The Olympics

Rick was hurting from a night out before the rest of us got there. But of course that meant that each night we had to break his Olympic record and stay out even later! By the end of the week we were coming home while listening to morning talk radio - with OJ Simpson being interviewed!

Having Rick with us meant we would meet everyone who looked interesting. Singing ‘ole ole ole’ on the streets with the Italian baseball team that had been creamed by the US that day? Check. Saying hi to Karch Kiraly, beach volleyball legend? Check. Hanging with the American gymnast who had just rallied the team to a gold medal? Check. Hitting a different Waffle House every night to finally to top it with the ones with the tiny doors for kids like us to play in? Getting our own bricks in Centennial Square? Yep!

the old "I'm full" joke

Probably the best was him teaching Giao/Patrick, our Vietnamese friend, how to speak Southern. ‘Ha, how you?’ became the staple greeting.

(This photo is one of our favorite jokes we played on him. The place was empty so Rick just grabbed a seat in front. Cyndi and I told the bouncer to pretend to kick him out. You can see him behind Rick. Rick is pissed. I can’t find the photo when he caught us laughing. If you look at the next photo when we are all in the seats, he still doesn’t look too happy with us!)

 Apparently I was a lucky charm that week, as by the end of the week I couldn’t break the record and asked to be dropped off at home early. An hour later Rick and Cyndi called to tell me they are OK. The attack occurred down the street. When we woke up the next day we discovered it was the bomb that went off, and they would have been there if I had come because I wouldn’t have liked the bar they were hanging out at. True or not, it was nice to be included. Watching CNN, we saw some people being interviewed in the morning. Of COURSE, Rick had met them the night before after the bombing when they stumbled into the bar.