10 years ago ...

I was up early today. As I usually am for a Chiefs / denver showdown. No matter how ugly the records, I am always up for this game.

Ten years ago today, December 7, 1998, a 5-7 Chiefs squad gave the 12-0 donkeys all they could handle, falling 35-31 in denver.

A rough day, for those of us who bleed red (and gold).

But 10 years ago today ...

Look it, I have been asked many times (as I'm sure others have as well) "what is the one thing you would change about your life if you could".

And God knows, I have a lot of choices to pick from. Most of which are incredible screw-ups on my part. Some of which are incredible lapses in judgment on my part. One decision above all others haunts me to this day, I still cannot reconcile with my conscience the consequence of that action.

And yet ... the only decision I look back on and think "well, maybe I'd change that", occurred 10 years ago today.

When I decided what job offer to accept coming out of college.

Let me flash back ...

I came home for Thanksgiving on Tuesday, November 25, 1998. I got a late start out of Dallas. I stopped for dinner (as I always did on the trek home) at the Applebees in McAlister, at like 6:50pm, and called my mom to remind her "please, for the love of God, record NYPD Blue! Its Jimmy Smits last episode!" (Somehow, she figured out how to record the VCR in my room. Whew).

I sat down in the bar area, order a tall Shiner Bock, was watching a basketball game, and basically was like "wow, what a holiday this should be". I was three weeks from graduating college ... and I had no interviews lined up. I had no job offers. I had no friggin clue what I was going to do.

So I'm sitting there, onto Shiner number two (at least), eating whatever I ordered, watching hoops, and I can't shake this feeling, this emotional thought, that's entered my mind. The idea that I'll have two job offers to choose from, and won't know what to do.

I didn't pay it much attention in the Applebees. I blamed it on the Shiner, but I couldn't shake the feeling. Two offers were coming. And I wouldn't know what to do.

I got home about 10:30 that night. (For those doing the mental "how fast was Steve driving" math ... McAlister to KC should take about 3 1/2 hours. I made it in under 3. Yup, I drive like a Texan and make no apologies for it ...) Anyways, I get home, let mom know I'm there (she still had to get up and teach the next day). Since dad was still at work, and my brother wasn't coming home until the next day, it was just me for a while.

I pour myself a glass of shiraz (one good thing about the 'rents: there's always a bottle or four of wine to tap into!), sit down at the kitchen table, and am reading through the paper, when dad gets home from work.

We have a few moments of guy talk, and then the conversation inevitably turns to "what the hell are you going to do in three weeks".

My dad, who will never be accused of being a psychic, drops a bomb on me. "I can't explain it, but I just think you're gonna have a couple offers to choose from. And I don't know which one is best for you".

The weekend was pretty uneventful. Thanksgiving I don't really remember, which in my family, is probably a good thing. I know I did some shopping. The Chiefs snapped a 6 game losing streak by beating the Cardinals.

I got back to the apartment at maybe midnight after the game, only to discover the "Heineken stash" was officially gone.

(Sidebar: the "Heineken stash" is arguably the single greatest grocery store buy ever. Its early November 1998. Me and Frank hit the Tom Thumb after late night bowling league on Thursday, to get what we need for the weekend. And there's a sign, "$7.99 / 12 Pack Heineken". I'm like "wow". Frank's like "wow". So I flag down the stock guy, and go "what's the limit". He responds "oh, we got an overshipment, there's no limit on those". Really. We called Vineet to get a 2nd car up there to get everything we bought back to the apartment ...)

Anyways, that night, I applied for two jobs. I heard back from both the next day, to set up interviews for that Friday (December 5th).

One interview was with Rubbermaid. The other was with a real estate development company in Grapevine. Both were for jobs in the D/FW area. (I did not want to move back to KC).

Rubbermaid was first, at a hotel by the airport. They wound up making me an offer ... but for a job based in Kansas City. The development company also made me an offer, for a comptroller job there in Grapevine.

I entered the weekend with two clear choices. KC or Dallas.

The offers ... definitely tilted to KC's favor. I'd have a company car, a company credit card, and a salary far above what the development company was offering me. All they could offer was ... Dallas. Where I wanted to live.

I had a choice to make, since I'd promised both parties a decision by Monday.

Just like I'd thought in the Applebees. Just like my dad had said would happen. I had no clue what to do.

I chose the Rubbermaid job that night, 10 years ago today. I chose it mainly for financial reasons. As life would have it, on the surface, I made the wrong decision.

Rubbermaid was bought out less than 6 months after I started. All of us were let go in July for a cheaper alternative. And financially, it was a struggle for a good long while after that to simply stay afloat.

But back to my original question. Would I change my decision to take the job with Rubbermaid, and undo all of life since then, if I could, would I?

For me ... its all about the friends.

I'm not in a relationship at that time, or at this time either. And despite my attempts to overcome my personal views ... I just am not into casual hookups. Anyone can have sex. I'd rather have sex with someone I give a shit about. I'd rather wait for someone who matters, than drive an hour to hookup with someone I've never met before and hope the condom doesn't break. Which probably explains the 19 month scoring drought and counting ...

So since I didn't (and don't) have a "good" friend ... do I regret moving back to KC instead of staying in Dallas?

No.

Not by a long shot.

Gregg and I had our issues back in the day. But I'm pretty sure they're dead and buried. I never would have gotten to know Brent like I have if I hadn't moved back (and if he hadn't moved back ... welcome back! your dreams were your ticket out! welcome back! to that same old place that we laughed about ...)

I'd have never gotten to meet Ashley and Meagan and Mallory.

And I'd have never met Dusty. Megan. Damien. Or (insert Transamerica employee here).

Did I make a mistake I'd undo?

I have to go with not just a no, but a "hell no!"

Somehow, that feels, really, really good ...