Anniversary
Remembering My Father on the Last Weekend of April
The last weekend in April always reminds me of my father. My parents’ wedding anniversary is April 27th, but that’s not why. It’s the biggest weekend for football fans everywhere - the NFL draft.
Two sports that my father followed were baseball (NY Mets) and football (NY Giants). His interest in baseball waned over the years, but not football. He read the afternoon NY Post for sports news and subscribed to Giant Insider (a shoo-in for a Christmas present). We knew he would be glued to the TV and radio as much as he could from Thursday night to Sunday. He kept track of the hopefuls by writing them in pencil on a piece of paper and crossing them out as they were picked up.
When he was younger he had a season ticket. One of four with three other men. The car horn would beep and he would run out the door - coffee thermos in hand. Sunday dinner was always - 5 more minutes til the game ended. Of course 5 minutes were on the clock, but it could be 30 minutes before the last play.
My husband is a Giants fan, so that could always be a topic of conversation between the two of them. During the last few dementia years my father would ask him, “What do you think about <insert player, coach>? Or “Who do you think the first pick should be?” “What position do they need to fill?” Five minutes later, the same questions. And five minutes after that. My husband was gracious and answered each time.
My father’s interests (not necessarily in that order) were food, family, football, and Jesus Christ. When my father began to lose interest in football, I knew the end was near. Even a win against the Dallas Cowboys or Philadelphia Eagles did not bring a hint of glee.
I will watch a little of the draft this weekend, in his honor. I will wish my mother a happy anniversary. They would be married 68 years. It’s been 9 years since he died. We will reminisce about this spring weekend and how the NFL draft became a marker for the years of their union.
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Hey Kathleen, That’s a wonderful memory! The story about going to the stadium with his friends really warmed my heart. My dear father loved the Mets also but the Jets in football. I remember when I was really young listening to the Jets game on the radio. He took my brother and I up to old Shea Stadium a few times. So your touching memories stirred me up. Thank you… Paul ⚾️🏈
P.S. I’ll be watching the draft tonight. 😊