Last night, Erik and I joined the members of our small group at the high school gymnasium for the varsity basketball games. One of the men in our group is the assistant coach for the boys team, so when a game fell on our usual study night, it seemed fitting to cheer his team on from the stands. It took the girls a few minutes to figure out what was going on, and then Sadie kept saying "Ball!" She would point wildly at the players, and clap with glee anytime the crowd cheered (for either team).
Elisa ate handfuls of popcorn and took a few sly sips of her daddy's root beer.
It's funny how places trigger memories... How many hours have I spent sitting in that gym (or the one in the old high school I attended across the road) eating popcorn, and taking sly sips of my daddy's Coke? We even watched Ryan's game the day before my wedding. In fact, the bride's side was all late for the rehearsal because the game went into overtime. (I had gone home to primp, of course, so I was on time!:))I heard the same cheers, the same goofy chants, the same band songs. It hit me last night, as I bounced Sadie on my lap, that the last time I sat in that same gym was for my daddy's memorial service.
When I left the game to go put the girls to bed, I reached for my cell phone, wanting so badly to call my sports-loving Dad and tell him about how the girls' team had creamed Pinedale 70-something to 21! To tell him how Sadie's eyes had followed the game with interest, and Elisa had loved climbing the bleachers. I dialed his number, hoping his message would still be there. I used to call his number to hear his voice, and I'll admit, sometimes I left messages. This time, a man answered, saying, "Bueno?" (I think!) I quickly apologized and hung up. And even though it's silly, it just made me cry.
Daddy, I miss cheering for the Jackson Broncs with you. How are my girls going to learn to understand basketball when their mommy can't follow the game without Boppa's voice explaining the rules and the plays I didn't catch?
After sixteen months, I still miss my dad in unexpected places.
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Leeners- I am so sorry I turned off Dad's phone. Some at the grief group I have been going to still have their loved one's phones connected. I wish I had done that now. I thought I was being silly - I am sorry. I did find some dictation tapes with Dad's voice on them - you can't leave a message but it good to hear his voice.
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