Kobe Bryant, Private Suites and Year of the Rabbit

I've mentioned it before, and I'll drop it again, Johnny Depp, Brad Pitt AND Danny Klecko...all born in the year of the rabbit. All of us are 47, and each of us is smoking hot. On my menu at Golden Chow Mein, I have learned that the rabbit is the luckiest of all signs, I don't know what to think of that.

I have always thought that even though we didn't know it, everything was equal. Everybody had something special. Klecko....he never wins at the Casino, he's always standing next to the guy who spots $96 on the street, but you know....that's OK. I understand that I was given Swag, now Swag doesn't directly plug one into money, but what good is money if the peeps don't think you have Swag?

So a couple weeks ago I got a phone call from the Minnesota Timberwolves marketing department. They invited me (and a guest of my choosing) to go to last evening's game. In addition to parking passes and free meals and beer, we got to talk to a series of Presidents and Personel who were pimping luxury suites while simultaneously letting us know that they were looking for 155 million bucks to retool the Target Center.

The head business cat is from England, and he thought he was "all that" because he mentioned that "Usher" was coming in concert in 12 days to this same venue where the Wolves play..

"You know folks, when Usher comes to town....he has 17 semi trucks, but we only have 1 loading dock! That's just not going to cut it. with 155 million dollars, we could really get some things done."

Ya think?

Oh well....I shouldn't pick on my host because they were gracious. They let me have my own suite to watch Kobe Bryant and the Los Angelo's Lakers rough up my home boys.

But just when Klecko was feeling all "Year of the Rabbit" lucky, they had a drawing. All the business guys had to toss their business cards into a cigar box looking dealio. So some chick with motor cycles boots up to her neck pulls out the card and funny.....

I've been wearing my new bi focals for a couple of weeks now and I gotta tell you, vision is beneficial! When she pulled the card, and she was across a huge conference room, I thought "Dude, that's the same color as mine." 2 weeks ago I would have never made that out.

But then she paused for a second and a 1/2, and that's when I told my date "My business card just says Klecko, she confused, it's me!"

Sure enough.....WINNER-WINNER CHICKEN DINNER, the year of the rabbit continues and Klecko ends up winning 2 more courtside tix. I called the rep today, and I am going next Monday to sit court side during the tilt against Mark Cuban and the Mav's. The Retail value is (and get this) $750 per seat LOL....and if that's not enough, I get to pull the bread truck up to the front of the arena and vallet park...hah!

I gotta tell you, I'm not used to winning things.

So with all that excitement, I have felt pretty good, but in the back of my mind I kept realizing that earlier today, at 10 a.m. was Pete Nowiki's retirement party at SuperMoms, Mr. Nowicki is a Master Baker and the last of my personal Masters that was still out in the field. Of course I had to pay my respects, but seriously, I was dreading it. I love Master Nowicki and to be honest. Once he's gone....Klecko stands alone, and you know by now, that is not something I embrace.

Even though I am crossing old's threshold, I've always felt a comfort knowing that there was one guy out there in the commercial baking world that had more experience than me.

So I drove out of town and down to the suburban site to pay my last respects. The party was well attended and the parking lot was full. I had to park about 500 yards away from the entrance. when I got out of my ride.......(I wish I could type smells and odors) I became overwhelmed by the flavors of doughnuts that just hung in the cold air.

That doughnut smell brought me right back to 25 years ago. To a time when I was immature, and a nobody in my industry.

When I walked into the plant, Pete welcomed me and smiled and bragged about me to all of his guests. I never had much family growing up. There seldom was a dad in my upbringing, so it seems so unusual to be in a situation where I have done something that imbibes some other guy with pride.

Part of me felt weird cuz I knew after he punched out...that was it, Klecko was flying solo, but I guess that will happen.

But on my ride back to work. I was thinking NBA, I was thinking about getting comped with the V.I.P. treatment, but to be honest, that's not what the rabbit was tossing at me for luck. The fact that I had a man (and several other Masters)that was willing to kick my a** and teach me his passion and then years later have the oppurtunity to see how proud of me he was on his last day.....well you can almost end the Klecko movie there.

In years to come I will remember the year of the rabbit as a time when I sent out the last of my Masters w/o shaming myself or their system........and in my book, thats obtaining the brass ring.