Date: Mon, 14 Mar 2011 07:32:58 -0700 (PDT) From: J S Subject: Football Party Part 5 Again, this is my life and ask you leave these words alone other than with your eyes. Anyone that wishes to write is welcomed to. The next morning I felt a pair of hands on my shoulder and looked up to see Ryan in his shorts. "Dad, get up to go to work," he said with sleep still in his voice. I got up and remembered that I hadn't told him I would be waiting for the plumber this morning. "I called the plumber and he's coming in today, no work today," I said. "Really?" he said. "Yeah," I said. "Do you think you can come to my match today?" I looked up at him, remembering that I had said to him I would make it to his next match. "What time?" "At four," he said. "I'll be there, your school?" "Yeah," he said and then went to the bathroom to start brushing his teeth. Now that I was awake I couldn't go back to sleep so I got up and went to brush my teeth as Ryan started to mess around with his hair. "You look good kid," I said and he immediately stopped touching his hair and smiled. He left and then he came back to tell me he was leaving for school. I waved at him and when he was gone I took a shower that I needed. When I got out I heard the doorbell ringing and I instantly ran downstairs to get the door. I was surprised anyone showed up that early but I was still glad for it even if I was naked. I had the white towel on my waist and when I looked out the window and saw the truck in the driveway I opened the door. "Hello, I was called in for a toilet?" "Right, come in," I said feeling the morning air hit my wet chest. The plumber was in his forties I could tell and he walked in with his blue shirt and pants. He had short blond hair and visible lines around his face. I told him where the toilet was and he started to work right away on it. In that time I went to my room and started to dry myself properly. When I was finished I walked back to him to see if he needed anything. "No, I'm fine," he said and didn't stop working. I went downstairs and got some orange juice from the fridge as I waited for him to be done. Half an hour later he called me to go upstairs and I did. "Try it for yourself," he said and I pulled down the lever. It worked and I thanked him and paid him. He left and I thought of the work that was now waiting for me even though I hadn't gone into the office. I went to my office and started getting everything together. I got into my work with the paper in front of me, the phone calls to the office to check up on things, and before I knew it, it was 3:12. I slowed what I was doing down until I had everything put away for the rest of the day and I got in my car to go to the school. I parked in the large parking lot that was only opened for events and saw it was already pretty full. I got out and walked to the front of the school where I saw other parents talking in the hallways or in the seats of the bleachers in the gym. I saw some parents I knew but didn't want to really talk to anyone so I just waved and sat in the bleachers where I would get a good look at Ryan. The wrestlers from the schools were already there, stretching and in their uniforms. I looked for Ryan but as my eyes wandered, I saw the many good looking, fit guys that could compete with my son. Surely no one would ever be better than him in my eyes. When I saw him, I smiled and saw him standing with three other guys, all hanging out in their singlet's. He was such a guy and the pride that I have for him is one that no one can ever compete with. When he turned around from the conversation he looked around the gym and when he saw me he stopped and waved along with his smile. I smiled back and waved at him when his friends saw me. Ryan turned back to them and I looked around the bleachers to see who was there. Many of the people I had seen in only wrestling matches or report card pick up days so I didn't know many of them. Everyone was into their conversations and I did feel a little odd sitting there alone but once the match started, I forgot about my own insecurities. The smaller kids were up first and I had forgotten how intense these matches can get. Of course I said to myself, any sport is intense but the way these kids played it was something else. They wanted to win and put their all into it. I was excited for Ryan and when it was finally his turn I leaned in more and saw his opponent. The other boy was blond and the same body type as Ryan had. They were even of the same height. They shook hands and then started competing. Ryan made the first moves and the other boy snuck his way out of them. I sat there with fascination as Ryan competed and managed to then take his opponent down. I was going to stand up and cheer when I thought of how out of place that would be. I continued to cheer for him through the loud gym and when Ryan won I had to stand up. I cheered for him and he turned to see me. He smiled and waved before going back to sit down with his other teammates. When he went again I was even more nervous now. He didn't let anything get past him this time and he won this one as well. I tell you, watching him wrestling, doing the sport he loves and giving it the dedication that he has, you feel proud. When everything was finished the other parents stood around to wait for their sons and I did too, standing by the hallway. When the wrestlers walked out of the locker room in their sweats and duffel bags, I almost had to look around them to see Ryan in the army of same colors. I saw him talking with another friend and then I saw his eyes look at another guy. He stared at him for a second and then looked down. I turned to see who caught his attention and saw a dark brown hair guy with a nice smile as he walked next to another guy with blond hair and nice features as well. "Hey dad," he said when he came up to me. "Ready to go champ?" I said. "Yeah," he said and we started to walk out of the building. He said bye to his friends and I started driving home. "You were really great," I said to him, pride in my voice. "Thanks, thanks for coming," he added. "Of course, I can't believe I've let so much time pass, I'm sorry." "It's all right. I'm glad you came tonight. "You don't seem as happy as I thought you would be. At least more than I am." "I am but it kind of went away." "Why?" "Did you see the guy coming out of the locker room when we were leaving with the dark brown hair walking next to a blond guy?" "Yeah, I saw them." "Andrew was the dark haired one. His boyfriend's the blond dude walking with him." "Oh," I said feeling bad for him. "You're going to let him get the best of you?" "I can't help it. I really liked him," Ryan said with what I could tell was a lot for him to do. "Do you think you're only going to be in love once in your life?" "Dad, this isn't helping." "Why not? I'm trying to tell you that the world has so many people, the one person for you is out there, waiting to meet you." "You don't' get it," Ryan said. "What don't I get?" I said to him. "Nothing," he said looking at the window. "Come on, tell me," I said. "Nothing," he said again. "Ryan, you can tell me..." "Nothing dad! Leave it alone!" The way he said it to me, the anger in his voice again, made me get red in the face from embarrassment. I drove on, not telling him anything else. He didn't look at me either and for once, I felt really bad at how he had just yelled at me. I drove on and parked in the garage. Ryan quickly got out of the car and went in the house. I felt sad and so humiliated to be honest. I sat there in the car until I could finally get out and go in the house. When I did, there was no noise coming around. I went to my room and heard something from behind Ryan's door but I didn't want to talk to him, not the way he had acted with me. I went to my room and slowly got into bed. That night I slept in my shirt and shorts and fell asleep right away. When I awoke the next day, I realized Ryan hadn't slept in my room.