Cardinal Camp
It is 6 AM. I am sitting in front of my computer at the darken kitchen. I am frantically copying and pasting random sections of an essay to create a somewhat fluid narrative. The assignment is due in 12 hours, but I have plans today. It is the last day of a chapter of my life. The doorbell rings. The water from my brother’s shower shuts off.
It is time.
“Nation.” He says.
“Good morning to you too.” I respond.
“Are you ready for this?” He says.
“I’ve been ready for this my whole life.” I say.
“I love it, Nation.” He says.
My brother appears from his bedroom.
“Mike, good to see you.” My brother says.
“You ready for Champ camp?” Mike says.
“Champ camp?” I say.
“NFC Champion Camp.” Mike says.
“Are you serious?” My brother says.
“Is that what they are calling it?” I question.
“Fucking Nation baby. Champ Camp!” Mike says.
This was my plan for the day. Champ Camp in Flagstaff, Arizona. The journey begins at 6 AM.
“How could you leave Nation?” Mike says.
“I am bringing it to Texas. It is time to broaden the horizons.” I say.
I am lodged between Mike and Allen in the backseat of my Uncle’s SUV. I have known these two guys for 8 years. I have worked with both of them. They are both Cardinals fans and we are heading up to camp. My uncle is driving with my brother in the passenger seat.
I have been visiting the Cardinals training camp since 1994. I missed a year or two while I was caught up living. But this year was different. Later that week I was moving away form the Nest. I planned on moving to Austin, TX. This would cause me to break the bond of Nation with everyone in this vehicle. I had been seated next to my Uncle for almost every home game since 2000. This was the most difficult thing about the decision to grow up and test myself in a new city.
“I have never seen so many people here.” Allen says.
“Why is that girl wearing a dress and make up.” My brother says.
“This is what happens when you win a few games.” My Uncle says.
“It’s fucking Nation.” Mike finishes.
We drive up on a Monday morning. The drive from Chandler is about two and half hours. We arrive at the Northern Arizona Campus shortly before the practice is set to begin. These practices are opened to the public. The usually people in attendance are overweight locals who called in sick to work, or die hard fans from the Valley. In grand total there is usually about 150 people watching the Cards. This year, there are over 2,500 fans that are chanting and starting waves just to be part of the action.
“These people understand this is just a practice.” My brother says.
“They love the Nation.” Mike says.
‘You love nation. My brother loves nation. These are bandwagoners.” My brother says.
“We’ll take them any way we an get them.” Mike says.
“Did they open the concession stand yet?” Allen asks.
“I hope so, I need a hot dog.” Mike says.
“It’s eight thirty in the morning.” I say.
“I just need a Nation dog to get this started.” Mike says.
Before this continues, you have to understand Mike. After you hang out with Mike, you become a fan of Mike. He is more of an entity than a human. He is not a caricature, because he is very bright. Rather, he makes fun of himself for the enjoyment of others. I like to think of him as George W. Bush. See, Bush was never that dumb, he just knew how to entertain. That’s what Mike is. He is an entertainer and utilizes the word Nation in any part of a sentence in replacement of any part of speech as his tool.
“Do you like my hat?” Mike asks.
“Did you just buy it?” I ask.
“Yeah, what do you think?” Mike asks.
“How much did they charge you for that?” Allen asks.
“Thirty bucks.” Mike answers.
“For a hat?” I ask.
“It’s normally forty. I got ten bucks off for having my Nation card.” Mike says.
“You do know that Nation doesn’t actually exist.” My brother says.
“Season ticket holders get ten bucks off. Look.” Mike says.
Mike pulls out a red card given to Cardinal season ticket holders. This card entitles the cardholder to a certain discount on merchandise bought directly from the Cardinals. Therefore, yes, Mike technically has a Nation card.
The practice ended and the crew was left with a few idol hours in Flagstaff prior to the afternoon practice. In past years, there have been trips to the top of a mountain, miniature golfing, visit to an astronomy museum and the viewing of “Jurassic Park 3.” (Yes, they made three of them.) But, this would be the most interesting of any of them.
A vegan restaurant.
My uncle has recently changed his diet and this has caused him to go from a carnivorous Italian male, to a vegan. It has also caused him to get much healthy and feel better than he has in years. Unfortunately, the other members of the Champ camp crew are not nearly as motivated for this diet change. I am not a vegan and along with the rest of the car would have enjoyed some American food. But, I also think of myself as being open minded and I engage myself in the challenge of eating vegan and enjoying it. Lastly, whenever I am around my Uncle I develop this knack to be very liberal and different. My uncle and I develop ourselves into our own world in which nothing from the outside can penetrate unless you are another uber cool independent thinker.
This is the story.
The name of the restaurant is Macy’s. It is located directly across the street from a brewpub in Flagstaff. The brewpub is recognizable as the location that Allen broke his finger playing billiards against my brother and I during a camp visit years ago. It is funny what a place can do to trigger your memory; as that entire trip was forgotten until the moment we saw the pool tables.
“Are we eating here?” Mike says.
“I think they are just getting coffee.” Allen says.
“Where is the menu?” Anthony says.
“What is this place.” Mike says.
These are actual spoken lines that I can hear as I am in line with my Uncle. We are a few people ahead of the rest of the crew as they try to calculate exactly where they are and why they are there. The entire restaurant is vegan, but they do have eggs. These eggs are cage-free and farm fresh, therefore I do not know the bylaws of the vegan community and think this still passes.
My uncle orders and rather than looking like a fool, I simply say that I will have the same thing. Truth is, I am not as well versed in the proper actions of the ultra-liberal community. I am learning and have become better than I was previously, but still I have a ways to go.
My uncle and I leave the line with our iced 10 beverages in hand. The other three from the crew are scratching their heads and looking at the menu on the wall. When I say this, I am being completely honest. I wish I could use some vivid descriptions to create the scene but it would be a lie. They look like the three stooges trying to decipher a new script in Hindu.
We are seated outside. Next to use is a table of six with each member wearing at least one clothing article made of the material of hemp. There are dogs in every direction and it would appear that Flagstaff has had a razor shortage as no one within 100 yards has shaved in over a week.
“So, are you ready for Austin?” My uncle asks.
“I think so.” I answer.
“It’s a very liberal city.” My uncle says.
“Probably going to be a lot like it is here.” I say.
“Probably, but bigger.” My uncle says.
“Have you ever been there?” I ask.
“A few times. Everything is big.” My uncle answers.
“Everything’s bigger in Texas.” I say.
“How are your parent’s doing with the change?” My uncle asks.
“They are doing ok right now. I think they still don’t believe it’s really going to happen.” I answer.
“It’s going to happen.” My uncle says.
“That’s what I keep telling them.” I say.
A few moments pass as both my uncle and I take in the moment. We can take the conversation in any direction from sports to politics to literature. But, we choose to enjoy the scenery and silence for a few beats. We are both thinking of the same thing. The fact that everything within my life is about to change. Therefore, everything in my uncle’s life that has to do with me will be changed. The thing that will be the biggest challenge is the connection of the Cardinals and how that has shaped both of our lives.
“How long does it take to make vegan food?” My brother asks.
“It’s just a bunch of vegetables.” Allen responds.
“They don’t even have to cook anything.” Mike says.
“They have to cut the vegetables fresh from the garden in the back.” My uncle says.
“Really?” Allen asks.
“I don’t know, just wondering how vegetables take so long to make into a salad.” My uncle answers.
The food does arrive. I have a egg and cheese sandwich. Mike has the same. Allen has a Greek salad. My uncle has a vegetarian sandwich. Anthony has a salad and cup of lentil soup. The table eats in relative silence. The restaurant is on the street so the occasion vehicle drives by causing for the wind gust to shift a few of the napkins and provides some noise pollution. Everyone finishes all of their food and within minutes we are walking into downtown Flagstaff. Allen and my uncle walk ahead of Anthony, Mike and I. They are outside of earshot when I start asking Mike questions.
“What did you think of lunch?” I ask.
“It was alright.” Anthony says.
“That was definitely not Nation food.” Mike answers.
“What exactly is Nation food?” I ask.
“Not that.” Mike answers.
“I should have had the chick”yun” sandwich.” Anthony says.
“What is that?” Mike asks.
“Tofu chicken.” I answer.
“They tried to give me that shit as bacon.” Mike says.
“What?” I ask.
“I wanted to order a BLT. But, I asked if they could give me real bacon.” Mike says.
“It’s a vegan restaurant.” I answer.
“If they were nation, they would have hooked me up with some bacon.” Mike says.
As we find ourselves back to the vehicle and prepping ourselves for the next round of fun in Flagstaff, we lose Mike. We look back and notice that he has found a hotdog stand. He has a few dollars out and hands it to the vendor and gets his hot dog. He finally found that Nation food he was yearning for.
The location for the rest of the trip prior to the afternoon practice was a bookstore. This was welcome for me as I needed some time away to gather my thoughts. I have a tendency to need these “time’s away” in order to keep my composure. I find myself becoming very irritable when I am not in control of a situation and something is not going as I have planned it. I am working on this and think this is a point of my maturity out of college and into real life. The closest people tell me I have a problem with authority, they are right but I will fight them on the notion. Does that not emphasis their point even more?
“What’s that?” I ask.
“I have a test tomorrow.” Mike answers.
“Real Estate?” I ask.
“I need to get a 70 percent.” Mike answers.
“Is that what you want to do?” I ask.
“I don’t want to keep working at the hotel.” Mike answers.
“Hope it works out for you.” I say.
“Why are you going to Texas?” Mike asks.
“Change of scenery.” I answer.
“You moving with your girl?” Mike asks.
“Her and her sister.” I answer.
“That’ll be good.” Mike says.
“You need to come visit.” I say.
“When Nation plays there, I’ll be there.” Mike says.
I left Mike at the coffee shop section of the bookstore. He looked to be in deep thought as he was mulling over the questions on the State Real Estate test. That was the first time in my life I have actually witnessed Mike ever studying.
Allen took my seat as I looked back before I entered the music section. He had a football magazine and a cup of soup. My brother was right behind with a different magazine on football and a cookie. The men of nation were at their posts to engage their minds in many different ways.
My uncle was listening at a listening station when I walked by. He pulled me over and had me listen to a song by one of the Marley kids and Jack Johnson. It was good and predictable. He wondered around the section for a while and I moved in the opposite way. I had my notebook in one hand as I was trying to get some writing done. The thing about the art of writing is that you never know what you will write about and when you will do so. Therefore, I was prepared if enlightenment hit me in that store. But, I was in no means prepared to sit down as my concentration had evaded me. My girlfriend was getting back the next day. I had been thinking about her every moment that I did not distract myself with another activity. I had not truly visited with her in two weeks and it had been three weeks since we last spent quality time together. I was nervous and scared for tomorrow to come as people can change a lot in three weeks.
I listened to a dozen samples of albums and began writing down songs. It started as a way to remember to purchase at a later date as my memory is awful sometimes but amazing with other things. I started this list and it developed into a play list. I would make a CD for my girlfriend and when she gets back the following day we could listen to it and everything would be ok. That was the plan and it made me happy. The list was underway and I began the research to make the best album ever.
This album took a few hours for me to complete. I had a long list of songs, too many for one CD. I had the plan to edit the list when I returned home that afternoon and burn the CD to give to her when I saw her again. I walked back to the café. The entire crew was there. My uncle reading the New Yorker, Anthony with a different sports magazin, Allen looking at an Entertainment magazine and Mike still studying. It was the first time it sunk it that I had changed. I had matured away from these people. These were my closest friends I have known for the better portion of my working memory and I was about to break away. I fit into this mold and have grown out of it. I was not alone, as each of these men have also evolved.
Allen is a father. Mike is a manager at a hotel and soon to be real estate agent. Anthony is having his girlfriend move in. My uncle is seeing life clearer than he could have ever imagined and it is causing him to love it a whole lot more.
These people have evolved. We have all evolved in different ways and have become different people. We now have different responsibilities and interests. We have lives outside of sports and leisure. We have careers we want to change or start. We are becoming intelligent.
The rest of the afternoon was spent discussing every sport. That is the link that will never change with the men of nation. Sports will always be the common ground when our philosophies on life and war are opposite. When our emphasizes change from video games to babies diapers. We will always have sports.
We drove down the hill that afternoon in silence. We listened to sports talk radio and shared a few opinions on the topics. I understood that this was the last time that I would see most of these people for a while. I understood that I should not take the time to be sad, but excited for the next chapter. We arrived home and shared our good-byes. It was the last ever Cards Camp in this atmosphere. I am going to miss you adolescence, but look forward to the challenge of adulthood. Members of the nation, join me in this new chapter.
“That’s not Nation.” Mike says.
“What happened?” I ask.
“They wouldn’t take this hat back.” Mike answers.
“Didn’t you just buy that hat?” I ask.
“I don’t like it anymore.” Mike answer.
“You have it stained right there.” I say.
“I wanted to exchange it for a shirt. The shirt was cheaper too.” Mike says.
“Did you tell them you were Nation?” I ask.
“I did. They said I needed a receipt.” Mike says.
“What happened to your receipt?” I ask.
“I threw it away.” Mike answers.
“Why?” I ask.
“I didn’t need it.” Mike answers.
“You need it now.” I say.
“Yeah, but I don’t have it.” Mike answers.
That was the last conversation at Champ Camp. Mike was left with an over-priced Nation hat that was stained.
God, I am going to miss the members of Nation. But, this year will unite us as we progress to the future of our existence.
This blog will continue through the duration of the season. I will be blogging from my new city of Austin, TX. It will take on a different form each week and there will be no boundaries.
In the Nation we believe!
Thanks for reading. Talk to you soon.
