I watched Super Bowl 43 with the same assortment of folks from the Indy Convergence with whom I watched Super Bowl 42. It’s hard to believe I’ve now known Robert and Caitlin for two years.

Last year, in Indianapolis, our crew was surrounded by an group of twenty rabid fans, who screamed every time the TV reception went out (often). I had driven in driving rain with a frustrated friend and actor in my front seat, and gotten lost several times in dark, streetlightless streets. I remember thinking that the Super Bowl was out there somewhere, but I was never, ever going to find it. We arrived late, and I had to turn round & take him home about 20 minutes later. We could barely focus on the football for the many theatrical crises growing around us. I was mid-production for the first reading of 13 WAYS and was so distracted I couldn’t sit down. Honestly, I don’t even know who won that game.

This was a much less dramatic and smaller party, with only six people. We ate Costco pizza and watched James Harrison run 100 yards. I was the only one in the room rooting for the Steelers, but we all respected each other’s loyalties. Lots of jokes about holding penalties and Madden’s unfortunate, repeated “double penetration” phrase. For the first time in my life, I watched every single minute of the football being played.

Rode the Western bus home from Lawrence to Division, and made myself obnoxious to the drunk people on the bus by asking if they were Steelers fans. They weren’t, but they were nice about it.

Robert and Caitlin depart today for the second annual Indy Convergence, and the Steelers have their sixth Super Bowl title. If you keep living, stuff keeps happening.