Changing of the Flag

Carl and I met in high school, in band, long before we made choices to go to college. When he graduated the year before me and headed off to Florida State University I didn’t think much of it. When I decided to go to University of Florida I was super excited and didn’t really think too much of the boy that played the trumpet and would pop in and out of my life over the next few years. College graduation came and went and I got my first teaching job right out of college in a near-by town when I was gifted with Carl’s phone number while visiting a friend on vacation.

Who knew that we’d fall in love (okay, as soon as we started talking again I kinda new), get married and live happily ever after. That is until UF and FSU meet the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Carl and I have been together five and a half years and in that time UF has beaten FSU five times. Yes! We made a deal when we moved into our house that whoever won the game would get to hang the team’s flag outside of our house. For five years I’ve been able to pull up into my driveway and lovingly look upon the faded Florida flag.

But something went terribly wrong the Saturday after Thanksgiving this year. The Gators played quite possibly the worst game E-V-E-R and we lost to Florida State. I shed a tear as we bought the new flag that will fly outside of our house for at least the next year.

It was a chilly, gray day outside. I think the sky was just as disappointed and sad as I was.

  

  

Here’s hoping that the Gator flag will fly again next year!