"The big football game of the year ASU vs. Univ of Arizona"

Glendale, AZ

Nov. 24, 1991

Dear "L" -

Just a brief note (Ha! Ha!) to let you know your $300.00 arrived and will be turned over to the Orpheus treasurer Tuesday night! Thank you. Glad you will be going along.

It is a beautiful Sunday afternoon here - peaceful & lazy. In fact, I just arose from a brief nap. LouBelle is still napping - along with one dog and two cats. Quite a sight!

I was first to start a nap. LouBelle was on the patio surveying the newspaper - but fell asleep and nearly fell out of her glider, so decided bed was safer.

She is not lazy: yesterday she arose at 5:30 AM for her therapy trip & then went all day until 2:00 AM. So, maybe she deserves a rest.

Included, yesterday was a bathroom papering project which she and Becky did. Becky was the chief & LouBelle the assistant. I was up early preparing - sizing, etc. Then Collyn & Kenny came over.

Next on the agenda was the big football game of the year ASU vs. Univ of Arizona. In order to get parking we left for Tempe two hours earlier than the game. We bought food at the "tail gate party" & took it up into the reserved seats to eat. (LouBelle has season tickets).

It was an exciting game! I have never cheered & stood so much as a game! ASU won! (37-14) beating a ten year losing streak with U of A! The crowd was delirious!

U of A fans (100's) left the stands early in the fourth quarter & missed Tucson's only scoring.

After the game fans poured onto the field. Being prepared in advance Security started immediately to dismantle the goal posts. One upright, however, didn't get down soon enough & was carried by happy fans (thousands) to the far stands where it was passed up tier-over-tier to the very top level (some 80 feet). It's a wonder someone didn't fall over the balustrades as they reached over to grasp the upright.

Despite please over the P.A. system to clear the field joyous fans didn't respond. Security could do nothing. They finally formed lines across the field beginning at the 15 yd line and systematically swept forward in a series of movements (with intervals of hesitation) much like a garbage compactor.

I counted 100 security personnel. Accidentally (or purposely) the sprinklers were turned on. But joyous revelers leaped into the spray dancing as they did. The only dampened spirits were those of the security personnel.

Gradually & finally the celebrants funneled off the field still singing & cheering. The left voluntarily & naturally & then the "security choreography" was really only symbolic. They were only part of the choreography - perhaps like a marching band formation.

Personally, I thought it all ridiculous. The crowd was a happy one not bent on doing harm. The "marching army" looked more like tanks moving towards hapless victims in the take over of some unarmed town during an invasion.

But we won!! And we had to see a replay of the historic game after we got home - thus to bed at 2 A.M.

And then this A.M. it was church followed by Esther's surprise birthday party. In the memory book we saw a letter from "L". We were quite a contrast to the rest of the crowd there in the matter of dress. It was a very informal, but nice occasion.

And now we have wasted time happy with so much to do. Our adult children will get Symphony tickets for Xmas. And despite busyness L.B. & I will take walks & exercise more to diminish our dimensions.

Again thanks!   LOVE Franko