Waving or Drowning?

robert on a miracle

Our friend Robert writes...

"As I read Mike's terrific post on the magical evening he spent with his buddies years ago, it reminded me of the night 11 years ago that changed me forever.

I was 3 years into a career that was not going well. In fact, it was a disaster. I hated selling life insurance, was horrible at it and the results showed. I was also 3 years into a relationship that was going nowhere and that also sucked. All in all, they were not great times. Then a miracle happened.

That spring, the Montreal Canadiens came out of nowhere to win the Stanley Cup. They were an ordinary team that year and not favoured to do much in the playoffs but riding the astonishing goaltending of Patrick Roy, they beat the Quebec Nordiques, Buffalo Sabres and New York Islanders to reach the finals where they faced Wayne Gretzky and the Los Angeles Kings. Before I go on, I should explain how much this team means to me. As I have mentioned before, I wasn't raised in a happy home. There was a lot of tension, violence, etc. I was a skinny kid and a lousy student but I had one passion. The Montreal Canadiens of the 1970s were among the greatest teams of all time. They won 6 Cups during the decade and played an exciting game that was beautiful to behold. As a kid, I worshipped the Habs. For a kid who felt like a complete loser most of the time, this team, my team, was my solace. They were Champions and they made me feel like a Champion. I adored these guys. I knew they were winning for me. As I grew up, life got happier and though I remained a passionate fan, I didn't feel the same connection with the team.

Until 1993.

I had been out of University for 3 years and it had been a tough time. Let me tell you, being a newbie in the insurance business is just about the toughest thing I can think of. After about 3 years, I was looking to get out but felt I had no options. That spring, the Canadiens' playoff run went from improbable to unthinkable as they beat opponent after opponent. They accomplished something that will never be repeated. They won 10 overtime games in a row. If you are not a hockey fan, ask someone how nutty that is. It will never happen again. I was going nuts all spring, Life sucked but the Habs were winning for me once more!

By a stroke of luck, I got invited to attend Game 5 of the finals with my manager, Herb. Herb is a very nice man who felt sorry for me and he just happened to have 1st row seats. FIRST row. Anyway, as the finals progressed and the Canadiens won 3 overtime games in a row, I realized they could clinch the Cup, with me in the front row.

We got to the game and I noticed that seated directly behind us, was NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. The commissioner sat BEHIND me. These were unreal seats. We are watching the game and chatting (Herb about insurance, me nodding politely). Herb mentions that he has heard a rumour that the Desmarais family (very powerful Canadian family, owns many financial services companies including Great West Life, London Life, Power
Corporation) has season tickets in the same section which is great because he has been trying to meet them for years. I think to myself: "Shut up Herb, I am trying to watch the game".

Anyway, blah, blah, blah. He won't stop talking but that's the price you pay for 1st row seats. I get up to make a pit stop and as I am returning to my seat, a puck comes flying off the ice and lands at my feet.

I get back to my seat and show Herb the puck. I then make an incredibly generous offer to him because he invited me to the game. "Take the puck", I say to Herb. He says no, he knows how much it means to me, that I should keep it. I think I may have kissed him. Then I made my only mistake of the night. I didn't put the puck in my pocket but admired it for a few moments. An 8-year old kid walks up to me and asks, polite as you please: "excuse me, sir, but may I have that?" Before I have the chance to tell him to get lost, I hear folks behind me starting to stir: "Give the kid the puck!"
Damn.
I am in a business suit, he's a kid. I gotta give it to him. Here you go kid, enjoy. I sulk the rest of the period. At the intermission, we head to the lobby so Herb can smoke cigarettes 999 and 1000 of the evening. I am still sulking when I feel a tug on my jacket and the kid is standing there. "Thanks again for the puck, sir." Then his dad puts out his hand and says: "Thanks for giving him the puck that was very nice. My name is Paul Desmarais."

I introduce Paul to Herb.

They win the Cup. It is, by a country mile, the best night of my life to that point. Felt like Champion again for the first time in a long time. I love the Habs.

It was 3 months later that the miracle occurred. I met my cousins for a holiday every year and that year, we met in Cancun, Mexico. The first night we were in the bar when I noticed a guy looked familiar. It was Lyle Odelein, defenceman for the Montreal Canadiens. I went over, shook his hand and thanked him for the wonderful ride he and his team-mates had given me. The next day, walking along the beach, my cousins saw the two girls they had had dinner with the previous night before I arrived. One said we should talk to them, he thought they were Canadians. We walked up and when they confirmed they were from Toronto, I said (here comes a GREAT opening line): "Do you know Lyle Odelein is here?"
To which Denise replied: "Who is Lyle Odelein?"

I moved to Toronto 8 months later. That was 10 years ago next Friday.

Go Habs."