While I was in college, I bought my mom a teddy bear at the Brown Bookstore. Said bear was a particular high-end brand with a catchy slogan. Afterwards, I went next door to the bank to get some more money. I put the bear, in its box, up on the counter while I did my transaction. I think I mentioned that it was Mom's birthday present.

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On our move across the country from Rhode Island to Seattle, we had borrowed my dad's cell phone in case of emergency. We were keeping it plugged in to the cigarette lighter so we could have it on and charged. As we left the hotel in Toledo on the third day (I think), we bumped it the wrong way, and shorted out the car's electrical system.

At some point during college, I won a raffle for which the first prize was dinner for two at L'Apogee, on the top floor of the Biltmore hotel in Providence (random note: it was owned at some point by the same group that owned the Stanley Hotel, familiar to Stephen King fans as the template for The Shining). Lacking a girlfriend, I took my mom.

I bought a performance from one of the co-ed a capella groups at Brown for a friend's birthday my sophomore year. It was an auction that A. D. Phi held, called the Bizarre Bazaar. We were study partners for our German class (what, you think I signed up for the class just because she was in it? *innocent look*), so I arranged for them to come sing while I'd be there anyway. They brought a cake, too, which I don't think I knew was part of the deal. Afterwards, my friend took the cake around to various other friends to help her eat it. :-) I've had a special place in my heart for the song "Stardust" since then.

Another memorable a capella performance was when one of the tenors from the Catholic choir bought a performance for him and x of his closest friends from one of the female and one of the male groups. The female group sang, among other things, "Besa me mucho", while the soloist slunk all over the purchaser. :-) Not to be outdone, the soloist for the Brown Derbies (I think) slunk around him as well while they sang "Wonderful Tonight".

One time while I was not-quite-living in Donna's dorm room (I had an apartment, but rarely actually stayed there), I heard the terrific guitarist down the hall playing "Wonderful Tonight". I quickly pulled together my clarinet, stood in the door, and supplied the solo line. Nobody said anything, but I like to think somebody on the hall enjoyed it.