Harold joined in. “Okay, bro. Do your thing. But I’ve got dibs if they’re calling you about some premium suite tickets. You know me and my wife are overdue for a trip to the West Coast. We can come over and hang out with you and this chick that’s got you twisted.”

“Man, you’re trippin’.”

“No. You are. And don’t think I haven’t noticed that you have yet to bring her around the family. I’d say that it’s time for all of us to meet, get to know each other.”

“Whatever, man. I’ll call you later in the week.”

“Okay, later.”

Jake hung up from talking with his brother and called Damien Jones, one of his best friends and a former Oakland Raider teammate. “Yo, dog, what up?” he said, when Damien’s deep bass voice echoed through the receiver.

“Big Mac!” Damien replied. “I’m just a squirrel in your world, man. Nothing to it but to do it, know what I’m saying?”

Jake nodded, with a big smile on his face. He and Damien had shared some amazing times together, both on and off the field. They each had enough on the other to set up a big-time blackmail, but when it came to the antics of their ballplayer days, their lips were sealed. “Yeah, I know.”

“So what’s up, Big Mac? You coming to the ceremony this Sunday or what?”

“That’s why I called, to find out what was going on.”

“They want us to be a part of the halftime celebration.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“Yeah, man, honoring some of us former stars. They’ve got that stuff twisted for real, dog, because my star is still lighting up Oaktown.”

Jake laughed, and got up to grab a cool bottle of water from the fridge.

Damien continued, “I guess when it comes to that former nonsense they’re looking at your name on the list.”

“Okay, my man has jokes. I was the heartbeat of the defensive line, as you, our opponents, and the record books will attest.”

“I can’t even lie about that, dog,” Damien readily agreed. “You held it down! So that’s what’s up this weekend; a big shindig on Saturday night, followed by a presentation at halftime. Sounds like it’s going to be pretty cool and they gave us eight guest passes each, along with a badge for total access. My boys are crazy excited about going and Alison is, too, although she’s trying to act all nonchalant and whatnot.”

“Alison has been trying to act like that since she saw you in the college cafeteria. I’m convinced that her not paying you any attention is how she became your wife.”