I do not usually go to the Super Bowl game in person. But when I heard a few days before the game that Super Bowl tickets were going for $8,000 due to ticket broker overselling, I began to wonder. At that price, it must really be worth it! I called my neighbor Bud to get his reaction.
"My thinking exactly," he said. "I just told Betty to cancel our party and bring the refreshments back to the store to get our money back."
"Why?" I asked. "Your party is the best in town."
"I need dough so Betty and I can see the Super Bowl in person. At $8,000 a ticket, you know you're putting your money in the right place."
I told Bud I'd go to the store to save Betty the time. When I got there, a shopper in a Patriots sweatshirt nearly snatched away the six grocery bags full of chips, dip and cakes decorated to look like footballs, but I wheeled the cart to customer service and got $127.19 in change for Bud.
"My neighbor," I let her know, "decided to buy Super Bowl tickets, so he won't need these."
The woman just about keeled over.
When I got back to Bud's house, he was coming out of his garage, carrying a sponge and a can of wax.
"The ticket price went up to $9,200 since I saw you," said Bud, "so I'm selling my car."
A young dad pulled into the driveway, with two children in the back seat. "Is this the 2014 SUV you're selling for 50 percent off?" he asked incredulously.
Just then, Betty came out of the house. "Bud," she said excitedly, "I just saw online that Super Bowl ticket prices have increased to $250,000. We'll have to sell more than the car!"
"Sorry, kid," said Bud, "I need my vehicle to drive to the hardware store."
Bud drove off. I went home to look for spare change to help Bud buy his Super Bowl tickets. At $250,000, it takes a community to get a neighbor to the Super Bowl!
"Here," I said to Bud, handing him $23.79 I had found in a cluttered drawer, "use this towards the tickets. What are you doing?"
Bud was hammering a "For Sale" sign in front of his house. "Super Bowl or bust," it said, "Blow-out sale!"
Betty came out of the house, and wept with joy when she saw the sign.
"Betty," I said. "How can you be happy when Bud is about to sell your house?"
"It's wonderful," she said. "We'll be able to go to Super Bowl XLIX!"
A buyer drove up with a lawyer to buy the house. Bud went in the house to call a Super Bowl ticket broker. He came out, shaking his head.
"Ticket prices have gone up to $575,000, and there are only two of them left." He took Betty's hand. "You're included," he said, "if only I can afford it!"
Betty had sat down on the snow blower, but she sprang up. "Grandma's stocks!" she said.
I followed them into the bedroom. Betty was turning a key in the lock of a metal strongbox.
"Here," she said, handing Bud three stock certificates. "Grandma's DuPont shares, bought in 1947. She told me to save this for a good purpose!"
"Betty," Bud said, "start packing. It's the Friday afternoon before Super Bowl, and I have to get to a stockbroker!"
Bud got to a stockbroker just in time, and on Friday night, they flew off to the Super Bowl.
After the Patriots won, I called Betty in Arizona.
"What was it like," I asked, "to see Malcolm Butler live inside the stadium when he intercepted Russell Wilson's pass?"
"I don't know," she said. "After we got to our seats, Bud decided he didn't want to miss the TV ads, so we went back to our hotel room and invited the whole floor to join us. Even the bellhop came. It was a great party!"
"Wow," I said enviously. "How was the dip?"
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.