I wrote a post a while ago about how I used to be a referee before I had an issue with my back and had to stop doing something I loved and was passionate about. There were lots of perks being involved as a referee , but it did create some unforeseen headaches.
Every year when the International matches occurred we would be offered tickets and could pick and choose matches that we wanted to go and watch. They weren't just any tickets and were normally in the VIP section around halfway with the other dignitaries. The first year I went and realized what the perks were and ended up sitting next to one of the owners of a Premiership club. We got into a betting match as I said who would win and obviously he was backing England and fell for it. I won and refused his money and saw I was pulling his chain and enjoyed my humor. I saw him a couple of times afterwards at other games but we have lost contact now.
The following year was a world cup year and again the tickets were offered, but game by game. I started receiving phone calls from people that I hardly even knew about a month before the tournament started. I had no idea that they were just after the much sought after tickets. I had become Mr Popular for what I could offer and not for being me. Some were friends of friends all after the same thing.
I managed to sift through who were the genuine ones and made a rule that if I hadn't spoken to them in the last 6 months they wouldn't get on my list. i was not one to abuse the system as it was my name and not theirs.The first game I had 12 tickets which was in Paris and a quarter final which my team won. After the final whistle blew my phone rang and it was the Referee society offering me tickets for the next game at Twickenham basically asking me how many I needed. I took 12 again and was on condition I wouldn't take for the final if my team wasn't playing.
I never just took because there were others who would like to see it as well and if my team wasn't playing let someone else enjoy the experience. I have always been like that and others probably would have taken them and sold them for huge profits. Because of my attitude I was always offered first and normally turned them down.
It taught me something though to know who your real friends are and I don't mean acquaintances but friends. I only have a handful now plus a few school mates who I normally speak to a couple of times a year to just catch up. You know it's just different as even though you haven't spoken for ages it seems like yesterday with them. That is true friendship I think and have never had hundreds of people who I call friends.
Image source
aboutmenshow.com