Writing On The Wall

Shortly after qualifying for the championship game of the 9-year-old girls' indoor soccer league, Thing 1 came running up, flushed with excitement. I braced for her to try to hoist me -- Head Coach Daddy -- on her little shoulders.

 

Instead, she hit full stop and said breathlessly, "Can I go into the bathroom to read what's written on the lockers?"

 

I had to hesitate before saying no because it's so rare for her to show an interest in reading.

 

After turning down her request, I took a seat on the gray-flecked gymnasium hardwood for the next game so I could scout out the competition for the finals.

 

I watched and studied. I took notes. I discussed positioning with my assistant coach.

 

But mostly, I wondered how I could convince my players to give up their usual Cocoa Puffs-and-Hawaiian-Punch diets for a week so there might finally be a chance that these girls would sit still long enough to listen to my advice.

 

As the game wound down, Thing 1 -- who had been prepping for next week's match by spending these past 40 minutes braiding her teammates' hair and trying to do headstands on the sidelines -- came up and again asked to go to the bathroom.

 

"To read what's written on the lockers?" I asked.

 

"No, Daddy, really," she said. "I really have to go."

 

For emphasis, she did that special dance that temporarily holds the levies fast against that dammed river of urine.

 

"Go. Go! Pee, don't read!" I yelled as she zipped away.

 

On the ride to post-game ice cream, I asked what the writing on the locker said.

 

"I don't know," she said.

 

Plausible, I thought, as she had just barely escaped a third invitation to summer school.

 

"C'mon. I'm not going to get mad at you. I just want to know what it was."

 

"It was a drawing of a boy and a girl talking."

 

"Well, what were the boy and girl saying?" I said. "Was it something inappropriate?"

 

"I don't know," she insisted again.

 

There was a pause.

 

"I think it was about love," she said.

 

As we pulled alongside the Gofer Ice Cream store, I felt for my wallet and hoped it had enough in it for a couple of double scoops.