For Chad Ochocinco, life's small moments continue to thrill.
Reports filtered in Saturday morning, telling of the Patriots wide receiver wandering the halls of his darkened New England apartment complex, knocking on doors in an attempt to gather still-dreaming neighbors for an impromptu iHop run.
According to Ocho, he tapped on seven doors. Four neighbors refused to answer. The three remaining startled humans stared at him through peepholes, asking him to please go away.
On Twitter, Ochocinco remains a rainbow of raw emotions, enigmatic and vulnerable.
Case in point: When Wes Welker was fined $10,000 on Friday for wearing an "unauthorized hat" during a postgame interview, Ochocinco turned the steep wardrobe malfunction into a bonding session on Twitter.
"Wes you got fined for a hat?" Ocho wrote. "You're the 1st white receiver to get fined. Welcome to the club, Starbucks on me tomorrow."
Then Welker: "Since I'm the first white receiver to get fined. Did I earn some RESPECT? Kind of like beating up the school bully?"
"Damn right you pasty pilgrim," Ocho replied, as 3 million Twitter followers witnessed the precious exchange in real time.
The upshot: On this final day of 2011, Ocho lounges in a corner booth at iHop, pondering the planets before huddling in silence with Welker over gingerbread lattes and scones.
The possibilities feel limitless.
