In 2005 I was working at Orvis, and the CEO's godson had come from England for a summer internship. A strapping 6'5" lad, Max Vere-Hodge was as cheerful as he was tall, and being English, I couldn't help but become friends with him...
As I was getting to know this kid with the funny last name, I googled it and came across a cricket player with the same last name and emailed it to Max
Come to find out, it was his grandfather!
As I asked him about this thing called cricket, he informed me that a really amazing thing called the Ashes was going on right now - a series between Australia and England that England has a chance of actually winning for the first time in like 16 years. Well, being American and all, I smiled politely and said that must be nice.
What an idiot.
On the last day of the final Test, Max would come capering down the hall in a euphoric trance, dancing around and praying for rain.
"What for?" I asked, oblivious.
"Because if we draw the final Test, we win the Ashes!!!"
I had not a clue what he was on about. Praying to not play? Winning by default?
How unamerican!
Well, needless to say, I was just unschooled in the ways of cricket. And now I kick myself daily for having missed out. For it wasn't until 2007 that I would get a chance to listen to MY first Ashes series, played in Australia, alternating between listening at 11pm and 5am to an English game played half a planet away....
Bugger.
By then, I'd been bitten by the bug only to have it turn around and bite me again with some of the unluckiest, underperformed, outcaptained, outbowled, outbatted and outselected cricket in an age. The following winter and summer saw my newfound team battered and bruised to no end. I was listening when the first Test ever was forfeited - when Pakistan refused to resume play after lunch in protest of a 5-run penalty for ball tampering. The umpire in question was run out of the game, the match overturned to a draw, and then back again to a victory for England. Chaos ensued for another year and only now - with the Ashes two days away, is everything in place, everything feels right, and we're ready for another magic moment.
So if you are around the internet at all from now until August, tune into the BBC's most excellent coverage. Listen when you can. Learn what you will. Because you never know when you've missed something magical until it's gone.
