November 13, 2009

Last night was fall sports awards night at York High School. My son, Silas, a junior is a top runner on the cross country team. His brother Nathaniel spent 4 years on the team as well as doing winter and spring track. Both of my sons are runners. The program has been a wonderful bonus to their high school experience. I am very grateful to the head Coach, Ted Hutch. He has been coaching cross country at York for 21 years.

York High School celebrated many successes last night. The girls won the state soccer title and the boys golf team also won a state title. The boys and girls cross country team both took second place in the state and Alex Moser has the title of State Champion for class B boys.

I have become the "official paparazzi" for the team. I always bring my camera and take around 200-300 pictures each meet. At the end of the season I organize them into a slideshow along with other photos contributed by other parents. After staying up 3 late nights and on Wednesday til 2 am the slideshow was ready to be seen.

As I drove over to the high school I started thinking about my Dad and wanted to call him. I dialed him on my cell and as I drove we connected. It was around 5:40 and I asked him how his dinner was. He said it was good. I was surprised. I then asked him if anything new was happening. He said no. I began telling him the places I was passing as I was driving. I used the old names. The names of places he knew when he was a kid.

"Marm Freeman's Place, Quimby's, Wheelers Inn, The old York Beach Post Office," and on I went. He acknowledged each place I referred to with one exception but I wasn't sure about that one myself. Eventually, I told him I would let him go and that I loved him and I hope he has good dreams.

I could hear him start to cry on the other end. He said he had a bad dream. He burst into tears and told me again. He cried like a child and there was little I could do but tell him I was sorry and not to think too much about it. He often has mentioned he has dreams with his mother and doesn't find them favorable. He also has nightmares.

As he cried on the other end I told him I would see him tomorrow and take him for a walk. I said goodnight and told him I was sorry. I got out of the truck into the tepid night air at the high school parking lot. I looked up for stars and smelled the decay of fall still lingering.