About an hour before we arrived, we traveled through rain so hard that it was difficult to see the highway. Of course, the rain was a vivid reminder of the only high school game we've attended this year. Our oldest grandson plays on that team.
We sat through rain for that game. It wasn't a drenching rain, but if you stayed in it long enough, you felt drenched. Was the rain we were traveling through an omen for things to come?
Fortunately, it was not. It left the football field in Sealy resembling a water-slide, but the weather was conducive to sitting in the stands.
How could I not be excited about watching the game? Seriously, with the level of excitement Jake, our 12-year-old grandson has for the game, how could we consistently be a "no show" for his games?
Of course, the General's understanding of that reality is greater than mine, but I agree with her. We needed to be at the game.
Forgive me for saying so, but did we need to be present for two games? That is where the connecting the dots reference came to mind. The Junior High team in Sealy is composed of the "B" team and the "A" team.
The "B" team played first along with 30 minutes or so dedicated to half-time activities. I attempted to camouflage my lack of interest in watching football just for the sake of football. Did I mention that I failed miserably? The General periodically punched me with her elbow to keep me awake. It was a little embarrassing.
My son coaxed a third grader to sit next to me to keep me awake. His response was closely akin to "Let sleeping dogs lie." He didn't articulate the phrase "No way Jose", but he did demonstrate his ability to speak Spanish.
I was impressed. The thought of third graders learning to speak Spanish made me a little envious. I struggled with Spanish in junior high. On the other hand, it may have been high school. It was not my finest hour. I didn't have the abilility to roll my "R"s even if my last name has three of them.
I was wide awake for the second game while Jake was playing. The first thing I noticed about the team is how small the junior high team looks in contrast to the high school team. Of course, that reality highlighted that we are going to have years of football in front of us.
A few minutes into the "A" team game and I had the sense that it was going to be a long and brutal game. It took no time for the person carrying the football for the opposing team to run the distance of the field for a touch down.
Yet long before the first quarter ended, the Sealy team was trailing behind the opposing team. The score was 7-to-6. Under the auspices of "you've got to see it to believe it", the game ended with the Score 27-to-7 in favor of Sealy.
Jake plays middle linebacker and he played well. He has the bruises to prove it. His excitement for the game quells the black and blue marks on his body. Will they fade before the next game? Who knows? They will simply remind him that he is as tough as nails and is admirably following in his older brother's footsteps (oops, I mean cleats)
All My Best!
Don