Big sports day Sunday; Miles has Fall Ball opening day double header. They win both games easily. Miles goes 4 for 4 in the second game, with a 2 RBI double!
Landon has a football game, and his team wins handily as well. He makes no catches.
This is about Landon.
After a touchdown early in the game, Landon is lined up for an extra point play. He runs into the end zone and cuts towards the middle of the field. The ball is thrown slightly behind him.
He twists, gets one hand on the ball, but can't bring it in.
It would have been an acrobatic catch, but it wasn't.
Later on, Landon is sprinting down the sideline; he has his man beat. The quarterback finds him,
and throws a nice spiral just out of the reach of the receiver's out stretched hands.
It would have been an amazing catch, worthy of a highlight reel, but....it wasn't.
Towards the end of the game, the winner already determined, Landon is again line up for an extra point play. There is confusion on the defense and Landon is uncovered. Our coach notices this and alerts the quarterback.
This is going to be easy.
But it wasn't.
Landon dashes into the end zone and turns. The QB delivers the ball to him, right on the numbers.
Landon cradles the ball with his entire body, then.............drops it.
I can only imagine how he felt at that moment. Helmets are worn for safety purposes, but they also serve as a mask for emotions.
A referee pats Landon on the back. Several teammates console him as he walks off the field.
After the game, one of his coaches is talking to Landon in what looks to me like a grandfatherly way. During the raucous jubilation of victory, Landon is sullen. The ride home is quiet, with me in backseat with Landon's friend, Lyla.
I find I have a new signature move to fill awkward silence. I tell the story of how I got run over by a golf cart last month. I can't see Landon, but I can feel his slight smile.
When we get home, I expect Landon to go inside and brood, or lose himself in his video world.
But he doesn't. Instead, Landon has the perfect response to his day.
He asks me to stay outside and practice with him.
It is a knee buckling moment for me.
We toss the football back and forth, and every catch he makes is highlight reel worthy.
P.S. Let the record show that number 12 did get to Carnegie Hall. Landon scored a touchdown on a glorious catch and run, during a thunderous victory in his very next game.
