The End Before It Really Much Began

2009 Friday Night Lights – Week 9
I asked too hard of a question.
He agreed.
Yesterday marked the first playoff loser out game for the quest of the State 4A Football Champions. The competition is a 2.5 hour trip from home. We opted not to make the trip as B was not suiting up to play. At 5:00pm I keyed up the internet radio station to make sure we’d be able to listen to the play by play game coverage. I was content with the course before us. B would again be working with the coaching staff on the sidelines managing yardage gained per offensive play, we would sit in the comfort of home away from the elements, cheering on the team from afar.
As I got up from the computer, I tried to imagine seeing the team file one by one from the team bus arriving at the stadium.
With no intentions of doing so, my emotions ran free. I sobbed for him. I was strong and steady the day he dropped the pile of plates as he unloaded the dishwasher because his arm gave way with no strength. I calmed my expression as the doctor told him how serious his injury was and that football within the next year would be unlikely. This time, with no one around to be tough for, I cried. This has been hard for him, and yet he has tried to continue to do his part, to keep a strong faith in God. This has also been hard for me, to watch him have to be mature, and patient beyond his years. I was sad to see his senior year of football end before it really much began.
The team lost soundly to a top ranked team in the state.
We texted back and forth for about twenty minutes as he waited for his teammates to shower and board the bus for the long drive home. We chatted via text about details of the game, the joy he found in his new ‘job’, and then I asked “Are you ready for all of “this” to be over?”
There was no response.
Several minutes passed.
“You there?” I asked
“Yeah.” He texted back.
“Too hard of a question?”
“Way too hard.”
To be continued. . .