Bar contest winnings

I'm sure we've all watched sports in bars that have those scratch and win giveaways, and then have a ballot on the back to win some sort of prize.


Over the last couple of months one of my local hangouts bought a bunch of Blue Jays jerseys that they would draw for during select Blue Jays games near the end of the season. This bar has done this with other jerseys over the last few years, and one of the stipulations used to be that you had to be there for the draw. This year they decided to change that.


First of all, I did win something with the scratch cards. I got a really nice jersey beer bottle cozy.

Kind of neat, and I won't say no to free stuff from the bar. (Although I probably do have too many different beer glasses that I have won over the years.) Some of my friends seemed to walk away with one of the cozies each night, but not me, I mostly saw the 'Try Again' every time I scratched the card. But I did fill out the backs because, hey, why not?


And...

...how 'bout that!


The first draw was last Thursday night, and I wasn't there. I didn't even go into the bar at all on the weekend. The bartender working on Monday evening texted me to let me know that I won. Woo hoo!


I went in later Monday night to pick up the jersey and one of my friends was there, and had been there for the draw on Thursday. He told me that one of the first things heard in the bar after my name was announced was, "But he's a Mets fan!", and I laughed at that.


The funny thing is that my reply to the bartender that sent me the text was, "Go Jays!?!"


To my friends at the bar that wondered if I would actually wear or keep the jersey, I laughed when I picked up the jersey - it is a Large. Yeah, not going to work for me. (I'm 6'4, and after behaving badly this summer I have just crossed the wrong side of the 300 lb. barrier. Have to start doing something about that.)


I thought about what to do with the jersey and pretty much immediately figured that I would give it to a friend of mine who's a huge Blue Jays fan, and as a single mom with two kids really doesn't have the disposable income to buy herself a jersey. The big problem is that she is tiny and this will be a dress on her.


I talked to the bar manager, and he told me where he bought the jerseys and said they might be able to exchange it so I will go to the store and see if I can get a smaller jersey for her. I thanked the manager for the promotion and told him and asked the other regulars at the bar not to be too upset when my name gets drawn for a second jersey! (I figure that the only time I will win is when I really don't care about the prize.)


There was a second draw last night during the seventh inning stretch. I didn't win the Stroman jersey they drew for. Oh, well, I've got five more chances to tick off my friends!