A tale I have recounted before: a few years ago, when I used to go to the gym at Cedar Court and Bulls players used to use the pool, I bumped into a certain player (call him player 1) as we were both getting dressed in the changing rooms. My missus fancied the pants off said recently-signed player (as did more than a few others), but at the time she was laid up in bed with a buggered lower back from twisting funny at work, and was feeling pretty down. I was chatting with said player (as you do) and, in amongst, asked cheekily if he could do me a huge favour? If I rang my missus on my mobile, could he just say a quick hello and say hope you get well soon? Please please? Would make her day and cheer her up no end, cos you are her favourite player (true). Cheeky, I know.
Player 1 - to my pleasant surprise - said no problem...see me out in the gym reception in a couple of mins. Which I did. And I rang her and said here was a guy wanted to say a quick hello, and put Player 1 on. And he did exactly what I asked, addressing her by name and was real nice. My missus asked "who's this?" thinking it was one of the guys from the gym we knew. Player 1 replied "Its ......" and after she'd finally believed it was him, had a nice chat with her and asked her how she was and commiserated and all that...she was pretty gobsmacked and chuffed to bits - cheered her up loads.
While this was happening, Player 2 (who I had not spotted previously) came out of the changing rooms, and looked quizzically at us and I mouthed what was happening and he listened and got the gist. Then he asked for the phone, and did likewise, addressed her by name and got another huge reaction from the other end once he told her who HE was (another of her heroes at the time). When she asked him were we at the gym, the bugger said "has your husband been telling you we are at the gym? Are we heck, we're up at 'Top House having a few jars..."
Bit more chat, and done. And five minutes from those two that did more, far more, to help her get better than anything else could have done.
I'll not forget that - can you imagine e.g most soccer players doing that? They were absolutely great with her, someone they knew only to be a fan currently crook.
Player 1, her hero, was a recently-signed Tevita Vaikona. Player 2, his travel-mate from Hull and with a twinkle in his eye and great sense of humour, was Steve McNamara.