PRISONER EXPRESS

Usually I would rather stay at home and watch the game on T.V. But this game happened to very special to me. My grandpa is a big fan of the Dallas Cowboys, so you already know he had his tickets for the game. Growing up around his dad had made him an avid fan of them. They would sit and cheer the Cowboys on until they couldn't yell any more. But after his father died, he took a jersey that hid dad would wear every time they played. The jersey sported the number of Roger Staubach, one of the great Dallas Cowboy quarterbacks, and one time Super Bowl M.V.P. who was known for his brilliant plays.

It was three days before the game and my grandpa was on his way to the hardware store to pick up some parts for the tractor. Normally he had a route he would take all the time, but because of a traffic jam he decided to take a different way. On his way through a green light he slowed down a little because of a car in front of him, and as he eased down on the brake, there was another car coming to the left of him at a blazing speed and crashed right into the driver's side, jamming him into the car. After flipping several time and coming to a stop on the side, grandpa had a heart attack. But on the way to Memorial Hospital, he was revived.

I was at work when I got a call from Mom letting me know that grandpa had been in a very bad accident and to meet her at the hospital. I dropped the phone and rushed to my supervisor, giving him the bad news, then headed to my car, making it to the hospital. Mom and grandma met me in the waiting room. Wanting to see him, I was pacing the floor, when the doctor came out giving us permission to go back, leading us to his room then leaving.

I rushed to grandpa's side, tears in my eyes having to see him lying in the bed all bruised up and tubes running from his nose with a neck brace on. He did the best he could to talk to me, but every time he tried to talk he grimaced from the pain. Momma stood at the edge of the bed crying, as grandma came to my side and took grandpa's hand, it seemed like his eyes just looked at her and lit up.

She got more out of him than I did. In the process he told her about the tickets he had bought to the Cowboy's playoff game, which was just a couple of days away. With grandpa falling asleep after that, grandma told me about him wanting to take her to the game for their anniversary, but since he wasn't able to, I decided to do it for him.

On the day of the game, grandma put on a pair of blue jeans and a regular white t-shirt, and to be close to grandpa, she put the ball cap he would wear around the house on. Leaving the house, she picked up a bag and took it with us. She held it close to her as we headed to the stadium, which made me very curious. Once we got to the game I had forgotten all about the bag. Walking into the Texas Stadium for the first time made my adrenaline flow. Not really having made plans to be here because of a game-party with the guys, I'm very glad to be here. Me and grandma took our seats and watched the game take place.

Grandma took me by the arm, looking me in the eyes and said, "Baby, I know you really didn't want to be here, but grandpa will always remember this no matter what happens." Then tears fell from her eyes as I gave her a hug.

Tony Romo takes the snap, five step drop, looking, looking, Jason Witten wide open throws, caught. YES! Twenty five yard gain. Caught in the moment I jump up and yell, startling grandma as she looks up toward the sky as if someone can hear her, and says:

"First down Cowboys."

The game goes on and a game it was till the end. It's fourth quarter, the score's 21 to 20 Seattle, with 1:35 seconds to go. The Cowboys have the ball on their own five yard line. Driving all the way to Seattle's three-yard line. It's fourth down and inches. The Cowboys could go for the first down or kick a field goal to win. Not wanting to risk the chance, they go for the win with twenty-seconds left.

That's when grandma pulled open the bag and took out what was in it. The Cowboys line up for the field goal. Ball is snapped, Romo gets the ball then drops it, he picks it up running for the end zone but is tackled at the two yard line. When I look at grandma, she had tears in her eyes and clutched the Roger Staubach jersey she'd been holding in her bag all during the game. She glanced lovingly toward the sky and said,

"Well..that Romo dropped the ball. I guess you know Dallas just lost one helluva game."

This is a game I'll never forget and most of all a trip to remember. The funeral for grandpa was bad to be around but we made it through. Grandma put the jersey in his coffin as she told him,

"You and your dad will be able to cheer on them Cowboys again together, here's his shirt"

After the funeral and the burial I stayed behind to give grandpa the play by play.