How Far the Finish Line

I remember wondering how far the finish line when I had to run ten miles for fumbling a football during the homecoming game.  What happened was while we were running on the field at the beginning of the game and as I broke through the banner that said "Redmen are the Best", creative I know,  I dropped the football.  Lance Matheson kicked it and it went into a flood ditch.  We had to use the visiting teams football for the game.  The other football we had would not hold air because the rodeo club borrowed it.  Scott Burns, the quarterback refused to use the plays the coach sent in and we were penalized almost every play on defense. We had 235 yards in penalties and we missed seven field goals.  In all fairness to our kicker who was a 4'8" Nigerian soccer player who we called Bassy, three of the attempts were from over sixty yards away.  He did not understand the game but boy could he kick.  The coach lost his mind and had a nervous breakdown.  He was the art teacher and he started eating the paint and mumbling something about shooting Delta rabbits.  We had a six hour practice that Monday after homecoming and I had to run the hill for fumbling.  I tried to explain that the game technically had not even started.   Our former AirBorne Ranger assistant coach said "The football is your life, it will save the life of you and your squad.  Keep it clean and learn to disarm the quarterback with it".  I think he got in the lead paint also.

Anyway, for me the finish line is always reachable whether it was at the end of the runway of the Cedar Air port or getting through high school or most likely college.  I would not excel at football, high school, college or even life.  Just reaching the finish line was good enough for me.  It has always been way out there, the finish line I mean.  Just knowing it was there somewhere was good enough.  Heaven is that way I think.  Now, I can see the finish line through the fog of time.  I wonder if it will feel as good as getting back to the school yard did.