It all started out with my Mom handing me a note to take to school one Friday morning. The note was to inform my teachers that I would be missing school on Monday and Tuesday of the following week, and that my parents would appreciate it if my teachers would provide me with my homework for the days I was going to miss. So my teachers helped me put together a list of assignments to turn in the following Wednesday, and I was on my merry way into the weekend.
Throughout the entire weekend, I had questioned my parents on where we were going first thing Monday morning. Not for the life of me could I get them to provide me with an answer. They kept telling me it was a “surprise.” I was so agitated. As a 7th grader, I was really concerned about what my parents were up to and I questioned whether or not this so called surprise would be something I would want to brag about when I returned to school on Wednesday morning.
Monday morning came around, and we hopped in the car at a decent time. We had our bags packed for an overnight stay, and I had no clue what we were up to. My parents told me we were headed to Newton, Ia.
“What’s in Newton?” I asked.
“We’re headed to the Maytag factory for a tour of the whole manufacturing plant,” my mother said.
“Oh, really?” as I questioned in a sarcastically, enthusiastic way.
“Yep.”
On that note, I slouched over in the back seat, and took a nap. I was a little bummed. Next thing I know, I wake up and the car is turned off. My Dad was outside talking to another gentlemen outside, while my Mom and I waited in the car. Dad then popped the trunk, took all of our luggage out of the car, and put it in the other gentleman’s car. I was suddenly concerned that I was in some kind of a thriller movie. Either my Dad was going be taken away with my mother and I left to try and save him, or my parents decided to ship me off to military school. Either way, I was extremely concerned. Eventually mom opened the car door and said, “Come on, T.” I got out of the car and sure enough, I realized we had made it to the Maytag factory. I thought to myself, “Oh boy.” But then we got in the stranger’s car. He started the car, and we were back on the road again. By this time, I knew something was up.
After being in the car a few minutes, the stranger asked me a bizarre question from way out in left field. “TJ, you like the Chicago Bulls, right?”
“Yeah,” I said, hesitantly.
“Have you ever seen them play in person?”
“No? Why?”
“It just so happens that I have four tickets to see MJ, Scottie Pippen, and the rest of the team take on the Boston Celtics. We’re on our way to Chicago to see them play.”
“What?!” I flipped a lid! I couldn’t believe it! I had always dreamed of seeing Michael Jordan play and I was finally going to get my chance! In his last year with the Bulls, I got to see MJ and the rest of the Chicago Bulls take on the Boston Celtics. It was quite the surprise, and quite the moment!
The game was awesome! We had box seats! We got all the free refreshments that we wanted (including Chicago style hot dogs, chips, and pop), and a dessert cart came around at halftime. It was unbelievable. I also got my picture taken in front of the Michael Jordan statue outside the United Center, I got to go near the floor where Steve Kerr, Tony Kukoc, Scottie Pippen, and Dennis Rodman were warming up before the game, and of all things, I saw a great win against the Celtics. It was definitely a night to remember.
I’m so thankful for my parents taking me on this adventure when I was younger. It was definitely an amazing moment in my lifetime; one I will always remember. And above all else, I’m so thankful that I didn’t have to tell my friends that following Wednesday all about the Maytag Factory in Newton, Ia. Instead, I got tell them all about how I saw Michael Jordan play live, in person (in his final season with the Bulls). :)
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