The Lesson

My dad was a man of a few words but when he did speak it was usually something you should listen to.

I had three older brothers which many would think is great and overall it is. I mean if you enjoy being tortured and picked on. They weren’t too bad to me and not even close to as bad as I was to the two siblings that were to follow me. I wasn’t all that much younger than them, but you would think I was decades behind when it came to playing or hanging out with me. It might have been that I am and was then a pretty big jackass and had (and still lack) any resemblance of athletic talent. So most of the time they chose to hang out with their friends and avoid me when all possible.

One day I remember they were all heading down to Franklin School to play football. I asked if could as well but Pat said the teams were full. I followed them to the school and asked again seeing there was an odd number of players and Tom said one team is supposed to have less players. And while I would often later doubt Thomas that day I took him at his word and went home.

I decided to try and practice and play football by myself so next time maybe they’d let me play. I went into the garage and found a football and started to try and throw and kick it. My dad came out onto the porch to watch me. After an hour or so of me failing to throw and kick the ball he called me over.

“Now Timmy, you are Timmy right?”

I nodded.

“I know very little about football and may be way off base here but you will never be able to throw and kick that football unless you put some air in it.”

You will not believe how much easier to throw and kick a football with air in it is compared to one without air.

As my dad went back into the house my mom met him and told him it was nice that he helped me. Dad just stopped and asked,

“Does he have to play in the front yard? It’s so embarrassing.