My Last Day With Matt - 9/28/08

Matt and I traded vehicles the previous week because he needed the Jeep to move stuff from his W. Market St. apartment and from Mary's single apartment into their new 2 bedroom luxury place at City View (he was proud). He came over on Sunday mid-morning to take me to the Panthers game with him. Matt was so excited to be driving the M3 again. I had gone to 17 gas stations the day before in search of premium because I knew we would be using that car. We left the house at 10A at a very quick pace, not crazy 3 digit speed like he sometimes liked to drive, but faster then I normally go. The hour drive was good. We talked about everyday stuff: gas shortage, my work, his work, politics, and the upcoming race at Martinsville. When we hit Charlotte he was anxious to park the car and get to the tailgate. We tried exit 9 but he got impatient after sitting in line for all of 30 seconds so we peeled out into traffic and went to the next exit. Success! We were in a parking lot within 10 minutes. Both of us are standing outside the car and Matt is deciding whether to change into shorts because its much warmer then it was when we left Winston. He looks at me and what I'm wearing, a yellow tee shirt, shorts, and flip flops and says "Come on Dad, show some team spirit" and reaches into the trunk and pulls out a black Panthers tee thats all balled up and full of Ginger's dog hair. "You're not going in there unless you put this on". We walked 3 or 4 blocks to meet up with Matt's friends (I'm sorry I don't remember your names) who were tailgating with family and friends in the parking lot of an auto repair shop. We hung out talking and drinking beers for about an hour them headed towards the stadium. Walking thru the tunnel elicited chants and cheers from the crowd including Matt. He was pumped. This might be one of the few times he was going to see the kick off. We made our way up the ramp to his seats and he pointed out the recently added bbq stand - JJR's that is practically under his seats. "The smell from this place drives me crazy. They have the best brisket I've ever eaten". I agreed to buy the beers since he gave me the ticket. We got to the seats just in time to see kick off. Shortly after, the crowd started to boo, or so I thought. I turned to Matt and asked why they were booing, I didn't see anything wrong with the play. "Dad (exasperated) they aren't booing, they're chanting Hooover. And they also chant Mooose so don't think our fans boo our team!" Yet one more time my son demonstrated his "superior intellect" to his father. The game was great. It started out close enough in the 1st quarter and then the Panthers pulled away winning 24-9 against rival Falcons. I kept us stocked in beers and in the 3rd quarter got a couple of brisket sandwiches. Matt was so happy. We stayed until the very end so we could see each player leave the field. Matt is one true fan. The ride home was fast, weaving in and out of cars on I77 all the way to Lake Norman. Once we passed the lake he calmed a little and kept it at a pretty consistent 80 mph until we got home. We opened up some beers when we got in the house and he asked me if I wanted him to help me fix the window in the Jeep. We got the parts out and he realized that I didn't have a hex head screw driver so he couldn't even take the door panel off so we decided to put it off until later. Besides, we were getting hungry. Terry had dinner ready for us. It was good. We were tired. Hanging out in front of the big screen watching more football, news, some Simpsons - you rarely watch anything for for then 10 minutes when Matt has the remote. Terry and Matt had a lively discussion / debate over politics, the candidates, and why they had the opinions they did. I thought it might turn into an argument but it didn't, just spirited conversation. Then he abruptly stood up and said "I'm out of here" and he took off down the stairs to the basement slamming the door behind him like he'd done for 20 years before. Terry yelled out "Come give me a kiss goodbye" not fully expecting him to have heard her, much less turn around. But the door opened, he came back into the family room and gave her a kiss and a hug and told her he loved her. I told him to drive carefully and that I'd talk to him during the week. We didn't say we loved each other or hug - something I regret, but we both knew it to be true without saying it very often. Off he went into the night in the M3 back to Mary, whom he had left to unpack and set up their new place.

It was a typical great day spent with Matt. It didn't matter what we were doing- I cherish every moment I have with my sons because they like me and want to be with me.