When we arrived at chez Ché, I placed the Sequoia keys into the pocket of my pullover. I took a few steps toward the house and decided that it was little hot for the pullover, took it off and placed it into the truck. I closed the door, watched Tracy close the passenger door and remembering the keys, opened the door to get the keys back. Rather, I tried to open the door, which was now locked. Needless to say, I was little pissed off, but contrary to public opinion, I was not pissed at Tracy as it was clearly my fault. When things had settled down a bit, Ché called the county sheriff's office and two deputies arrived a short time later to try and get the doors unlocked. They each worked on the front doors with a slim jim, but eventually gave up and left. We called a locksmith, who arrived much later that expected, and he also tried the slim jim approach. Lesson: Don't try and open a Toyota Sequoia with a slim jim. You will be wasting your time.
Eventually the locksmith used an air bladder and extension rod to actually push a metal rod into the car to try and unlock the door by pulling on the door lock lever. This simple act was compounded by the Toyota's anti-theft feature of auto locking the doors. When he pulled on the lever, the car locked itself and repeatedly honked the horn. He tried this for a long time, and just when I was about to secure a large rock from Ché's backyard, Natalie's father Mike came out to investigate. The locksmith told Mike that he was trying to engage the door handle at the same time the locking lever was moved and thereby opening the door before the car could lock itself again. Mike offered to try the door handle while the locksmith worked the lever. I was admittedly skeptical as I had seen this attempted several times that night. The locksmith pulled the lever, Mike pulled the handle, and the door popped open on the first try.
I owe Mike a heartfelt thanks for his mad door opening skills. I retrieved the keys, paid the locksmith and closed this sad event of my day. Please note that Mike's intervention did not save me any money. The locksmith insisted on his fee despite the assisstance. If you need a SUV and are financially prone to stealing one, you might want to try a Chevy Tahoe instead. I am speaking from experience.
We went back to the hotel and made plans to see everyone the next day. We arrived at Party Tent #5 at around 10:00 teh next morning. Uncle Mike had arranged (paid?) for a party tent in front of the RBC Center (Basketball/Hockey Arena). We were in front of the party zone which featured vendors and other activies before the game. My girls got their faces painted with NCSU logos. This, coupled with the NC State hooded sweatshirts we had picked up at WalMart the night before, enabled them to look the part of seasoned Wolfpack fans.
The stadium has undergone a radical change since my last visit. There is a new fieldhouse, new stands on the south end, and a huge addition to the alumni side that contains the new pressbox and luxury suites. The Wolfpack are big-time compared to the teams that played during my tenure.
Of the kids, Austin enjoyed the game the most, as he was the only one to watch the entire game. Of course, he is the only one of my kids who understands the game. Kara is too young, and Kellie spent the entire game dazzled by the Wolfpack cheerleading squad, only looking at the game if cheers erupted from the crowd.
Once the game was over, we went back the party tent where everybody was anyway. The only people to watch the entire game were Uncle Mike, Dad, Tabitha, Rudy, Austin, Natalie's dad Mike, and myself. We wound down a little and everyone met up at Ché's house for the after party. I managed to keep the keys in my hand this time.
Who was there? Here is who I remember attending:
| Denny & Tracy | Denny & Linda | Kellie | Austin |
| Kara | Kate Love (Kellie's friend) | Uncle Mike & Tabitha | Ché & Natalie |
| Rudy | Tito | Trent & Deborah | Rudy |
| Kyle & Donna | Mike & Gail | Dawa & David | Ché's friends |
The highlight of the weekend was getting together with family and friends to have a good time. I don't have the luxury of having my family around on a daily basis and its good to see everyone again. I got to spend time with my Mom and Dad, Uncle Mike, Ché, and Dawa. Natalie's parents are great to talk with and have made themselves a real part of the family.
As far as the game goes, the Wolfpack did me proud. After a slow first half, they rallied and sent Maryland home for the season. The Wolfpack became bowl eligible and will continue their season for another game.
Final Score:
| Maryland Terrapins at NC State Wolfpack | ||
 |  | |
| 14 | 20 | |
1 comment:
I added Deborah to the list of attendees. Does anyone know Natalie's mother's name so I can correct that as well? I seem to have completely forgotten it.
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