This was shouted at me today outside a grocery store. The man was riding a bicycle in the cold rain; the bike had two baskets, which he had filled with breads and other groceries. He looked homeless and troubled, but most certainly cold. It made me thankful to think that what I have, though it may not be much, is more than a lot of people who struggle in this world.
I returned home from Canada last week, leaving the cold snows behind for the comparatively warm rains of Oregon. Immediately thrust back into a life, which I needed a fresh perspective on, I ran all of my games lately with a coldness equaled to only that of Darth Vader. No talking back to coaches, fans or otherwise, and it has made a huge difference. I have begun to enter my head for a chuckle, like when a fan who would not be quiet on anything my partner and I did. I just envisioned myself as Darth Vader from Star Wars choking the hell out of the chap for his insolence and it made me smile.
I think of that homeless person riding his bike in a way similar to referees. We are homeless, we root for no one, and no one cheers for us. Yet, we scream that we are rich, full of knowledge of the game and how it needs to be played. Is that arrogance on our part or are we really so all knowing?
