You probably think I'm going to say spring, but I'm not. It's Masters Week, and I'm paying my tribute to the most wonderful event that happens in Augusta.
1995: I was hired for my first job; working in the main concessions area at the Masters. For me, that meant being there at 6 am, and leaving around 6 pm or later. Keep in mind, this is my spring break. Was I crazy, YES. I worked my tail end off that week, but I also made a whopping $350 and was introduced to the Masters golf tournament. I fell in love with this place.
1996: I did it again; I decided to work my butt off during my spring break. This time, I worked near the 11th and 17th (I think) holes. A little less hectic than the previous year, but this time, I could hear the sounds of the clubs and crowds from my tent.
What I failed to mention are the passes. The managers could give out 30 minute passes while we were on our breaks, so if we got caught without a badge, we could show our pass and prove that we were on our break. Those passes were my freedom to enjoy the course. And boy, did I.
1997: My senior year of high school and this time, I moved up in the world. I became a bagger for the gift shop. Some of you might think, so what. You've obviously never seen the gift shop at the Masters. I've never seen so many foreign people with so much cash at any other time in my life. I met some really neat people, but the best thing that happened that year was meeting a guy named Jake. Jake was a stock boy for the gift shop, and like me, was spending his spring break waking up early, and going home dog tired. During the course of the week, we set the ground work for becoming friends for life. We spent some our of breaks together walking around the golf course, and I believe we even watched Tiger win his first coveted Green Jacket together.
We went to different colleges, but somehow we still managed to keep our Masters bond alive. I even talked him into taking me to the course a few times. After we graduated from college in 2001 and he moved back to Augusta, I conned him into taking me out for our "anniversary" each year during Masters Week. He always complained, but he always took me wherever I wanted to go.
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| Jake and Alicia on the course in 2005 |
Jake scared the mess out of me a few years ago. I got a call from our friend Christel saying Jake didn't show up for work and he had been in a car accident. It was Easter Sunday 2007 (the final day of the tournament that year) and I couldn't get hold of him or his parents. Finally, after church, I called the hospitals in Augusta and found him. The poor guy spent a few painful days in a room, but thankfully recovered. I wouldn't know what to do if something had happened to my Masters buddy.
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| Of course I made him take a picture with me!! |
Thanks to my Masters buddy (who practically knows everyone), at the Mayors Reception of 2006, I was introduced to an amazing lady who became a great confidante and friend. The Mayor's Reception is always the first day of the practice rounds (Monday), and many restaurants from Augusta would hand out free food to hungry visitors and residents of the city. The Mayor was always on hand to award one of the beloved golfers with a key to the city of Augusta.
Jake had told me about his friend Julie, and from what I knew about her, I couldn't wait to get a glimpse of her. It was just my luck that they happened to attend the Mayor's Reception together that year, and we were properly introduced. In fact, I believe I spent at least 30 minutes talking to her, and don't believe that Jake and I said much to one another! From that day on, Julie and Jake and I had many a lunch/coffee date together and Julie and I attempted to pencil one another in every so often. In 2007, Julie and I attended the Mayor's Reception together sans Jake, and captured this picture below:
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