Got a call from Uncle Ralph(1) last night who had come through with two tickets for Toph and I to Dale Hawerchuks induction into the Hockey Hall Fame ceremony(2) in Toronto. My first instinct was that this was a chance of a lifetime and that it would be great to pull this off for Toph. The tickets alone are $300 bucks and Uncle Ralph would have covered mine but by the time I flew there and Toph bought his ticket, we would both be looking at $300. Toph sounded excited and a little hesitant when I talked to him about it but said to go ahead and set it up. My Mom even offered me her Air Miles she had been saving and I can’t remember the last time my parents went on a trip together. That’s when it kinda hit home that maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. I think more than anything I just wanted to see Toph and this seemed like the perfect reason to go. I called him this morning and he too had been having second thoughts as well. It would be nicer to go down there with a little bit of spending money some other time I suppose(3). Regardless, I miss you buddy. Big thanks to Uncle Ralph for coming through on those tickets.
(1) – My Uncle Ralph used to work for the Jets and then the Oilers in the PR department. He is very well connected and has sorted me out on numerous occasssions. One Christmas when I was probably 11 he gave me a signed Wayne Gretzy Oilers jersey that I wore for street hockey back in the day (see above pic of Shan). I have since cut the sleeves off that beauty and still wear it today on occassion. The signature is still there, somewhat. We have done concerts and hockey games together more times than I can count. He knows Toph is a big “Ducky” fan and wanted to help us out on this one.
(2) – Dale was inducted into the HHOF on November 12, 2021 so we didn’t have a lot of time to plan this.
(3) – I have a long history of bailing on ideas like this. They seem good at the time and the longer I let them simmer I feel like it’s too much and then get scared away from them. Still happens today and I am sure it pisses people off.