Broin Revealed - The Day I Met Broin

[Tbone]

We all have goals in life. One of my life goals was to one day meet Broin. Today I realized that goal.

It was a pretty boring Thanksgiving this year. My mom had sent me another turkey by mail, as she usually does when I'm not able to go home. I had that heated up along with some makeshift vegetables. Other than that I was just chilling in Teamspeak, seeing if there'd be anyone to talk to.

Broin logged in, but he sounded different. Turns out his computer had finally completely taken a nose dive and he was forced to set up Teamspeak on a laptop. We talked about Thanksgiving - about how I was no where near my family and he had too much family with him. He asked what I was doing tomorrow. I said I just had work in the afternoon.

"So you've got some free time?" Broin said, with a strange ambiguity. "Uh...yeah" I replied. "Good, because I need to get out of the house for a while." he stated, simply.

Very funny.

This wouldn't be the first time Broin had teased about meeting up. Over the years he's talked about coming to see shows while I was on tour and how he's sometimes been "in that area." But in all that time, he's never actually shown up. He's always just "thought about it".

So I played his game again this time. "What, are you in the area or something?"

"Eh...maybe 30 minutes without traffic. I can bring you some leftovers."

He sounded serious.

"What, are you just gonna leave it on my doorstep?"

"No, I'll just hand it to you. When do you get off work?"

"Um...4 o'clock"

"Ok, I'll see you then."

We worked out where I lived (last time he pinged me I guess the system still said I was in Crystal City, because that was his assumption) and I thought "Holy fucking shit this might actually happen".

Still, I thought the chances were slim. The next day I kept checking for a PM or IM with some half-assed excuse. But no messages came.

I got off work and went home. I haven't seen that woman jogging here before. Strange that the mailman is here this time of day. I was suspicious of everyone...are they making sure the location is secure? I made sure my apartment was semi-clean. Then I started acting like a 16 year old girl going to the prom. What should I wear? What are we going to talk about? What are we going to do? Is he really going to show?

Minutes pass by very slowly, and then 4:30 came...and went. 4:45 came and went...and we come to 5 o'clock.

*RING*

...my cell phone. I'm getting a call from "BLOCKED". Holy shit!

"Hello?"

"Come open your door."

I come down the stairs and, seemingly coming from no where, appears a man at the other side of the door.

Now let me say that I've often tried to figure out what Broin would actually look like. He's given me hints before, talking about working out and such, but you just never know. Sometimes I thought he might be a 65 yr old man with a good bit of kick left in him. Sometimes I thought maybe he's a poor chap in a wheelchair. Sometimes I thought he might just be a woman with a voice modulator.

I open the door.

"Not quite what you expected, was it?"

On the other side of the door was an agent straight out of TV. He looked like he could have just stepped off the set of 24. A little taller than me. Dark hair nice and short. 5 o'clock shadow. Very fit and muscular. He's wearing a shirt that Jack Bauer would wear, only black and with a coat. Doesn't look any older than early 40s.

This whole time I thought he wouldn't show us any pictures because maybe he was embarrassed. Turns out he just didn't want to make the rest of us feel insecure.

In his hand is a Bed, Bath, and Beyond bag. Suddenly I get the image of a new sitcom where Jack Bauer finally settles down and has to go do regular things like shopping.

We go up to my apartment and I give him a quick tour and unload the groceries he has brought (good ol fashioned Thanksgiving leftovers was my treat in the bag!). We sit down and just start chatting while watching the football game.

It was surreal. I've met a LOT of you before. But I honestly never thought I would actually meet Broin. And then to finally meet him and for him to look like the epitome of the Jack Bauers that we compared him to. No preparation. Just a quick conversation the day before and suddenly he is there.

So we start talking and it isn't long before I process that this is my same friend that I've chatted to for over six years. We talk about gaming, girls, the guild - everything we usually talk about. We give Lithium a call to get a rise out of him. Next thing I know the game is over and it's time to get some food.

"My treat" says Broin. I'm not going to argue with that. Of course, all I can think of is Chili's. He didn't go with the rest of us, so it's only fitting I take him there.

What does Broin eat? "I'm a sandwich guy. Put it between two pieces of bread, and I'll eat it."

During our meal, I manage to get Lits on the phone. Broin is willing to pay for her plane to get to DC, but she wimps out on us. Lifetime opportunity missed! The food was good as it always is. I ask Broin if he's ever been to Chili's.

"Uh, of course."

I order a beer.

"What'd you get?"

"A Blue Moon". I begin explaining to him what a Blue Moon is and he interrupts me with "Yeah, I know what a Blue Moon is."

Of course he does. I realize I'm treating him like someone from a foreign country or a foreign planet. Welcome to my reality, where we have Chili's and Blue Moons. I've never seen these things in Jack Bauer TV Land, so I assume he doesn't know about them. We have a laugh over it.

Dinner ends and we head back to my place. Broin has brought his laptop and hops online. He's only got five hours to decide if he's going to buy this new computer that's on sale for Black Friday. I help him spec it out and he pulls the trigger on it. Hopefully Broin will finally have a computer that works flawlessly! Now if he could just get past the operator failures!

Meanwhile we get on TS and chat with Lithium again and others. I manage to get in touch with Yotogi and Dagonet, even though Broin wouldn't let me contact them earlier in the evening (it only took him six years to pay ME a visit, guys). Yotogi doesn't know my new address and Dagonet is visiting family for the holiday. So close, yet so far away!

There's a new game we've been checking out - Vindictus. Broin has downloaded it but not installed it. He can't remember his password from his Nexus account from way back in the day. He creates a new account but the confirmation never goes to his email. More typical Broin! Finally his third account works and he boots up the game. I lead him through the ropes, then hop on my rig to jump in game with him. We haven't been playing long before he gets a phone call.

It's already past midnight. We had lost track of time. It's time for him to go. He packs up, we say our goodbyes, and he disappears again into the night.

We ended up hanging out for seven hours. It felt more like seeing an old friend than meeting someone new. Obviously there's a few details I saw and noticed that I won't mention - perhaps clues a lot of you would die to get your hands on (hell, I'm sure most of you are like me in that one of your life goals is to meet Broin). I'll just say that I was reinforced in the idea of how badass we all think Broin to be.

And even with that said, there are still things that I don't know. Where does Broin live? Does he live by me? Or was he visiting? Will he ever return? How many bugs did he plant in my apartment? Try as I might, some questions remain unanswered even after the meeting.

One BIG thing I found out though is how the rest of you can meet Broin. One of you has the power to make him reveal himself again. You know who you are. But I'm keeping that information close to the chest....for now...

[Tbone]

P.S. Read this now before Broin makes me censor any of it! :-P

Oh, and as I said, Broin looks like he came right out of 24. So who is Broin from 24? He looks JUST like Cole Ortiz:



Broin looks just slightly older, but that's even close to what Broin was wearing.

[Saint]

Wow, nice read,.. it was like a mini spy novel...

[Fuse]

I haven't even heard you talk about a woman that way.

I would have come out for a beer with the man.

[ArchNemesis]

Jeeeeesus. That's like seeing one of the wonders of the world. A once in a lifetime event...

I'm quite jealous, lol.

[Manic Velocity]

Jesus titty-fucking christ...

[Tbone]

I told Broin I'd find his celebrity doppleganger or try to sketch out what he looks like myself...heh. Apparently Cole was perfect. Broin sent me this PM:

"Man I was a bit nervous when I saw that picture of the guy you posted. I thought how the heck did you get a pick of me... Sticking similarity. Guess I'll have to get the dvd's of 24 and start watching"

Win!

[Anamodiel]

I SAW YOUR STATUS ABOUT HOW YOU HAD MET AN OLD FRIEND FOR THE FIRST TIME AND ALMOST CREAMED MY PANTS.

I am so incredibly jealous of you it is NOT even funny. But I am actually really glad that you got to see someone special on Thanksgiving. I know how hard it is to be away from your entire family for a really long time.

One day, one day, I will meet Broin.

EDIT: So that means the original birthday on his old X-Fire account was right!

[NoCry]

Nice read and so pleased you got to meet an old friend. Nice one.

[NoCry]

But what if he does not want to reveal himself again?

Am in England for the weekend. Dumping it down with snow.

[Tbone]

EDIT: So that means the original birthday on his old X-Fire account was right!

I said he LOOKED like he was in his early 40s, but that doesn't mean that's how old he actually is.

[Lits]

I didn't wimp out, I went straight to work after that phone call and BEGGED to be let off for the next few days... BEGGED! *sigh* but to no avail

[Adad]

That is the best thing I have ever read and yet it just makes me jealous. Who ever the "you" who Tbone claims can get him to reveal himself again is, try and get him to let you bring a friend

That being said, I'd just like to point out that Broin STILL owes me a handshake for the miracle I pulled off with "All Good Things..." Just saying...I figured you were a man of your word.

Though I will probably never get the pleasure of meeting Broin, all this is awesome to hear. It may seem like it removes a bit of his mystery but not really. It just makes me wish I could meet him more. I guess I'll have to do more crazy, time-consuming, deadlined, masterpieces for this guild and just hope that one day I truly earn that handshake

PS: Can you post a thread about your workout regimen? I think it would be awesome to have a Fitness with Broin section

[Shirokumo]

Exciting.

[Tbone]

PS: Can you post a thread about your workout regimen? I think it would be awesome to have a Fitness with Broin section

I know he does P90X occasionally, if you'll remember. I need to start that again...