Game Ball

When I was in the Navy my ship was sent to the South China Sea during the Vietnam War. By coincidence, President Nixon had visited communist China a few months earlier. Because of that visit, certain restrictions on Americans in Hong Kong were relaxed. In particular, a very large department store owned by China and filled with items made in China was no longer off limits. When our ship visited Hong Kong in September of '72, I was able to shop in that store. There were many beautiful things, and I purchased some. But, I also bought a very nice hand-stitched red and white soccer ball and brought it home. The soccer ball stayed with me on the ship for two more years...then on to St. Louis when I got out. The ball journeyed to Butler with me when Betty and I were married and then on to Waynesville when I changed jobs. There were many types of sports balls around our house as Heather grew, but the one she liked the most was that pretty red and white soccer ball. I remember watching her kick it when she could barely walk. We started youth soccer when she was in the fourth grade and she played every year after that through her junior year in college. We saw a World Cup game in Dallas and Olympic games in Birmingham. The 2010 World Cup begins today in South Africa. She would be so excited and would be telling Jack and Morgan all about it. It's fitting that the girl that loved rainbows so much is watching the Rainbow Nation's games from above the rainbow. Love you, Honey. Dad