Guess who called me out at Home Depot in Santa Clara for my KU Sweatshirt
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Yesterday, I ran into Home Depot in Santa Clara. It’s not the closest one to my house, but it’s nearby and it was the closest to the previous errand.
KU had a big sports weekend, so I was sporting my classic, gray, KANSAS sweatshirt.
I was near the front checkout area looking at a display and I hear a voice softly say “hey Jayhawk” and then a pause. I wasn’t sure where it was coming from but he then said “you from Lawrence or go there?” I found the source of the voice sitting about 10 feet away on a phone call, trying to get my attention while he worked.
I said “Both. I’m from outside of lawrence and went to KU.” He said, “I’m 55.” I said “I’m 58”.
I said “Did you go to KU?”
“Yeah.” He finished his call and said, “You would have been a senior when I was there.” And then he stood up, and said, “Lincoln Minor.”
I was completely gobsmacked! I immediately knew who he was but was quickly trying to remember which teams and which teammates. I was a senior in 88… I stumbled my way to realizing he was one of the members of the legendary Danny and the Miracles team.
Which led me to take in this surreal scene: I’m standing in this random Home Depot in Santa Clara, California, chatting with a KU basketball player who I had watched as a frenzied fan in AFH many, many times, all those years ago. Meanwhile, the checkout folks were nonchalant and blasé going about their work. To them, he was just the Pro Account Sales Associate, helping the next customer.
He took some time to chat with me a bit about basketball and reminisce about the teams. I got a photo with him and we traded contact info. He said they sometimes watch the KU games at the Home Depot and told me to come by (which I absolutely will.)
When I got home, I realized he played for both Larry Brown and Roy Williams – two hall of fame coaches. That’s pretty amazing.
Reminded me that you never know who the person is behind the counter or in the line next to you, etc. At our age, he looks like a tall gentleman in a Home Depot uniform, unassuming and ready to serve the next customer.
If I hadn’t had my sweatshirt on and he hadn’t connected, I’d have been standing next to a KU champion and never have known it.
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@bskeet really cool!
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Sweet!
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Cool story! We went to KU together too! 88 was my senior year, turning 60 in a couple of months.
I met Sherron’s HS coach in Chicago once kind of the same way. Met the guy who made the 30 for 30 on the rules of basketball when he saw me at an LSU game. Super cool dude.
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So cool man so cool.
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What a great story! Definitely an answer to the proverbial “wonder what ever happened to him.”
