Then, a lot of stuff happened.

Sarah and I sent naughty pictures to NSG and the Leffer. 

I decided I would work hard and not get distracted by anything magnificent during the 2005 season. I would try to get back to the big leagues. That was going well, and I had not gotten distracted, and then I got fired. And I was irrationally annoyed, because if I was going to get fired, then it should have been for some of the shit that went down in 2004, not because I got a new boss and didn't kiss his ass.

 

I called NSG, bawling, when I got fired, and he tried to make me feel better, from across the country, until he got too busy working his actual job. 

 

I moved back to North Carolina and got a job and Barnes & Noble while I tried to figure out my life. Sarah and I went on a couple of mini vacations.

 

In October, she decided to call NSG, because at that point he had been ignoring me for four months. I told her not to call, because if he answered, or called her back, then I would have to hate him. She said, "But you need to hate him." Anyway. He called her back. First he told her he didn't remember me. Then said something about my boyfriend, which I don't have. Apparently he was not referring to TM? Something about brothers? But there were no brothers! We went out to the Flying Saucer, once, and drank with some baseball brothers, but nothing exciting happened. My panties stayed on. I don't know what he's talking about. He tells her he's too busy to call me back, ever. The next day, he texts me that he was drinking, and he was just giving her shit, and it doesn't mean anything. 

 

I still don't hate him. 

 

A month or so later, he sends me a mean email that's supposed to be funny, about hating Duke, and we go back and forth a bit.

 

And then-- 

 

From :  NSG <**********@hotmail.com> 

Sent :  Friday, November 18, 2005 12:46 PM 

To :  Molly Darnofall <******@hotmail.com> 

Subject :  RE: Just a thought...at least I was thinking about you... 

  

Your fun year in Houston was both the worst year professional and personal I've ever had -- and it haunts me to this day. But, I do appreciate and love you for the fact that you look back so fondly on that year.  I mean that.  At least you were there to get me through it. 

About Duke.  Wasn't bitter and it was true. 

Frank Deford did a story on NPR on why so many people hate Duke, which as a team, institution, I understand.  I see that. 

But, this continued hatred of a different "white" player every year is interesting.  What about UConn?  Men or Women? What about Carolina?  What about Arizona?  Are they mad about Coach K's commercial.  Bob Knight looks like a race car with all his logos.  You think Roy Williams is going to turn down a commerical from American Express.  Really, do you?  Honestly Molly? 

I mean, Dickie V goes on and on about Carolina just as much as Duke.  And Kentucky is on every week on CBS. 

And I just thought, the one person I know best who hates Duke, just give her a little advice to let it go.  Give it one more good year about J.J. and then that's it.  I mean, next year, the idiots from Chapel Hill to Lexington to Tucson to Pauley Pavilion will be talking about this year Duke's star freshman and saying "I hate that guy, he's been there for what seems like 10 years."  Of course, he'll be a sophomore.  Hell, they might be saying it in March. 

O.K. I'm done.  It's always nice to "get" you.