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| Bud Grant posing with the back of a stadium seat that has been painted in his likeness |
When I heard Bud Grant, former Minnesota Vikings head coach for years, and now 87 years old, was having a garage sale—his final garage sale—I made it a point to try to go and at least look at what he was selling. I already knew where he lived because a friend of mine had driven me past it years ago.
The sale started at 5 pm yesterday, which is the time I get out of work. I hurried home, fed Nels, grabbed my camera, and took off. His home is just over 3 miles from mine. Never did I expect to see so many cars and people! They were parked bumper to bumper for blocks and blocks. I turned onto his street, driving slowing so as to not hit the pedestrians and other cars looking for a parking spot. When I was one house away from his, I noticed a man approaching his car with a poster in his hand. I stopped, waited for him to get into his car, start it up and slowing back out. I popped right into the vacancy. Talk about good luck!
Walking up to his driveway, I could feel the excitement in the air. There were probably 50 people already in line, waiting to pay for their finds. Others were looking at tables with jerseys, shirts, and other sports paraphernalia and a lot of hunting and fishing gear. I slowly bypassed them and walked up to a table that had a couple of plates with birds on them, and a darling Swedish candle holder. I guess the others were wanting sports memorabilia. Not I. I took a bird plate and the candle holder and made my way to the garage. In the garage, I picked up a couple more items and proceeded to the woman running the cash register. I walked up to her and said, I think I owe you this amount. She wrote up my items, took my money, and voilà, I had scored! Bud was seated just a couple of feet from me—signing books people were buying. I leaned in (right next to a TV camera man who was pointing his big lens Bud's way) and had my photo taken next to him.
After choir last night, I took a couple of my friends to my car to show them my purchases. They encouraged me to go back and have him sign a couple of my things. I stopped by his home on my way home from choir, but the family was putting things away for the night. They suggested I come back today, which I did.
Bud Grant was very gracious, taking time to talk to each person who had stood in line.
5 comments:
Cool, Donna! My dad would have been so impressed. Bud was a Minnesota icon and apparently still is. Good job!! Nan will be soooo jealous when I tell her about your blog. Actually, I'm jealous, too! :-)
Sonja
Hooray for you Donna, yes you scored huge, love it!!! So good to see you last Saturday :)
Laura
The world could use a few more like Bud Grant! You were at the right place at the right time.
How fun!!! I would have loved to have gone to that garage sale. I am envious.
You lucky dog! Bud looks great, as do you. I would have gone with you, of course.
Did I ever tell you that I have a great-great niece named Hazel Lillian Marquardt. I didn't realize "Hazel" was coming back. She has a little brother named Zane. They are John's grandchildren. Hazel is 3 and Zane almost 1.
Fun events you have had lately.
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