Z is for Zero

I was going to wrap up this A to Z Challenge on a nice piece about Zenobia, a character in Edith Warton's Ethan Frome.  Instead I will end with a mild rant. 

My ten year old plays soccer.  The first game was supposed to be in the beginning of April.  He has played zero games so far - they have all been rained out. 

Today is the last day of April.  It's not raining yet - today was going to be the first game that wasn't rained out.  It was an away game - more than thirty minutes away.  We had no notification of cancellation.  We had to leave before 8:00 to get to the pre-game practice at the field at 8:30 for a 9:00 game.  I woke my son up at 7:20.  We were on time.  The rest of our team except a couple of people that got lost on the way were on time too.

Eventually after all the parents sloshed through the muddy sidelines, ruined our gym shoes, assembled our chairs, and got comfortable, we noticed one thing.  The other team wasn't there.  Our team's coach was on the phone.  In a few minutes, the whole team - by this time covered in mud - walked toward us with their things in hand.  Apparently the other team's coach got notification at 8:00 that the field was closed when our team was on the road, and didn't bother to call our coach.  By 8:45 he still hadn't bothered to call.  I guess he figured we would figure it out when we got there.  He was right.

We all were very good sports about it, as our school's soccer team and parents tend to be.  So we got back in our cars with our mud-covered boys and went back home.  I'm not angry - it's actually too early on a Saturday morning to get angry about anything.  I'm just astounded at the lack of consideration of the other team's coach.  I am really happy our coaches and parents took it in stride as good examples to our kids.  Not one kid seemed upset - they were as happy walking away as they were when they got there.  I know they really want to play - they have been waiting a long time for that elusive first game.    

In the car on the long drive home, I told my son I needed a Z word for the day, not really thrilled with the idea of Zenobia.  I suggested Zero, but he didn't like it.  He suggested Zebra - or maybe Ziger - a creature that is half zebra, half tiger.  I love it!  Maybe I will create a Ziger for the next children's story I write - a black and white striped tiger.  Cute.

My little zero rant was easier, so I end this challenge on zero.  Zero games, zero letters remaining....

I appreciate everyone that has stopped to read my words and especially for my new followers.