I’ve written numerous times about my mixed marriage. The kids are completely on the fence. They see a G on a car in front of me and yell, “Bulldogs!” or “Georgia for you, Mama!” or they see that AU on a car and say, “Auburn!” Course, Rollie says, “Aubrun,” and Tiller actually says, “Bullgogs.” Which is really cute.
If they see a G and Todd is in the car, they will ask? “Daddy? You like Bulldogs, right?” And we are good parents, who try to consider if certain things we say might interfere with a child’s self-esteem; Who knows if Todd telling Rollie that he doesn’t like GA, when Rollie likes both UGA and Auburn, will harm R’s burgeoning self-worth?
So we lie.
The standard answer for this from Todd is “Yes, I like them. I like Auburn the best, and then my second favorite team is whoever is playing Bama that week, and then Georgia.” Very diplomatic, and not really untrue.
Standard answer from me is also the truth: “Yes, I like Bullgogs first.” “Then Tigers, mama?” I think for a minute.
“Well, Bulldogs first, then Panthers, then Tigers.
Everyone in the car, even my 2-year-old, look at me like I am crazy.
“Panthers? Who are Panthers, mama?”
“Dillon Panthers, baby. Dillon Panthers.”
Yeah, I seriously have a Friday Night Lights problem, and it’s not just about the hot Coach Taylor, either. I cried last night watching them win state in the first season finale. No, I’m not kidding.
Plus, it gives me satisfaction to choose a fictional high school football team over Todd’s Tigers. Always the rivalry exists.
