snapshots ~ footy

We went to the football on Saturday. My darling team lost, which is never fun, but there were a couple of highlights, life moments, snapshots that stuck with me.

First was the sight of rubbish bins leading to the stadium. I've never before noticed how many bis there were, until every single one of them was overflowing with almost full packets of chips. All we could deduct was that somewhere down by Richmond train station, poor girls in short shorts were standing in the spitting rain handing out bags of free chips. Some new brand they were hoping to imprint upon the heavy flow of chip-buying public streaming past. Chips that must have tasted sooooo bad, that after eating one or two, big burly footy fans were actually throwing them away. In droves. The closer we came to the ground, the more bins were to be found with chip packets spilling from their mouths. A large man sat in front of us during the game, a guy who looked like he'd down a few meals in his life, and he had an open packet of chips in his pocket, barely touched. God I wish I knew that they tasted like!

And it rained. We are a country in drought. Hard, harsh, dusty, dry lasting drought. Sitting behind the goals, high within the Great Southern stand, surrounded by like minded supporters, our collective body warmth keeping us all feeling cosy, and watching a sheet of glorious silver rain cloud our view of the game was something special. Surely not for the poor boys on the field... but snuggled together in the bleachers it was a moment.

Come Wednesday we'll be there again for the biggest game of the season bar the Grand Final. Collingwood vs Essendon Anzac Day clash. My blood is already pumping in anticipation... For more check out my contibutions to the Collingwood website.