Retiring Doesn’t Work

**DISCLAIMER**  My dad would never call a game from the sidelines, and he would never vocalize any disagreements with the calls on the floor.

The year we built our house was really hard on all of our bodies.  Aaron broke his foot and then the bone chip lost blood supply and died so he had to have surgery.  My mom started having trouble with a joint in her foot – it ended up being golfer’s toe (it’s a real condition, I promise).  I had a large metal stand crash over and gouge down my thigh and I still have a nasty, lump scar.

My dad, however, started having problems with his knee.  It turned out he had some damage, and he ended up having surgery.  My dad has been a football and basketball official for as long as I could remember.  Fortunately, the damage to his knee was minor, but unfortunately, it was significant enough that he is no longer able to officiate basketball games.  The running, stopping, and jarring movements on the hard court are just too rough on his knees.  Thankfully he is still able to referee football because the grass is more forgiving.

Early in February, my dad, Harley, and I went to Enterprise to watch Emma play basketball.  We had a good time, and I know Emma was happy to have her Papa watch her play.  Between the JV girls and JV boys games, I looked across the gym and noticed that my dad and another official talking.  I have no idea what they were talking about, I just found it funny.

Even though he is no longer officiating and wearing the black and white, I am positive he runs through each game in his head as if he were calling it.  So, physically, he may be retired, but mentally, he’s still working as hard as ever.

Once more just in case – he would never call the game from the sidelines, and he would never vocalize any disagreements with the calls on the floor.