USopen 2001
Sep/2/2001
by Noor
My report will be pretty short. I'll let the other babblers fill you in with our adventures. I had the most amazing time in NY!! I had really expected Pat v. Agassi at the Ericsson to be my last match, but thanks to my babbler friends, I came up to ny to see them and Pat at the USO.
When I arrived from the airport on friday aug 24, I headed to the open and met up with the babblers. Pat came out pretty soon after and practiced for 2 hours. Next day we saw him practice for another 2 hours. Monday, we saw his match with our banners and flags. Tuesday, we saw him practice-this ended up being the last time I saw Pat cause I had to leave to the airport before his match on Weds. It was nice to see Pat happy and smiling in some of his practices I took lots of pics, but in the end, had my camera break because it sorta fell (oops!) but the pics are ok and I'm in the process of uploading them now.
Kirsten, you'd be proud to know that I became Super Noor, wearing your 'Happily Ever Rafter' banner as my cape. We even got killer to sign it. Many people commented on it and some even took pics of us babblers with it.
About an hour before I was supposed to leave for the airport, I went to get some food (while wearing my cape, of course) and this woman chased me down saying, 'I love your flag!' She was such a nice lady who was working for the tournament and showed me some pics of Pat from the first round that she had just developed. Then she went on to tell me about how her son met Pat through the Make a Wish Foundation a few years back, and that his meeting with Pat made her son's life. I won't put all the details, since it was a personal story, but as she told me the story of her and her son's meeting with Pat and Scotty Draper, I realized why I'm such a huge fan of Pat's. I love his game and he has even a bigger heart to match. She was saddened that Pat was leaving the game since he was such a nice guy. Sigh, I'll miss him so much too.
But Pat has given me so many memories and many friends, and for that I'm grateful. Thank you to Laura and Joyce, who housed a traveling babbler, and roomies Karen and Kir. Thanks to crazy cReepy (sorry about jose, but thanks for the tutoring), Laura, Kir, Joyce, Di, Victoria, and Karen for the wonderful times we hung out together. It was great to meet the other babblers- Patricia, Olga, Leslie, Carol, Shawn (say hi to Claude for me!!!!), Nancy, and if I've forgotten someone, I'm sorry….I had an amazing adventure that I will never forget!