The Football Corner

Before he was my brother-in-law, my sister’s husband, Darrell was my admission ticket to the “cool kids” corner in the 200 pod at Avery High School. I was not cool, not really even close. The first strike against me is that I am from Elk Park, instead of from Avery Middle School. Kids had a shot at being accepted if they were from Banner Elk or “down on the river”, but never from Elk Park or Beech Mountain.
In addition to my unfortunate geography, I was a really good student. Really good students were placed in advanced classes; advanced classes were filled with really smart (uncool) people. There was not a chance that a cute football player or brooding bad boy was going to be sitting in the desk across from mine.
The only chance I had at being part of the “in” crowd at Avery High left, in the person of my brother, when his high school football career led him to Cloudland High School. It is easier for guys to be cool and since my brother played football that was an automatic in for him. I was so hoping to grab onto his popular “jersey tail”.
There is a long standing tradition at Avery High School. Football players and the girls who love them stand in a particular corner outside of the 200 pod between classes. There were other corners for other groups, but only the high school elite dared to stand in the football corner. With the chime of the bell, that corner would be flooded with red and white jerseys, cowboy boots, and spit bottles. The fortunate girls would be summoned by one of the jocks and she too, would then stand in the corner. Girls, who were brave enough and with reason enough, would just join in. I didn’t dream of it.
As it turned out, my brother left behind an ace in the hole, his best friend Darrell. Darrell was cool, still is. In fact, as the present Head Football Coach at Avery County High School, he is king of the corner. Without fail, Darrell, his jersey, his cowboy boots, and his spit bottle would be standing in “the” corner between every class. I don’t remember if it occurred to me that he was my ticket in, or if he took pity on me, but at some point, this larger than life football player who was two years older than me and all his larger than life friends talked to me when I passed by. There were even days when the conversations were long enough that I could bask in the glory of the 200 pod for a few minutes. Although I was never truly cool, and eventually found greener grass at Cloudland High School, along with my older brother, I did many times over achieve the status of belonging in the corner.
Almost twenty years later, my ticket to popularity is now my brother-in-law and has been for quite some time. He is still larger than life and still cool. Knowing him like I now do, I understand that is was neither my bravery or his pity that led me to the corner, but rather the fact that Darrell’s heart is equally as large as his personality and he is more kind than he is cool.
As much as I was honored to stand in Darrell’s corner in high school, I am immeasurably more honored that I am in his corner, and he in mine, in this life.