So it is March. March brings Spring, the Ides, Mardi Gras, St Patricks’ day, my birthday, but more importantly March Madness.
I’ve been dealing with this phenomenon for the past 45 years. There were signs….I was introduced to his family at a college basketball game UVA vs. UNC. I didn’t realize the significance of this at the time. Looking back, I realize in my husband’s eyes, this was equal to Taylor Swift tickets. The fact that I had cable at my apartment was probably why we got married. If my birthday lands on a Friday or Saturday night in March, no celebratory birthday dinner for me. Although since becoming Floridians, we can hit a happy hour, and blue plate special, and still be home by tip-off.
One of his secret wishes was for at least one of his sons to attend a big 10 college. He could plan visits around home games! Sometimes wishes do come true! An exciting year as one son’s team went all the way to the National Championship. I’m still waiting for my wish, to eat as much as I want and not put on weight.
What I find so amazing is he can spin out players names, colleges nicknames, stats, and the coaches, for current and previous years. He is a March Madness Savant. However, he will forget instantly where and with whom we will be seeing this weekend after numerous reminders. He suffered a major stroke 12 years ago and, according to the doctors, lost a significant amount of his brain. Thank God the March Madness data portion came through completely unscathed. I guess the brain protects the most precious memories.
I’m not enamored of college basketball. In fact I’m kinda neutral on Sporting events in general. Occasionally I’ll join him for a while, and quickly learned that when he says, there is only 5 minutes left in the game, he didn’t say in basketball time. This can be converted into actual time before the final buzzer. It is anywhere from at least 15 minutes to 45 minutes barring a tie, which brings up overtime, 5-minute sessions, till someone wins. In other words, hours.
What I really enjoy is the in-depth conversations we share during the games I’m sure he was paying rapt attention when I told him I was running off with the pool boy, while Duke was locked in fierce battle. For the record we don’t have a pool. He smiled and nodded his head. He is not a man of many words, but even less so in March.
I must admit, I have absorbed some minutia regarding Mascots, and College colors. I know who the Razorbacks are, as well as Cavilers, Terrapins, and Pirates! I know who is being referred to with Roll Tide and Go Dawgs. I utilize this knowledge when speaking to my sons in March. They have inherited his March Madness addiction, and if you can’t beat them, join them. This also may come in handy when I get called up for Jeopardy (It should be any day now) and the category is NCAA teams and mascots. Imagine if the other 5 categories are; Potent Potables, Deserts, 70’s music, Types of Sin, and cooking gadgets. I would run those categories, but probably lose it all in Final, as I could not remember what I did yesterday.
Very Shortly this Madness will end. If you think you are off the hook, let me remind you Stanley Cup and Baseball are currently on deck.
