrashers!"   The talk then turned to their game last night as she asked me if I was going; I told her no, for the fact of being out of work.  She stopped a little further down the mall and came back, and offered me a ticket that she had left over at no cost to me.  I got to go to one of three home games I really want to see this year, thanks to the kindness of a stranger.

I am religious, but I'm not a zealot.  However, as I said, not being able to even score a minimum wage job has been VERY, VERY depressing.  I had pretty much decided God really hated me, putting my wife and daughter through this....and then this happened, and I thought, well, MAYBE I'm not hated as much as I thought.

Please don't misunderstand this post.  We are surviving, yes, but I DO understand how fortunate I am to have our friends and family.  So many others are SO much worse off than the wife and I. 

I got off track - just really wanted to remind us all that there IS good in the world -we just have to be open to it to cross  our paths this season.

[ChadTower]

It's one thing to not be able to find a job in your field;  it's quite another to not even be able to get a job at Toys R Us, Best Buy, etc. even doing cashier work.

However, as I said, not being able to even score a minimum wage job has been VERY, VERY depressing. 

Been there.  When I was out of work a few years ago I couldn't even get a job cleaning toilets at the local hospital for a while.  They wouldn't hire me - get this - because I don't speak Spanish and none of the other janitors spoke English.

I did end up getting a third shift weekend job doing corporate security, which was a decent gig when I could get enough hours, until I scored a job in my field and thankfully haven't had to go through that since.

Keep the chin up, man... just keep pounding the pavement.  That's the one thing you can control - you are in full control of how hard you work to get back and how hard you work directly affects how soon it happens. 

[Justin Z]

You are in full control of how hard you work to get back and how hard you work directly affects how soon it happens. 

QFT.

[JackTucky]

Devils 3, Thrashers 0.   

=J

[DeLong20]

Wow!  No Job and a Thrashers fan.  You really are down on your luck!