On Saturday, April 28th, 2012 - The Dad and I joined our friends, and parents of other football players for Eastern Washington University - at the 31st Annual Orland Killin Dinner, Dance & Auction. Net proceeds from the event benefit areas of greatest need within Eastern Athletics.
The Dad and I have never bid on anything in previous years - but as we walked through one of the rooms this particular night, we came across a jersey our son had worn in the Military Appreciation game the past fall. There were no bids and the auction was closing in 10 minutes. We stood there for a few minutes and when we realized the auction was closing in mere minutes, we bid and felt safe enough that we could get in the line to enter the dinner and walked away.
We wined and dined and after the live auction ended, The Dad headed over to the table to pay for "our" jersey. He came back, shrugging and shaking his head "no".
What? No jersey?
Nope. No jersey. Someone had outbid us. I asked him if he asked Judy WHO outbid us on our sons jersey and he had asked, but she couldn't or wouldn't tell him. We were shocked, saddened and part of me was really pissed. Who else wanted my sons jersey and in the waning minutes, practically seconds before that auction room closed, outbid us? Does that mean they were standing there watching as we walked off? W. T. F.???
I mean. SERIOUSLY!
Fast forward to November 3rd, 2012. During the first quarter of the Cal Poly game, it's announced they are auctioning off game worn jerseys of the players up until the start of the 3rd quarter. Granted, #7 is still healing up his broken collar bone, but The Dad said "I'm getting MY jersey this time." Down to the tents he went, leaving us and our guests to cheer on our team." He came back up, said some guy "Mel" had placed a bid and because of this, bumped up a few increments to ensure we get "our" jersey.
It's halftime, we head out with all of our friends to start another round of nachos, cocoa, cupcakes, and fun at the fire pit. With about 5 minutes until the start of the 3rd quarter, The Dad asked me if I was going to go down and seal the deal or if I wanted to shut down the tailgate festivities... and considering I can't or haven't learned how to shut down all of the gadgets he's got going in our tents - I grab my purse, tell our friends I'll see them back at the seats and run down there. As I'm descending the steps down to the tents, there is 2:12 left of halftime. I get to the first tent and see that there are sheets for each and every number jersey and the first one is the 80's and 90's. Next table is 50's through 70's. So on and so forth until I spy the #7 auction sheet. There are people milling all about and all of the sudden I notice that my sister - the very one I've been estranged with for years, is standing there looking at my sons' jersey auction sheet. I was perplexed and watched as she grabbed a pen...
Let me set this up for you. On the auction sheet - Mel ??? and his phone number were listed at the $100 price. Three lines down, The Dads name was listed and his phone number at the $160 price. See below.
At the same time I'm wondering what the hell is she about to do? she turns to see me and says "Cheryl and I are getting this for dad for Christmas." All that came to my mouth was "Nu uh.." Number 1: #7's dad and I don't even have one. Number 2: we already lost out on one of these in the past. Number 3: and maybe most importantly - how did she think outbidding #7's DAD was going to go over?!?!? Filter? Uhhh... apparently not.
So she looks at me, takes the pen and likely reasoning now that I was going to outbid her, bumps up the bid... not to the $180 line, but instead, the $200 line. So she was going to stick it to me, knowing I would have to pay $240. Swell. I looked to Leslie, whom I used to work with and asked her "How much time?" She said "49 seconds." So I sat there, with people watching what had just transpired and waited until 5... 4... 3 seconds before scribbling my name down on the $240 line. While I'm doing this, my sister, steps off to the side and begins texting...
Honestly... why else would she have bid up two lines, if the intent wasn't to inflict anger, frustration, or perhaps just more of a financial loss for us... me. <?>
I contacted Cheryl to let her know that I was not meaning to be disrespectful to the idea, but that we don't even have one of our sons jerseys and while I understand the great idea, there was no way we weren't getting that jersey. I guess I have to think that Susan thinks we have these laying around our house... that we probably have numerous EWU #7 jerseys - but that is not the case. Even so... why would a family member outbid the kids parents for the jersey? Just. doesn't. make. sense. Gift or not.
But here's some good news. When I went down to pay for it during the 4th quarter, I saw one players sheet sitting there with no bids. I pulled it off the table as they were thumbing through the sheets to find the #7 form and said if it was okay, I would pay the $100 to make sure this other young mans' jersey was bought. It was at this point the girls told me that since this other boy was a senior, it would be presented to him on Senior Day. My head cocked a little to the side and then they asked if I was Jeff's mom. "Yes." Ohhhh... they tried to get to all of the parents to let them know this and that Jeff/his family, were getting his jersey anyhow. That even if I paid for it now, it was not in the box for me to take with me because of this. So I asked:
MOTY - "So what does the other high bidder get, if we get this jersey to begin with?"
Girls - "Oh, well in these cases, we will just order more for those people."
MOTY - "So then you'll just call the next person down?"
Girls - (noticing something in the way I must have said it) "Well, we can call them... orrrrr.... we can sell it to Mel."
MOTY - (thinking.... thinking.... thinking.... I can play God here and let Mel have it....) "No. I know the person who I outbid. I will make sure they know they can have it."
As I walked up the stairs I looked throughout the section I believe she has her seat but did not spy her. I don't have her number so I sent my step-mom a text telling her that they can have one, and that she needed to let Susan know that she'd need to go down and pay for it.
Later, when I got home last night, I called Cheryl to tell her the "story" about losing the auction last spring... we don't have one... I get it... I'm sorry... but please understand. And she did.
This, my friends... is dysfunction with a capital D and the F to boot. It's... bewildering. So.... ummmmm.... disturbing. Sad. Unreal.
Wow. Just wow.
It's halftime, we head out with all of our friends to start another round of nachos, cocoa, cupcakes, and fun at the fire pit. With about 5 minutes until the start of the 3rd quarter, The Dad asked me if I was going to go down and seal the deal or if I wanted to shut down the tailgate festivities... and considering I can't or haven't learned how to shut down all of the gadgets he's got going in our tents - I grab my purse, tell our friends I'll see them back at the seats and run down there. As I'm descending the steps down to the tents, there is 2:12 left of halftime. I get to the first tent and see that there are sheets for each and every number jersey and the first one is the 80's and 90's. Next table is 50's through 70's. So on and so forth until I spy the #7 auction sheet. There are people milling all about and all of the sudden I notice that my sister - the very one I've been estranged with for years, is standing there looking at my sons' jersey auction sheet. I was perplexed and watched as she grabbed a pen...
Let me set this up for you. On the auction sheet - Mel ??? and his phone number were listed at the $100 price. Three lines down, The Dads name was listed and his phone number at the $160 price. See below.
At the same time I'm wondering what the hell is she about to do? she turns to see me and says "Cheryl and I are getting this for dad for Christmas." All that came to my mouth was "Nu uh.." Number 1: #7's dad and I don't even have one. Number 2: we already lost out on one of these in the past. Number 3: and maybe most importantly - how did she think outbidding #7's DAD was going to go over?!?!? Filter? Uhhh... apparently not.
So she looks at me, takes the pen and likely reasoning now that I was going to outbid her, bumps up the bid... not to the $180 line, but instead, the $200 line. So she was going to stick it to me, knowing I would have to pay $240. Swell. I looked to Leslie, whom I used to work with and asked her "How much time?" She said "49 seconds." So I sat there, with people watching what had just transpired and waited until 5... 4... 3 seconds before scribbling my name down on the $240 line. While I'm doing this, my sister, steps off to the side and begins texting...
Honestly... why else would she have bid up two lines, if the intent wasn't to inflict anger, frustration, or perhaps just more of a financial loss for us... me. <?>
I contacted Cheryl to let her know that I was not meaning to be disrespectful to the idea, but that we don't even have one of our sons jerseys and while I understand the great idea, there was no way we weren't getting that jersey. I guess I have to think that Susan thinks we have these laying around our house... that we probably have numerous EWU #7 jerseys - but that is not the case. Even so... why would a family member outbid the kids parents for the jersey? Just. doesn't. make. sense. Gift or not.
But here's some good news. When I went down to pay for it during the 4th quarter, I saw one players sheet sitting there with no bids. I pulled it off the table as they were thumbing through the sheets to find the #7 form and said if it was okay, I would pay the $100 to make sure this other young mans' jersey was bought. It was at this point the girls told me that since this other boy was a senior, it would be presented to him on Senior Day. My head cocked a little to the side and then they asked if I was Jeff's mom. "Yes." Ohhhh... they tried to get to all of the parents to let them know this and that Jeff/his family, were getting his jersey anyhow. That even if I paid for it now, it was not in the box for me to take with me because of this. So I asked:
MOTY - "So what does the other high bidder get, if we get this jersey to begin with?"
Girls - "Oh, well in these cases, we will just order more for those people."
MOTY - "So then you'll just call the next person down?"
Girls - (noticing something in the way I must have said it) "Well, we can call them... orrrrr.... we can sell it to Mel."
MOTY - (thinking.... thinking.... thinking.... I can play God here and let Mel have it....) "No. I know the person who I outbid. I will make sure they know they can have it."
As I walked up the stairs I looked throughout the section I believe she has her seat but did not spy her. I don't have her number so I sent my step-mom a text telling her that they can have one, and that she needed to let Susan know that she'd need to go down and pay for it.
Later, when I got home last night, I called Cheryl to tell her the "story" about losing the auction last spring... we don't have one... I get it... I'm sorry... but please understand. And she did.
This, my friends... is dysfunction with a capital D and the F to boot. It's... bewildering. So.... ummmmm.... disturbing. Sad. Unreal.
Wow. Just wow.
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