A Tale of the Tailgates

#7's first year of playing defense - we became part of a tailgating trio of families that put our three tents together, managed different aspects of before, during and after menu items to put out... drinks, cups, cutlery, BBQ, cauldron, chairs, fire pits and on and on.  The next year - those two families had graduated their football players and it was just us. Many of #7's teammates families travel over on game day, arriving with just a bit of time prior to the game to chit chat and head in.  

So it's a lot of work.  But we love doing it.  Annnnnd... in the past two years, we have gotten it down to a pretty good science.  

Last year - there were two home games where some people we don't know tried to crash our party.  The first time - a teammates dad came and while our backs were all turned, he just started eating the food behind us on our table.  I remember about four of us turned around and saw him snacking and then he looked at us, told us it was great and headed back to his area.  So.  Rude.

The last home game of the season, out in the cold after the game - while we started to prep food for the guys that come up to eat afterwards - these two mid 40's men came and stood by our group, by our fire pit.  I'm one of the few that drink alcoholic beverages after the game so I remember watching them and them realizing that I knew they didn't belong (queue Big Bird singing:  One of these things is not like the others, one of these things just isn't the same, can you guess which one is not like the others...).  As I kept my eyes on them and was prepping food for the football players - they finally keyed in that was not too keen on their presence.  One of the guys said to the other "Let's go this way." and as they started walking off, the other guy says "No way man, they're cooking steaks."  They left and about 12 minutes later came sleeking by and when they realized I was going to watch them like a hawk as they neared, they picked it up a bit and just walked through our spot.  Do not pass go, do not even think about collecting $200!

On Friday, while I was prepping the pork roasts I told The Dad "So help me god, if anyone we don't know tries to eat my food or crash our tailgate without being invited, THIS YEAR I am GOING to speak my mind."

Well eff.

Sure enough there was an incident.  We stepped it up another notch this year with The Dad renting a generator for the music, speakers, blah blah blah.  He also made a giant jenga game set (see below) - we had four coolers:  1 for food, 1 for beer, 1 for hard alcohol (Waynes), 1 for pop, water, gatorade.  Two tables - one for the main dish, one for the appetizers and desserts.  And a "pathway" between the two tables to get to the beer cooler.  

So there's this guy.  He's a friend of a friend of The Dads.  He's met him a few times.  I've met him once.  I remember them swinging by during this tailgate but we had close to 30 people, maybe more at the height of the tailgate prior to the game.  Food was flowing, Jeffs high school buddies, my nieces, nephew-in-law, Blue Eyes, our friends... all really enjoying a good time.  I realized we were about a half hour out from game time and reminded (or tried) The Dad to lock up the coolers with the alcohol.  Don't care about the food or water coolers, but people WILL look in coolers in the trailer if it's not locked.  I went over to Wayne and Rob and told them I was going in soon (always make sure I'm in my seat prior to the team running out) and could they make sure The Dad or they get the coolers in the Tahoe and lock it, prior to coming in.  

I went to task trying to put some stuff away and pick up garbage - organize a bit and this guy friend of a friend is totally waiting for me to clear out from the path to the beer cooler.  He couldn't have been more obvious.  And then I realized it.  He had been there for a long while and likely had been helping himself to our beer, our guests beer, and I'm very certain all of the great food we and our guests brought.  So I stalled.  I started condensing bags of chips and desserts already in the Tahoe to make space for the two coolers... The Dad walked around to see what I was doing while the friend of the friend and HIS friend circled like vultures.  I asked The Dad if he had invited this fellow to join us, to eat, drink and be merry and The Dad didn't think so, didn't think it was a big deal... but it was.  It was at this point while The Dad and I are discussing this that I see the friend of the friend pick up my chardonnay on the table and pour IT into his red solo cup.  He took a swig, made a face and his friend, catching on before him says "Lets go."  The taller, now chardonnay drinking mooch shakes his head and proceeds to turn my way as I pretend to gather more things, move, adjust and says to me, like he knows me "Hey Kathy, can I do anything to help?"  I turned to look at him and told him, "Nope.  I'm all good.  Just gonna lock up the coolers now."  He says "You sure there's nothing I can do?"  And apparently the snakes, now growing out of my head, my eyes turning wicked witch green and perhaps the smoke coming from my nose - made the friend of the friends little friend say "Hey, lets go."

So I was ready and prepared to say something to people I just plain don't know.  But this was awkward.  

So #7 was injured in the game - in the first series.  His first injury in sports since his sophomore year in high school.  And it's a real pisser.  And my heart hurts for him.  It's senior season for the love of god.  But he was strong, brave through the pain and coached his teammates up, cheered them on and handled this injury in a way I would NEVER have imagined of him.  He is just that. competitive.   So close to half time, The Dad went down to catch up with the trainer while I used the restroom.  I sent Rob out to the tailgate to get it going again and he said that when he got out there, there were a few guys around the coolers and when he got there they said "Hey... you locked up the booze?"  

By the time I got there - they were gone, our crew was in place and we enjoyed our friends company until it was time to go back in.  

Thankfully we won this big rivalry game - which helped #7's mood somewhat.  Please do me a favor and say some healing prayers for him...