The Chance Of A Lifetime

The Chance Of A Lifetime

She couldn't believe it. Her stomach quivered with butterflies as she stared out of the window on the Boeing 747. The airplane had taken off thirty minutes ago but it seemed like hours to her. Her hands were clammy as she ran them down her jeans. 'Don't be so nervous, this is going to be fun,' she thought as she eyed her husband who sat to her left. His face was buried in a magazine, looking as cool as a cucumber. Then again, he wasn't as big of a fan as she was.

She leaned her head back on the headrest and closed her eyes, thinking about the wonderful surprise her husband had presented to her just a few days before. She had planned a vacation a few months ago for the first week of September but never thought she would actually go somewhere. Her first intention was to stay at home and catch up on household chores and have some free time to herself but it quickly changed when she came home from work last Wednesday evening.

There he was on the couch, a smile painted across his lips.

"Maryilee, you might want to sit down. I've got a surprise for you." His grin grew even bigger as he leaned forward, grabbing a manila folder on the coffee table.

Sitting down beside him, she grabbed his hand and parted her lips. "What's going on?"

He handed her the folder and leaned back. Opening it, she saw two American Airlines plane tickets to Dillon, Texas. Averting her eyes upward, she wasn't sure if she was dreaming or if this was real. "Dillon? We are going to Texas for vacation?" She couldn't help but let out a small laugh. She had always talked about the legendary Dillon Panther football team and how she'd love to get down there to meet them. She had a friend near Dillon that kept her up to date on team news and events so she felt she was already a part of the great tradition. Her main focus was Coach Taylor. She had read about him online and admired his leadership. Meeting a real-life hero would be the chance of a lifetime.

He nodded. "I know you've always wanted to spend some time down there. Austin is nearby so we can make a road trip out of it. See a good chunk of the state." He paused, glancing over the paperwork. "I've made arrangements for the kids. Everything is planned, you don’t' have to worry about a thing."

"Oh, this is great! Thank you so much!"

******

"Ladies and gentlemen, we will begin our descent in around ten minutes. Current weather in Dillon is a bit breezy with a temperature of seventy-five degrees."

The pilot's voice startled Maryilee and she opened her eyes, not realizing she had dozed off. She looked out of the window again, seeing a blanket of green below them. It looked as if fall hadn't kicked in down in Texas yet. She felt like a child on Christmas morning. In about thirty minutes they'd be on the ground and the fun would soon follow.

After landing they grabbed their baggage and rented a car. Everything began smoothly which made her relax. She had been tense since that morning and was glad to feel her headache dissipate. The drive from the airport was short. The town only had a population of around fifteen thousand, which made Maryilee wonder how they had an international airport.

He had ended up booking them a room at the Marriott, which was yet another surprise to add onto the list. It was located in the middle of downtown Dillon and their room had an excellent view of the entire city, including the football stadium. It was already around 8:00 when they got in so they both decided to relax for the evening and rest up for the days to come.

*******

The next morning began early for Maryilee. Her eyes shot open around six am from excitement and anticipation. Here she was, waking up in Dillon of all places! She rolled over, digging her face down deep into the pillows. It was too early to be up on vacation! Closing her eyes tightly, she couldn't help but think about what she would say to Coach Taylor. How would he act? Would he be annoyed? Would he be too busy to give them much time to talk to him? He was used to being in the limelight so she hoped he'd be friendly. They were going to go to the football practice that afternoon. If he didn't want the attention he would hold closed practices. Half of the town was known to go sit in the bleachers and watch the boy’s workout and Coach Taylor never seemed to care.

'Stop doubting yourself,' she thought. It was too late to back out now and she'd be a fool if she did.

The rest of the day was laid back and slow paced. They walked up and down the sleepy streets and checked out the courthouse square. The corner shops and mom and pop restaurants were intriguing. The Southern hospitality was just like her friend had described, the atmosphere was pleasant, and she had talked to a few people that acted as if they had known her their whole life.

Maryilee glanced down at her watch, not wanting to lose track of time. It was 3:00 and practice started around 3:30. She wanted to get to the stadium a little early in hopes that maybe Coach Taylor would be out there before it all began. The town was so small that you could get anywhere within ten minutes, which made things convenient.