#20

we had our first football game on friday night.  it was awesome.  our team is hoping to have an exciting season.
we won, and it was amazing.

when i went to the game that night, i didn't know i would yell at a little kid or end up directing traffic.  here's what happened...

i had to "keep the gate" that night.  all the teachers take turns selling tickets at games so that we can keep all the proceeds.  i was sitting at a table near an open space where smaller kids often congregate and play during football games.  the kids are mostly upper elementary grades.  at least, that's my guess.  well, the boys were all playing together.  i had been pretty distracted w/ selling tickets, but most people had arrived, so i was just watching the kids for entertainment.  we can't see the game from where we are, so there's really not much else to do.  well, i suddenly put together that one boy, wearing a football jersey w/ the #20 on it, was screaming at another child.  i listened closely, and i couldn't believe it.

#20 was white, stocky, and about 9 years old.  he had a small, plastic megaphone in his hand that he was using to magnify his screams.  the second child was hispanic, had a friend on either side, and was doing his best to walk away as #20 screamed, "YOU MEXICAN RETARD!! GO AWAY, MEXICAN RETARD!!!"

i gasped and then acted. i yelled at him, calling him by number.  "hey!  #20!! COME HERE."

one could tell immediately by his expression and body language that he knew better.  he sheepishly walked over to my table.  at this point, i was fuming.  i honestly don't remember exactly what i said to him.  i just know i gave him the most horrible "dale" look i could summon.  i wanted him to remember this moment for years, if not the rest of his life.  i did't care that i didn't know this kid.  if his parents were actually teaching him to hate others, i honestly feel it's my right to point out that they're wrong and that, contrary to what he believes, he does not have the right to yell anything like that at another human being.  i really don't care what the constitution says about free speech.  no human being should have the right to yell such awful things at another human being.  anyhow, i didn't repeat what he said, but made him admit what he said and repeat it himself.  then i asked him if he thought it was okay to say things like that, and he said no.  part of me wanted to find his parents and tell them what he did, but chances are, where i live, that if a little kid was talking like that, he probably learned it from his parents.

you know how 15 minutes after the opportunity, you think of what you would have liked to have said?  the only think i regret is not making him apologize... the other kid was long gone though, so i don't know how i could have done that anyhow...

as if this wasn't exciting enough for one night, 3 minutes before the end of the game there was a lightening delay.  the weather turned quickly, and people basically lost their minds.  running everywhere.  we got to our car only to sit in traffic for a solid 5 or 6 minutes and watch no one go anywhere.  adam asked me what i wanted to do.  i told him i either wanted to punch someone in the face or direct traffic.  he parked the car, and we ran up to the front of the traffic line and started telling everyone where to go.

i felt much better.

our children will probably learn at an early age to fear their mother.