Fall Favorites

The air was crisp, the cushion forgiving, and the colors muted. Cider simmered on the stove while the cool fall air floated in through the open porch door. Attendance was all but mandatory. Something homemade and delicious was always in process in the kitchen. Football season arrived every fall at my childhood home like clock work. I can still place every book on the shelf in it's proper place in my mind. I can sense the need for a blanket while I sprawl on the couch with the advent of the cooler fall weather. Dad always watched the first half of the game, but migrated to the backyard to water the plants when his team started losing. Though he could see the score through the main window, the lawn allowed a greater perimeter for pacing. Gran Anne always watched from her room, which shared a wall with the den. She liked to flip between games more than Dad or Jay did. We could always tell whether or not she was watching the same game based on the harmony of cheers. I'm certain that there were weekends when I had homework, or should have. But my memories consist of lazy, delicious afternoons sprawled in the den with the family.

For the longest time, I was the professional antagonist in the family. Whomever the family was cheering for I cheered against - because I could. Mind you, I was not simply attentive to the game but purposefully obnoxious on every call. My brother was a statistical sponge - able to recite the virtues of any player or team for the last forty years at the drop of a hat. It drove me crazy. Mom, Dad, & Gran Anne had a lifetime of loyalties to offer. It seemed to me that the other teams deserved a fighting chance as well, and my ardor was the key to their success. As you can only imagine, that didn't go over well.

It strikes me that the family teams have now become "my teams." Whether it's time or unlikely maturity that has developed, football season is undeniably my favorite. Although I'm sure my family does not have pleasant memories of my presence in the midst of our football Satur/Sun-days, it is one of my fondest recollections. There are few things in life that transport me in such a palpable way.

So, to my favorite season: welcome back and please, stay a little longer this time. To my teams: here's to hoping. To the family: save me a spot on the couch!