Fighting in Good Company

I introduced Pete as my wife.

A Gentleman's pursuit

Andy just smiled and shook Pete’s hand. Truth is my wife had phoned me at the office some hours earlier to tell me a good friend had been at the hospital all week with his micro-preemie daughter.  His wife called my wife to say her husband needed to get out for a few hours.  Follow that?

I pulled up to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Pete hopped in, and as I pulled off I looked over and asked, “have you ever watched boxing live?”

The original Jack Johnson

He had not.  Turns out he had never even seen it on TV.  I guess I hang out with all sorts.

“So who are we meeting again?”  Pete asked as we made our way to the Asylum in South Philly.  “His name is Andy and I have never met him,” was my answer.

Andy, the Mainline Sportsman

Andy is a Philadelphia lawyer with a jones for duck hunting, horse races, and coaching kids lacrosse.  He also manages a boxer.  The two of us found a common interest in defending our oft slandered city from unwarranted digital attacks by a betweeded curmudgeon.  Tonight was Andy’s birthday and he extended an invite for my wife and I to be a guest in his box for the evening’s fights.

Having explained my change in companions for the night Andy just smiled and ushered us upstairs to sit with his other twenty guests.  Good group of guys this bunch.  They did not know me, nor Pete, nor did they care.  Conversation was free and easy and cheering was plentiful.   Andy’s fighter handled his opponent with ease.  Andy handled his guests with ease.  I handled the free pizza and hoagies with great care.

Three cheers, it's my birthday!

Pete said he enjoyed himself.  I believe him, but toward the end of the night it was obvious his mind was elsewhere.  He wanted to head back to his girl.

I didn’t mind at all.  I could not have asked for a  better host, the night was all it promised to be, but I did have to get up early…  I had an “engagement” early the next day.

I'm the one on the car.