One Shining Moment

Sorry I've been lame with the posts the past several days. No, I have not suffered a pulmonary embolism due to my refusal to wear those stupid ass anti-embolism stockings. I'd rather take a clot to the lung than look like a dork. Yes, mother, I know.....better an alive dork than a dead dork. Whatever. I've just been busy getting my shit together. I figure that now that I don't really have my knee to complain about, things will be expected of me and I had better be prepared. Although I could probably get Tonya Harding to whack me on the other knee which would buy me some more slacker-time, I suppose. Nah. That sounds painful. Anyway, in spite of my recent surgery, I still had to attend my son's 8 a.m. lacrosse game on Saturday. Field was a half and hour away and he had to be there 30 minutes before the game. If you do the tricky math you'll see that we had to be there at 7:30. Not really a problem as we're an early rising group. Some by default. And by default I mean that if I'm up, everybody is up whether they care to be or not. So we make it to the field without incident. I'm getting around on the knee pretty well and make it to the sideline, set up my chair and I'm good. But this entry isn't actually about me. It's about Jack. Jack is the goaltender for the fourth grade Coyotes Lacrosse team. He's good. I'm pretty sure the reason he decided to play goalie back in second grade was because he noticed the position didn't require much running. He would much rather be hit by a lacrosse ball than break a sweat. In spite of this, he's grown into the position and does what I think is a pretty damn good job. He'd do even better if he would see fit to do some drills outside of practice. The game before last, he was just not on it. Not sure what was up but he let in six goals and his coach pulled him. This is heartbreaking as the goalie's mom. I felt so bad for the kid I wanted to cry. So going into Saturday's game I think we were all a little nervous. First quarter the action was all at our end. He was doing a good job but some of the little fuckers got some shots in. By half time it was 4-2 bad guys. By the beginning of the third, I had to get up and walk over to another field where my nephew was playing because my nerves were on the verge of being shot. Dave calls me. "Come back. We're up by one and Jack is playing lights out". I come back. He is indeed playing lights out. We score again. It's 6-4 Coyotes. Jack makes another spectacular save. Game over. COYOTES WIN!!!!!!!! Jack goes running off the field, stick in hand, arms raised. But that's not the best part. We parents were standing a respectable distance away from the team at their post-game meeting but could still hear. Our coach played lacrosse for the Air Force Academy and while great with the kids does not sugar coat SHIT. He will yell at them, pull them, basically coach them rather than worry about their "feelings". I like this. There are no feelings in lacrosse. Coach Mike: "You guys did a great job out there the second half. You need to figure out how to get your mojo going earlier next game. I also want to tell you that the reason we won this game is because of JACK CHRISTIE. That was his best game ever and you all owe him a personal 'thank you'. Great job Jack". I swear to God, my heart almost burst out of my chest I was so proud of that kid. The look on his face (from what I could tell from under his helmet which was inexplicably still on) was priceless. And then, instead of saying 1-2-3 COYOTES!!!! with sticks in air as they normally do to close out the meeting, coach had them say, "1-2-3 JACK!!!!!" All the kids on their way to the parking lot were thanking him and patting him on the back. Keep in mind that this is a kid that has a really hard time in school and struggles mightily. We've been to those meetings with the principal and the teacher where they hand you a box of tissues. Some things do not come easily to this guy so to see him excel and being praised for it was one of the the highlights of my life to date. I hate bragging mom's but I was so damned proud of the little shit and so freakin' happy I could have, and almost did, cry. For all of the heartbreak and frustration that comes along with being a parent, there are times like these mixed in. Thank God. I'd probably just go ahead and lay down in the street if there weren't. I said in the car on the way home, "Jack, you just gave me a moment". Which he did. Thanks, buddy.