STORY TIME:

In all my years of interviewing athletes, only one has ever given me a gift afterwards.

That athlete is Bobby Orr.

In 2008, Orr hosted a hockey camp for kids in Toronto at what was formerly known as Ricoh Coliseum (now Coca-Cola Coliseum) alongside fellow hockey greats Mike Bossy and Cassie Campbell-Pascal.

Prior to getting on the ice, Orr was made available to me to do a 1-on-1 interview to talk about the camp and other hockey related subjects.

It was a great conversation with someone that has seen and done everything that there is to do in the game of hockey.

After we wrapped up, I began to pack up my equipment when suddenly Orr said “Do you want this?”.

I looked up to see him handing me one of the bags of liquorice allsorts that he had asked someone to get him just before we started the interview.

I paused for a second, because, to be honest, I think liquorice allsorts are disgusting (hahaha).

But then I thought better of it and realized that one of the greatest hockey players of all-time was giving me a gift. How could I say no? I accepted it and thanked him for the time. He couldn’t have been nicer.

Once I got home, I wasn’t sure what to do with the liquorice. I put it on my nightable and decided to figure it out later.

A few months later, I was cleaning out my room and came across the bag again.

I stared at it for 10 minutes trying to figure out what I should do with it. Do I throw it out? Do I keep it, buy a case for it and put it on my mantle to showcase for eternity? In the end, even though it’s not my favourite candy, I decided to eat them.

Turns out, they’re not that bad.

Card: 21-22 Upper Deck Premier Signature Seating Auto #PSS-BO