Forty-one years ago I married into a Texas football family. Rumour had it that my husband was born at the half-time, so my father-in-law could say hello to his new son and still make it back for the fourth quarter. My mother-in-law told me that during football season, she just shopped all the time. I hate shopping, so I learned to love football.
For someone who cares about football, Saskatchewan is as close to paradise as you’ll find on earth. We bleed green in this province. This year the Riders were in the Grey Cup and 90% of the members of our congregation wore green to the Cathedral to show our support. We’re Anglicans, so we’re not given to emotional excess, but hey, the Riders were in the Grey Cup.
2010 marks the 100th anniversary of the Saskatchewan Roughriders. My friend, Heather, asked a number of artists to contribute something to celebrate the greatest team and the most loyal fans in Canada. My happy task was to write a 300 word short story about love, betrayal, revenge, football, a pair of cufflinks and a small gold banjo-shaped brooch studded with sapphires.
My story, “The Final Two Seconds” was sent to San Francisco where it was handsomely printed on the most exquisite paper I have ever seen. This summer “The Final Two Seconds” will lie in state on a Rider flag in a plexiglass display case at the Saskatchewan Legislature. My father-in-law would be proud.