Hang in with me, folks. I have a good story for you.
About three weeks ago, I pulled our car in front of the University of Tennessee Medical Center as Helen came through the front door in a wheelchair. She had hip replacement surgery the day before and was now released to go home and continue her recovery. All had gone exceptionally well, but she was still a bit loopy from the pain medication. Nevertheless, I asked for one favor.
“Honey, I said, I need to make one stop at a remote broadcast of WNML (Sports Radio).
“Why?”
“Well, they’re giving away an RV, and I want to put my name in the hopper.”
“We already have an RV,” she says through her loopy-ness.
“I know, but this way we will have his and hers RVs. Besides, we’re not going to win anyway.”
She relented, then dozed off as I drove to Image Matters, a printing and copying business, and the site of the remote broadcast. I entered the lobby and found the announcers in the conference room. They continued their radio show while I filled out two entry slips—one for me and one for my loopy cutie in the car. As we drove home, I heard Eric Ainge, former Tennessee quarterback turned sports radio host, tell the audience that he was about to pull one name from the entry box and that the person who’s named he called would qualify for a reverse raffle on September 28 to win The Ultimate Tailgate Camper. Eric pulled out an entry slip with my name on it and announced it over the radio. I was in!
Being an avid sports fan in general, and a Tennessee football fan in particular, I listen to WNML, known as the “Sports Animal” almost every day. And, nearly every day, I would hear the names of additional qualifiers announced for the same drawing. About a week before the reverse raffle, I received a call from a producer at the radio station telling me that I needed to arrive at Buddy Gregg RV before 11:00 am on the 28th to register for the drawing. I asked how many entrants qualified for the raffle. He told me they expected about 225. No way would I ever get through that gauntlet.
On that Saturday morning, I let Helen know I was leaving. She said she wanted to come but was moving a little slow and would arrive later. “Ok,” I said, then picked up the keys to Butch, the truck we use to pull our fifth-wheel trailer. Before I drove away, I had the thought that maybe I should take our trailer hitch with me. At first, I felt that by taking the hitch, I would jinx the deal, but I threw it in the truck bed—we weren’t going to win anyway, but let’s think positive.
I arrived at Buddy Gregg RV around 10:15. The registration line was long and snaked around The Ultimate Tailgate Camper wrapped with pictures depicting game day activities for Tennessee football and logos for the sponsors—Buddy Gregg RV, WNML, and Hound Dogs, a very popular retailer of Tennessee clothing and merchandise. Finally, I reached the registration table where a lady from the station pulled a pre-printed slip with my name on it to place in a capsule. Just before she closed the capsule, she dropped the slip.
“Uh-Oh, I said, that’s not a great sign.”
“I don’t know; it may be a good one, she replied, that’s the only one I’ve dropped so far.”
While I waited for the drawing to begin at 11:00, I stuck my head in The Ultimate Tailgate Camper to get a feel for it. It is a 2020 Heartland Prowler 180rb, measuring 22 feet long with dual wheels, a plus. There is a queen bed in the front, a very nice refrigerator, microwave, and a large oven by camper standards. A bathroom, complete with a tub shower and plenty of storage filled the rear of the trailer. The entire camper has excellent storage. The dinette is roomy and has a custom-made table-top that many former football players have personally autographed. Also, the winner would receive Tennessee tailgate gear such as pop-up shelters, tables, chairs, cornhole games, serving dishes, stadium cushions, stadium blankets, and $400 worth of gift certificates—all from Hound Dogs! I walked away, very impressed. The value of the camper and the goodies totaled well over $20,000!
Finally, the time for the drawing arrived at about the same time Helen walked onto the lot. Jeff Jarnagin, a long-time Knoxville radio personality and PA announcer for Tennessee football games, gave an overview of the process. One hundred and sixty-three contestants had shown up to register that morning. Every name called is no longer eligible to win the camper, Jeff said, until we get to the last two contestants. Then, they would pull those two capsules and announce only one name—the winner.
If you’re getting bored by now, bear with me a little bit longer.
Jeff, and fellow announcers Heather Harrington and Josh Ward, read the names one at a time. Groans, mumbles, and other forms of disappointment filled the air with each name called, and the unsuccessful entrants came forward to receive a “Goody Bag” as a consolation prize. At one point, Josh told the crowd that forty names remained and, a few minutes later, twenty. Heather asked the remaining contestants to move closer. Helen and I looked at each other somewhat stunned because we were among that group of twenty. We’re both pretty superstitious, and neither of us wanted to move from our lucky spots. We had no choice and inched closer to the hopper bearing the last twenty names. Suddenly we’re down to ten, and we haven’t been asked to leave yet.
With four names remaining, I would not look up and into the eye of anyone pulling names. I just held on to my cane (bad knee) to keep from falling over. Now, we’re down to two—a gentleman named Virgil and me. Heather and Josh prolonged the suspense, and I shook Virgil’s hand, wishing him luck.
There was another pause in the activity until the radio broadcast returned from a break and prepare for the winner’s name to be announced on the air. Jeff walked over and introduced himself to Virgil, then turned to Helen and me to ask which of us had our name in the hopper. I replied that I was the entrant and I had brought my good luck charm with me. Helen got a hug, and I got good luck wishes from Jeff.
Finally, Josh reached for the last two capsules and pulled a name from one of them, then looked at Virgil. My heart sank. He announced the winner’s name.
Virgil got sent home, and I was the last man standing.
During the next half hour, Helen’s faced almost cracked; she smiled so broadly. We completed a stack of paperwork and tax forms. I had time to give The Ultimate Tailgate Camper a new name…Smokey, in honor of the Tennessee mascot, a Blue Tick hound of the same name. I pulled out the trailer hitch I thought I wouldn’t need and hooked up the camper to Butch. Smokey followed me home. By now, I was whistling a chorus of Rocky Top, and joyfully, Easin’ Along.