A Stormy Ride to the Game

So this particular story takes places on a stormy December day in 2006. It had been raining non stop for days it seemed. Urban flooding was rampant. Then to top it all off this Thursday the wind came in.
My brother and I were on our way to meet my sister and go to a Seahawk's game at Quest Field. We hoped on the route 21 right before the West Seattle bridge to a crowded bus of Hawks fans. I don't know how many of you have taken the bus to a Seahawk's game but it seems that everyone on the bus is excited and friendly, as was the case this day. We found a pair of seats in the back next to a very nice eldery couple decked out in blue fanfare.
As we begin to crawl up the on ramp to the bridge tragedy struck. Not more than 100 feet in front of us a tree comes crashing down from the adjacent hillside right in front of the bus and blocks the on ramp. Now it was getting dangerously close to kickoff and we were questioning if we'd make it to begin with. After about a minute of waiting I started looking around the bus. Everyone was nervous and angry. Then the driver came over the intercom and said, "Well it looks like we might be here for a while. The whole city is chaos and they don't know how soon they'll get out here."
No one wanted to miss the opening of the game. So I turned to my brother and some others around us and announced, "I don't know about you guys, but I'm not about to miss this game. Let's move the tree!" About 6 of us then mob to the front of the bus. The driver realizing that he can't stop us opened the doors immediately.
We all took the road and began disassembling the tree branch by branch. This was no easy task. Some of the branches were at least 9 inches in diameter, but the resolve of football fans should never be underestimated. In about 5 minutes we had the tree in pieces on the side of the road. The trunk was still protruding slightly in the roadway but not enough to further impede our advancement. We all returned to the bus, drenched and covered in foliage, to joyous cheers. We felt like a victorious army returning home.
Now is when things started to get very ugly. We departed the bus at first and Spokane to meet up with my sister. The rain was coming down unlike anything that I'd ever seen before. The Spokane street viaduct had essential become a giant waterfall on either side. Within moments we were all soaked to the bone. We fought to Busway and hopped on the 194. We reached Quest field just in time for the opening kick off and all was well.
It was about mid way through the second quarter when we started to hear a rising cheer behind us. It wasn't so out of the ordinary giving the setting, but I turned around to look what was up. Low and behold the elderly couple that was on the bus with us was about 4 rows behind us and had relayed the bus story to the surrounding fans, who were now giving us a standing ovation (or the football equivilant to).
Unfortunately this story doesn't have a happy ending. The Seahawks lost in a very close game. And when I woke up the next day most of the city was without power. But it was one hell of a bus ride.