Snowmobiling & Bills Anxiety

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I was driving through the quiet roads leading to my childhood hometown and I had to hold up on a lightly traveled road as a group of snowmobilers crossed onto the trail.

Was instantly taken back through time and the trips we would take with my Uncle Herb and my older cousins.

My Uncle had a number of sleds and he would take me and my brother with him on a long ride through the woods. We were just kids, but we would stop at all the watering holes and drink Pepsi and eat fries as the older guys drank beers. 

Then we’d be off again, speeding along in the dark and cold. This went on for hours and winters as we grew up were a lot like this winter.

There was always snow on the ground and it was cold from November through the end of March.

I was probably the least great rider because even as a kid I was cautious. I think I worried too much about ending up in a pond. I would putter along, my Uncle urging me to pick up the pace a little.

I didn’t care much about being cold either, so before long I was replaced by my younger brother, Jim.

The very last time I was on a sled, I ran mine into the back of my buddy Al who had slowed up to wait for me.

I retired.

Thought of all that as I watched the kids go by me on their sleds.

I also spoke to my sons about their weekend.

“Nothing matters except the Bills game,” Jake said, and that also took me back to the early 90’s.

I remember how anxious I would be in the days leading up to those big games, and the two weeks between the AFC championship game and the Super Bowl!

My God, that took forever!

Left me a little depressed about it because there IS a huge game tonight.

Bills against the Chiefs.

Winner goes to the Super Bowl.

And I feel nothing, one way or another.

See what 30 years does to a man?

Concussions, bad calls, free money for billionaire owners, tax dollars for a new play pen, and way too much attention paid to the players…

…being a kid was a whole lot easier.

Perhaps when I watch the game tonight I will get excited for fans of the team, and for the city where I live.

I hope I do, and I pray that it doesn’t end on a bad call or some weird thing that miraculously helps get to the point spread.

Enjoy the game!

Enjoy the trails!

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