Go Gators?

It's football season. For some, the only team is the one from University of Florida at Gainesville. These folks live and breathe the Florida Gators. They bleed orange and blue. There was rejoicing when the first game was handily won. Bets were paid - one guy had to wear a "special hat" to work the day after game day. Okay, I like Tim Tebow. I think he's a fine young man who has a wonderful Christian testimony. Doesn't mean I'd paint my face orange with blue stripes.

One of our grandsons had an appointment to see the doctor in Gainesville this afternoon. His mother took him because he sustained an injury a few weeks back and was still having pain and difficulty moving and rotating his left elbow. The doctor read the x-rays and examined Matthew - he compared the right elbow to the left and explained to Matthew's mom that he saw where a small area of the growth plate had sustained a fracture and while the bruising was gone, there was still inflammation in the area. He recommended a cast for two or three weeks to immobilize the joint and give the elbow a chance to heal. Sounded like a plan so off they went to get the cast on. Matthew was inclined comfortably and the inner cushioning layers applied. Next came the outside casting material. Mother and brother watched as color choices were made and applied. No green and orange - sorry, University of Miami. No aqua and orange - sorry, Jaguars or Dolphins. A guy has to be loyal to his team. Matthew came away sporting an orange and blue striped full cast. At first he didn't realize that he wouldn't be able to bend his arm freely. He was surprised, as the resin hardened - to find that he couldn't move his arm at all. That presented another problem as well. Never having worn a cast, he didn't realize that one swipe could do some real damage if he connected with another human being.

His mother said he almost swatted the nurse as she helped him out of the chair.

He came to see T. and me after I got home from work. We were at the dining room table and heard someone at the side door. T. went to open it and in walked Matthew, Nathan and Sarah. Matthew came over and proudly placed his cast on the back of my chair and then he took a marking pen out of his shirt pocket and asked me if I'd like to sign it. When I said sure, he raised his arm off the chair and nearly knocked out his own grandmother! He didn't touch me and I'm sure he'll quickly get used to the thing, but it was like being in a Gator game. You know, all the dodging and juking while the orange and blue came my way!