Can we take a poll via a show of hands for who is glad that summer is finally over?
I mean, if you look at the forecasted highs and heat indexes, we’re still in the scorching grips of summer.
And, sadly, we’ll probably remain that way until the end of October or start of November.
That’s just traditional for us - barring any weather catastrophes, that is.
In astronomical terms, the last day of summer in the Northern Hemisphere was Sunday, Sept. 22.
Oddly enough, it coincided with me noticing several other things happening locally, too.
I’m not sure if my memory is faltering or if I need more sleep, but I can recall community events like Homecoming Week being a much bigger thing in the early 2000s.
I wasn’t really team or school spirit oriented but I still remember seeing downtown business windows scrawled with chalk paint in support of the Blackcats.
There were catchy slogans, jersey numbers and student names plastered around the courthouse and it’s weird not seeing them now.
Back then the entire school also geared up to face its longest-running rival – the El Campo Ricebirds.
My cousins from Mom’s side of the family were Ricebird football players and a cheerleader – respectively.
And, it goes without saying that the rivalry extended to them in passing as well.
Though it was never something I willingly discussed or bothered to pay attention to when it was brought up!
So, that made it rather one-sided for them.
Right now, I’m not sure how huge things are currently since the traditional Homecoming opposing team has changed.
Really, the only thing I looked forward to back then was how busy everything seemed.
It also happened in mid-to-late October rather than the end of September.
But, hey, I’m not in charge of the district’s athletic calendar and maybe this will all work out well enough
Still, I remember that Friday featuring an early release in the afternoon with a very loud and proud pep rally followed by having to attend the game to sing the national anthem as a member of the Show Choir group.
There was supposedly a dance afterwards, but I never made it simply because it wasn’t my sort of scene and none of my friends would be there.
The next day was Saturday and I think that ended up being the annual Rice Festival parade and another Show Choir participation grade with the chance to earn some extra credit – not that I needed it!
I’m not sure if I got to go to the actual festival later that afternoon or not, but, I know I slept in on Sunday and took it easy to recuperate for Monday.
Long social interactions where I’m not expressly doing something that I enjoy definitely took a little toll on me then and still do today.
Either way, I think there were too many events being shoved into one week or weekend decades ago and can say I still feel the same way now.
All I’m really saying is that pushing Homecoming up a whole month is really messing with my sense of time and nostalgia.
Here’s hoping that the Blackcats beat the Brazosport Exporters – after all, losing your own Homecoming game seems to hurt more than any others.
