Neighborhood Football Game

It was near sunset, I was busy preparing dinner, and a couple of the kids came in to give me a kiss and felt cold as ice. I knew it was going to get cold that night, I just didn’t expect the temperature to dip by THAT much (given it WAS 80-degrees earlier). I started handing out jackets like candy, having to chase down a few of the older boys.

In the empty lot across from our house, the neighborhood boys collected with a football and makeshift game, calling plays, covering down, arms raised, shuffling about, pumped fists when they scored. Against that pink sky, it was simply perfect to ignore. Dinner would have to wait momentarily, I had to get these images. The newly jacketed Baby V came with to watch, too.

The chill of the air felt too good after standing over the stove. There was no wind, only their voices and the distant smell of Texas barbecue. “Hut hut!” and off they ran, ball flung into the crisp night air.

The sun set too fast, I didn’t get too many images before it did, but what I did get? Magic. I could have watched and cheered them on all night.