The Guy Named Harrison: Book One

104

Carrie held the door open for Harrison as best she could. He passed by, carrying multiple bags of stuff he packed up from his locker.

She let the door close behind her as Harrison dropped his bags on the floor and laid beside them. Following the game, he packed up his locker and they brought all his things home to their hotel room.

Setting her bags down beside the ones he carried, she gently kicked him in the side. "Get off the floor. You're dirty."

He simply groaned and sprawled out even more. So she kicked him in the side again, a little harder this time. "And you smell."

She was able to get him to roll over. "Maybe it's my jersey that you're wearing that smells."

Carrie smelled the jersey. It did smell a little bit, but it was nothing compared to what she smelled now. "Go take a shower. If you lay here any longer you're going to knock me out."

Slowly, Harrison rose to his feet and dug out a pair of fresh clothes from one of his bags. "Make a pile of everything you want washed. Then I can throw a load in before I pass out."

He playfully rolled his eyes. "It's not that bad."

"Well you're used to it."

"Just throw in my uniform for right now. I can take care of the rest."

Harrison headed into the bathroom. The door that had just been closed opened rather violently. "Don't wash the jersey. You can spray it, but just don't wash it."

"Why?"

"I'm going to put it in a frame as is."

Carrie nodded. "Okay."

She took off his Super Bowl jersey and laid it out on one of the chairs before spraying it to at least help with the smell. Then after she heard the shower running, Carrie grabbed his game pants, compression shorts, socks, and tank top that he never changed out of after the game.

Breathing through her mouth, Carrie tossed the clothes in the washer and started the load. Then she made her way back over and began to unpack his bags. They would definitely need reorganizing before they left tomorrow night.

She dug through the two bags he used to clean out his locker and began to unpack them. First Carrie unwrapped his Super Bowl MVP trophy from its bubble wrap and set it gently on dresser. Then came the ball. The only part of him still in bounds when he made that interception was his toes. By only inches.

He reached out and caught the ball nearly two feet out of bounds while keeping his the tips of his toes on the ground long enough to make it a legal interception. The best part about that interception was that if Harrison didn't catch it, that game would've been headed to overtime. In the picture she took of him intercepting the pass, Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown was visible with his hands extended behind Harrison for the ball. If Harrison didn't catch it, Brown would've.

The Carolina Panthers now had their own immaculate reception. And it was going to be one of the greatest plays in NFL history. Maybe not beating the real immaculate reception, but it would be high on the list.

What made the interception so remarkable was the fact Harrison came from right smack in the middle of the end zone when he saw Ben Roethlisberger turn in the direction of Antonio Brown. And the fact the linebacker timed it perfectly and picked off Roethlisberger, ruining the Steelers chances of tying up the game.

Carrie finished unpacking his bag. She pulled out his shoulder pads, helmet, pictures from his locker, headphones, practice gear, and two boxes of cleats.

She had everything unpacked when his arms wrapped around her. "Hey."

Harrison pulled her to her feet and she happily stood against his chest. "Thank you for everything," he whispered.

Carrie stood on her tip toes and pressed her lips to his. "You don't need to thank me."

He picked her up and carried her bridal style to their bed where he gently set her down and crawled under the covers beside her. "You did great today."

"Thanks Carrie."

They kissed again. Turning to her side after the kiss, Carrie let her MVP wrap his arms around her. He kissed her one last time before settling his head on the pillow behind her. "I love you."

"I love you too Harrison."

I believe I owe you guys an explanation. In the last two chapters I've mentioned the 'immaculate reception' several times. Some of you may be wondering what it is. To this day, it is still one of the greatest plays in NFL history.

You can see right away that the Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw was under heavy pressure and somehow got a pass off to his receiver. Then the receiver got absolutely drilled by the Raiders defensive back. The ball ricocheted back several yards where Steelers fullback Franco Harris caught it just before it hit the ground and ran it for a touchdown. That play lead to them beating the Raiders and advancing further into the playoffs.

What's really cool is that my parents and I went to the Pro Football Hall of Fame a few years ago. In a case they had the turf torn out from Three Rivers Stadium exactly where the immaculate reception happened, and the elevator panel of Three Rivers Stadium. Why the elevator panel? The Steelers owner Art Rooney was in the elevator when it happened and didn't know his Steelers won until he stepped out of the elevator a few moments after it happened.

I also mentioned last chapter that the Steelers lost Super Bowl 52, just like they had won Super Bowl 43. Harrison's interception is meant to be very similar to that very catch. Here it is👇