Man, every time I hear “Milwaukee Bucks vs Hawks,” I don’t even think about the score, or who played well. Nope. I think about my stupid Wi-Fi. And how it completely messed up my evening, but then, somehow, it actually led to something pretty good. It’s a funny story, actually.
So, get this: I’d been looking forward to this specific Bucks-Hawks game all week. You know how it is, you mark it on your mental calendar. I made sure I had no other plans. Went out and bought all the good snacks, the works. I was properly amped up, ready for a solid night of basketball. This was supposed to be THE game I relaxed with.
Alright, game time is just about to hit. I’m all comfy on the couch, drink in hand. And then – poof! Internet just drops. Dead. Like, completely gone. My router starts blinking this pathetic little light, like it’s trying to tell me it’s given up on life. I tried everything, man. Unplugged it, plugged it back in probably ten times. Did the whole “count to 30” thing. Nothing. I even called my internet provider, sat on hold for what felt like an actual ice age, listening to that horrible tinny music they play. By the time I got through to someone, they basically told me “tough luck, try again later.” I was fuming. Absolutely beside myself with frustration.
My kid was just a baby back then, and was finally asleep in the other room. So I couldn’t even properly stomp around and curse like I wanted to. My wife just gave me that classic “Are you seriously this upset over a sports game?” look. And yeah, well, I was. It was my one thing I was looking forward to!
So, what am I gonna do? I’m not usually one for sports bars. They’re always too loud, too crowded, and the floors feel like they haven’t been cleaned since the Nixon administration. But I was desperate to catch the game. So, I dragged myself out of the house and went down to this local joint, “The Penalty Box” or something equally cheesy. It was exactly as grim as I remembered. Had that distinct smell of stale beer and fried food that just clings to you.
I finally found a spot where I could sort of see one of the smaller TVs, past some guy’s ridiculously large novelty foam finger. The game was on, yeah, but the atmosphere was just chaotic. I couldn’t really get into it, too distracted by everything else going on. But then, totally out of the blue, I hear someone call my name. “Dave? Is that you?” I turn around, and it’s this fella, Mark, who I used to work with at my old company. Hadn’t seen him in years!
We started talking, catching up. Turns out he was working for this smaller, newer company doing some really interesting tech stuff – completely different from what I was doing. He was all excited telling me about it, and honestly, it sounded way more engaging than the muffled commentary I was half-listening to. The Bucks and Hawks were battling it out on screen, but I was more tuned into what Mark was saying.
Then he goes, “You know, we’re actually hiring. We need someone who thinks a bit differently. Your kind of, uh, ‘passionate’ approach might actually be a good fit.” We both had a laugh at that. But he was serious. One thing led to another, I sent him my resume, went in for an interview. And what do you know, I got the job. Better pay, way more interesting projects, and a much better work environment.
It’s pretty wild when you think about it, isn’t it? You set out to just watch a basketball game, your internet decides to take a dive, and you end up on a completely different career path. So now, whenever the Bucks and Hawks are playing, I don’t just think of Giannis or Trae Young. I think of that crappy Wi-Fi signal, that sticky sports bar, and the unexpected conversation that changed things up for me. Life’s got a funny way of working out sometimes, even when it starts with a massive annoyance.
