Kick Off

Amongst status updates about growing babies, politics, and class work are over punctuated squeals of excitement over the start of football season.

You know my love/hate relationship with football season and the crowds it brings. I’m still upset that I never got to enjoy tailgating because I was always working. When I wasn’t working, I didn’t want to deal with the traffic and the drunks. For some reason, I couldn’t get drunk enough to enjoy the rowdiness that goes on. But football season is a major moneymaker. It’s hard work but it pays off. I always chose money over football/hangovers. Now, I have an urge to make different kinds of dips, get bags of Tostitos, and throw together a big pitcher of Sangria.

For the first time being away from it all, I actually feel like I’m missing out. I miss seeing the invasion of the new freshmen that try to look “less” like freshmen but their ’03 Greek Shirts give them away. I’m going to miss carding these children and confiscating fake IDs: “Don’t try to tell me you don’t have a credit card with your NAME on it! You’re not cute enough to have ALL your drinks covered for the night.” I’m going to miss the sorority girls with last names for first names like Sloan or Mackenzie. And the frat guys with first names that are even more…like last names.

I wonder what the artsy, hipster kids are wearing these days? I wonder if the guys turned in their skinny jeans for tights yet. I hope they flood the bars and tip the bartenders well for their $1 PBR and Rumple shots. The songs from the bands that the townies have heard over and over will be fresh for their young virgin ears. Since they can’t buy the band drinks, they’ll offer a cig and a light. They will congregate outside of the bar and smoke as they roll up the sleeves of their thrift store plaid shirts. “Who’s having a late night?” “The cook sittin’ at the bar said we could go to his place if we bring the beer.”

Sigh…I’m going to miss it all, sort of.