My Annual Rant

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I was on a bus from the car rental center to the airport. The driver was way too enthusiastic for 6:30 in the morning, and luckily he was talking to a 50-something woman who was seated across from me. 

He wasn’t talking to me!

“Are you a Chiefs fan?” The driver asked the woman.

“No,” she said. “I like the Royals, the NFL is Satanic.”

I wanted to high-five the woman.

“I’m a baseball fan too,” I said. “The Yankees.”

She laughed.

“I’d watch a tee-ball game. I played fast-pitch softball as a much younger woman and I just love the game.”

“Same here,” I said.

“Did you hear about the 13-year old football quarterback?” She asked. “Right here, I think.”

“I didn’t,” I said, “But I can guess.”

“Sorry to say, he died of a massive head injury during a game. Was dead before they even got him to the hospital. 13 years old.”

I bowed my head.

“And he ain’t the only one. There have been a dozen kids across the country who’ve died - some because of heat stress. Tough guy coaches. Wouldn’t let the kids get a freaking drink.”

The conversation faded.

We were in Chiefs country - they love football there - they’ve won a few super bowls lately. Young deaths be damned! 

We need to be amused!!!

And here, in one of the poorest cities in the country, there is a palace being built - for a struggling billionaire, on the taxpayer’s dole.

And we just learned that for just $5,000.00 you can buy Bills bonds!

Be a part owner!!!

Bail out the billionaire!

Your seat license will only cost you $15 grand.

That’s to buy your right to sit in the seat that you will own for the additional small fee of $500.00 per game!!

My annual rant.

And I will try my best not to watch a game.

My conscience won’t allow me to cheer, and then listen to the announcers whisper as they bring the cart onto the field to load out the next crippled warrior.

“They know what they’re getting into! They get paid a fortune and they take the risk!!”

Did that 13-year old?

Or the other half dozen kids who passed in August?

Ah hell.

No one cares.

Pissing in the wind.

Why don’t we just let lions loose?

They can chase the players around the field.

It’ll break all the records for attendance.

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