There’s this guy I know named Karl.  He and I have had a standing bet on the Apple Cup for 20 years.  You know, that super, duper, uber in-State College Football rivalry that makes people do super, duper, uber wonderful things.  Like continuing to bet on a team which has won just 7 of the last 20 games.  GO COUGS!!  Anyhoo, Karl was my boss, when in another lifetime, I was a paralegal.  He’s Husky (oops, I mean A Husky), and you guessed it kids, I’m a Cougar.  (No snide remarks, thank you very much).

In 1992, just 2 months into my tenure with this firm, Karl and I decided to lay down a little wager.  Since we were the only ‘rivals’ in the office and coffee was THE WORD in Seattle, our ante was Latte’s on demand for a week.  I thought to myself, “Self.. gee willakers,  what if you win?  Could you seriously approach your new boss in the middle of the day and put in an order for a rather expensive cup of 40 weight?”  Self said ~ HELL YES!!”

That year, the Cougs prevailed and since Karl was traveling the Monday after the big game, I decorated his office…with everything Crimson, Gold, Coffee and Apples.  The next day, he arrived with a perfectly prepared latte in hand ~ what a sport.  Later on that same day I popped my head into his office with a big shit eatin’ grin on my face and he popped down to the local Starbuck’s.  Don’t you just love the enticing aroma of coffee and victory?  YUP!

I left the firm several years later, so now, instead of hoofing it into the pouring rain for a cup o’ joe, the loser sends the winner a pre-paid card.  How sweet it is to present that piece of plastic to a cute little barrista and tell him the endearing story that goes along with it.  It just seems to get better every year.  Karl and I still engage in a little email pre-game banter, snide jokes and all.

There aren’t many jobs that rival my current one and you all know how much I love it!  However, exceptions can be made and the only one that compares is the one I had working for Karl and the entire team at our exceptional law firm.  We bought each other birthday gifts, celebrated each other’s joy and commiserated in times of sorrow.  We all worked really hard and were a great group of friends and colleagues.  It was so much more than difficult to leave.

However, I did just that and many of us keep in touch as often as we can.  I return to Seattle every summer and make every effort to stop in and say hello.  The firm disbanded a while back and while many have moved far afield, Karl’s still right there (along with Lisa, his amazing right hand) ~ hey Lis!!  If at all possible, I stop by with a tall, non-fat Latte in hand.

This year, my youngest brother and Husky surprised me with tickets to the big game which was held the Saturday after Thanksgiving in the Seattle Seahawks stadium.  They packed the house, the noise was deafening, a sea of purple filled my eyes and I got to sit next to my little bro (one of my most favorite people) and watch the game ~ WOW!

He and I laughed and cheered, hugged and high fived, elbowed each other and reveled in the common bond of devotion to our alma maters and to each other.  How sweet that was!  The not so sweet part is that I need to go buy that infamous piece of plastic and await the email assault of really bad Cougar jokes ~ we lost again.   I think I need a coffee drink.

GO COUGS!!!