Orange Social

Dennis Nett/The Syracuse Post-Standard

By Donna Ditota/The Post-Standard

January 26, 2010, 10:55PM

Peggy Tatum e-mailed me this letter today. I don’t know her. We’ve never corresponded before. But I thought the letter was powerfully written. So I’m sharing it with you (with Peggy’s permission).

Sometimes we “know” things about life’s meaning in ways both big and small. Here is a small way I know the Supreme Being is orange. In October I bought a Georgetown ticket for my daughter up in 308. As fate would have it, we now have other seats, and therefore my 308 ticket needed to find a fan. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t find a buyer. I emailed every person in my office, with no luck. Orange forums – zip. Monday night I was resigned that the ticket was going to waste. How, HOW could a Georgetown ticket not find a home with a devoted SU fan? It made no sense.

Then, at 6:10 p.m. I got a call from a colleague. “M” had been standing in the supermarket check out line, and overheard the woman in front of her lament to the cashier that she desperately wanted to attend the Georgetown game, but didn’t have a ticket. “I guess I’ll just have to go up the hill and take my luck with the scalpers.” “M” tapped the lady on the shoulder, and said, “I know someone with a ticket!” Thirty minutes later that fan and I were embracing in front of Gate N. “I knew someone would love this ticket!” I said. “I can’t believe I found it!” she replied. A coincidence? All throughout that game, I would look up at 308 – and smile.

Here’s a big way I know the Supreme Being is orange. My mother died October 9 of congestive heart failure. For 16 months prior to her death, I flew to Wisconsin once a month to help take care of her. During the 2008-09 basketball season, I planned my week-long visits in between home games. It seemed so cold, so calculating – but.. but.. I had season tickets! One time I broke down and confessed my scheduling secret to mom. “Why, that’s perfectly normal,” she said. “I would do the same. As long as I get to see you, why should I care?” Mom was a Packer fan.

After she died, I faced another basketball season without worry and care, but with profound sadness. And then a little miracle happened. I had the opportunity to purchase center court side seats, just for this season. They were expensive. I ulcerated – for about an hour. Then I bought them. And the games began. And we began to win. And win. And win. “What are the chances,” I often wondered, “that I would just “happen” to get these incredible seats, this year of all years, during one of the most incredible seasons I have ever witnessed?” A coincidence?

Last night at the Georgetown game, I saw Andy steal, A.O. and Rick labor and score, Wes jump over the moon, Triche swish, Scoop scoooop, and Kris just be adorably scary. The Dome was thunderous, and I had some of the best seats in the house. At one point, I sent a thought up into the cosmos: “Mom, are you watching THIS?”

Do I really believe the Supreme Being is orange? Yes. But I believe “he” is also gray Hoya, red Storm, green Spartan and even, yes, even blue Devil. I intend to appreciate the hell out of every moment of this season, whatever happens, because this year is not a coincidence, and I zealously believe in this team. Go Orange!