The End Of Summer: Football Season Is Nearly Here

"Yuuuugghhh!" I hazily yawned shortly after my eyes opened for the first time today as my hands stretched above my head to elongate my body as far as possible. The sun was already warming up the room as it streaked through the windows into separate long rays of light resembling the Arizona state flag. Looking down, I gazed into two deep brown eyes from a monstrous Predator type head. My body was teetering on the edge of the Earth after being bullied throughout the night by this monster mongrel.

I performed a crunch and sat up as I wheeled my feet around landing them on the floor to be welcomed by the tickly carpet. I left the room with the Cerberus quickly following and tap dancing toward the door. My hand grasped the handle, turned to the right and as soon as a crack opened in the door, he shot out like a bat at twilight to do his business. Following his lead, I stood on the steps and did the same and let the sun's heat hug me like a blanket for a moment.

On the way inside, I flipped open the machine like a lunchbox and jammed my thumb on the power button. I could hear it gurgle and blather as I grabbed the metallic food bowl to scoop a hearty amount of brown tasteless matter to give the old man his breakfast. Then I hopped along the tile into the bathroom to have a jolt of energy. Some have a cup of coffee to jump start their morning; I take a shower. The microwaved water disinfected me while removing the grime off my body and got the juices flowing in the command center upstairs.

Flipping the faucet down made it vomit the remnants of my morning shower into the tub. I grasped the towel to dry off. The towel quickly became moist and I clothed myself into a pair of Texas Rangers athletic shorts and a plain shirt. Still wet; I must admit I am not very skillful with the towel. The monster greeted me with smiles and thank-yous for the breakfast and headed back to attacking an insidious bone. I closed the door and sat down to put my super secret password so I could connect back into the motherboard.

The screen turned bright and illuminated my hands as I awaited for the locust swarm of e-mails to flood the screen. A horde of ads from various prestigious institutes I had mistakenly signed up for over the years and banter from my fellow Battle Red Bloggers. I chose which ones to give my two cents to and scampered through the rest to remove the obnoxious red circle that adjoins the poststamp when there are unread emails.

Glancing down at the bottom of the screen the calendar caught my eye.

July 21, 2013, it read.

I sat dumbfounded as the thought warpspeeded through my brain. Next week, it will all come to an end, the carefree lifestyle, summer and the beginning of August. Right around the bend stood a job and my turn to provide for myself awaiting me with open arms and a snarling mouth.

The past few months seemed to fly by faster than usual. Another summer quickly devoured by the changing of the leaves and a stinging breeze.

There was dancing, stomping, and storming to the Civil War hymns of Titus Andronicus on graduation night.

There were goosebumps running along my spine like I-35 when I entered the desert of Big Bend.

There was a piece of paper in an envelope lying on my floor.

There was waking up at 2 AM and gazing up at the Milky Way

There was an impromptu lake trip filled with the sulfuric smell of cheap fireworks.

There was Schlitterbahn and the enjoyment of the best ride there, the lines.

There was a Kendrick Lamar concert where I was surrounded by inebriated 15 year olds marred with black Xs on the top of their hands.

There were legs covered in cuts and scrapes and a sand covered scalp.

There was Eric Nadel guiding me home on the drive from San Antonio to San Marcos.

There was the barbaric parade in downtown San Antonio after the Spurs lost twice in Miami.

There were the hours lost to Father Time after discovering my lost copy of MVP Baseball 2005.

There was the shock of cold creek water freezing my body and knocking the air right out of my lungs when bathing in a Grand Canyon waterfall.

There was $1 bowling where scores of 60s were common due to the stomach-churning gasoline of $3 Icehouses.

There was me jamming this song in my car, like I do at the beginning of every summer, when the end of May is here and all responsibilities vanish into thin air.

Screeching Weasel - The First Day Of Summer (via royug)

There it all was, nothing more than memories and matinees in my head. After it's all over, time might feel like it is zooming by, but only when you reflect on what you have done, the opposite is true. The feeling is a result of missing something you love that will never occur again.

Now there is one more trip left before my summer is shipped to the morgue and the coffin lid is slammed shut, but at least I will still have the viewing. Next week, Memphis, the Great Smoky Mountains, Nashville, St. Louis, Chicago, Kansas City, Dallas and the great Midwest await me. When I return home, two suits still in their wrappings and the razor blade will greet me to start the job hunt.

Times will be changing, but at least when I get back home there will be real, actual football and everything will return to normal. Every summer when the game is gone, nothing really feels right until training camp begins and the aisles at Academy are littered with helmets, shoulder pads and mouth pieces.

Everything will be alright. Football is near.