My Daddy's Birthday

Today is my daddy's birthday. My favorite moments with my dad are the Nebraska football games we go to every year. He has had season tickets since before I was born, and every year he takes one child to each home game. This is the first year since I turned 10 that I haven't gotten to go. Today I really missed it. I love the long drive through corn fields, with my dad regaling me with stories of our ancestors and, my favorite, of him when he was younger. We always park at the lumberyard where my uncle works and walk from there. I think I know the route by heart - one mile through downtown Lincoln swathed in red, past the bars blaring pre-game shows and cars upon cars tail-gating all the way to Memorial Stadium. And then the hours of sitting amongst people that have had the same seats for even longer than my dad has had his, asking silly football questions and stealing water from my dad's water bottles because I didn't want to bring my own. The tradition doesn't end with the game, though. Nope, there's even more. After retracing our steps back to the lumberyard and eating far too much buttered popcorn as my dad and his brothers, we hop in the car and go to Lee's , where my dad will order the chicken fried steak and tell me to order extra chicken so he can eat it later. I will get the same strawberry shake with a cherry on top that I've gotten since I was 10 and the football conversation that I only half understand will continue. I love it. I miss it. I can't wait until next year when I can be there again. Happy Birthday, Daddy!