Truth be told, the coolest part of the weekend, besides getting drafted by the Bears and going to his first major-league baseball game and throwing out the first pitch for his beloved Cubs, was shopping for that truck. Just knowing that he could point his finger to the best one on the lot and drive away was, well, almost more than Brian Urlacher could bear.
So he brought his younger brother Casey along to help pick it out, to decide on all the extras--the TV and VCR and back seat that folded out into a bed for camping trips--and drive with him to his girlfriend Laurie's home in Albuquerque. And he assembled as many friends and family members as he could round up to meet him when he got there. The moment was that special.
Waiting there with the others was his stepfather Troy Lenard, though the Urlacher kids had never referred to him as either their stepdad or Troy. Brian was 11 when he met him and he was Dad from then on, a laborer who toiled endless days in the oil fields that surround the tiny southeastern New Mexico town of Lovington, a man who hated his job and loved his kids and never confused the two.
Brian's mom Lavoyda, Troy's ex-wife, was also there from Cleveland. So was Brian's sister Sheri, Laurie and her family, his best friend Brandon, his buddies from Lovington, teammates from college. Everyone he loved the most and who loved him. All were there as Brian drove up in the new truck. It was perfect.
"Boy, Brian," whistled Troy, who never had a new vehicle himself, "you're really going to love this. It's nice and roomy. It's beautiful."
"It's yours," said Brian, flipping him the keys.
Troy's reaction, said those who witnessed it, was something to see. At first he thought it was a joke. Then he refused to take the keys. Then he broke down in tears and called Brian every name in the book for doing such a thing. Then he hugged him.