My Apologies to Abilene

Tonight was, perhaps, the most frustrating night of my life.

I had waited for months for the new season of 24. I had watched all five of the previous seasons on DVD in the last few months (at considerable expence), even postponing my trip home in part because I wanted to finish watching the last DVD of the fifth season (which wasn't available for rental in Menard) so that I'd be totally caught up once the new season started. I made plans to watch the show with my sister (who I, after much effort, had finally managed to also get hooked on the show). I talked to everyone I saw about it. I'd even had nightmares that I would forget about the premiere and be behind on the series for the rest of the year. To keep from forgetting it, I'd even marked it on my calendar. This is the only thing on my calendar for 2007. And I'd set an extra alarm this morning to remind me a few minutes before it started. And I'd gotten out of my house in the icy cold so that I could by some videotapes so that I could record the whole season. After the Cowboys' tragic loss, this was the thing in my life that was keeping me going.

So, tonight was the big two hour premiere of the show. Tomorrow night was two more hours of the show. This was heaven.

It started and was as exciting as expected. Jack had been rescued from a Chinese prison, but it was so that he could be handed over to a terrorist who was demanding his life in return for information that would stop a series of attacks against the U.S. (the guy was an old enemy of Jack's). Jack agrees to the trade and was about to be handed over. The terrorist had demanded that Jack be handcuffed to a grate. Jack made some noble comments about dying for something. I didn't know how he would ever get out of it. And it cut off. The channel went out. Nothing. It was the only channel that went out. We called, and it was out all over town. I looked around online to see if I could download it somewhere (since I'd tried to watch it legally), and if I knew how to manage bit torrent, I could. But I don't know how to.

So anyway, it was just one of those Pierce curse things. It was inevitable. Me and my sister agreed on this. So, my apologies to Abilene. I'm sorry I had to bring this on you all, too.