There are few things that could possibly be more groundbreaking than the Cubs making it into the World Series. Mastering time travel, aliens landing, and discovering Bigfoot come to mind as possibilities.
I recognize the magnitude of this occasion. I’ve got it all planned out, bringing in the excitement of over a century of Cubs fans to my epic watch party. The snacks are laid out, the brews are cold, and the spirits are high as the team from Wrigley Field enter the next game tied with the Cleveland Indians. We can do this!
My apartment is packed with fans all gathered around my giant TV, waiting for what we all know will be a nail biter. Injuries have sidelined some of the best players on both sides, so this game is anyone’s guess. And that’s worth gnawing some fingers for.
What I wasn’t expecting was that all the hot air that blew in along with the Indians fans who snuck in the door would prove to be too much for my AC. Just as the game starts to heat up after the first inning, my air conditioning blows.
Not. Cool.
Within minutes, the air is stifling. Thirty of my closest friends, the folks who were fun and cheering just ten minutes ago, are suddenly griping and complaining. The Indians land a home run, and the first comment to rise up from the group hanging around my big screen is to ask if there’s another window we can open to cool things off.
I head to the back of the apartment to check the unit, only to find myself completely lost when I open the panel. There’s a strange smell and a ton of wires, plus a giant dose of frustration. While I’m looking, I miss a double by the Cubs – because of course I did.
By the top of the fifth, my guests are half gone. The Cubs are up, but nobody really cares at this point. What they do remember to talk to me about later isn’t the historic game, but the lame party that featured a broken AC unit as the star player. After over a hundred years of waiting, it was a busted air conditioner that everyone remembered about the Cubs shining moment, all thanks to my inability to have my yearly AC maintenance done.
Lesson learned. Next time there’s a once in a lifetime game to watch, I’ll be sure to have an HVAC professional come check out my system before it ruins the party. Maybe I should invite Bigfoot just in case, you know, as a distraction.