Late again! The booster club meeting for my son’s high school football team was almost over. I slid into a seat at the back of the crowded room, hoping no one would notice. Working full time as a single mother made it tough to get to my kids’ school activities on time. Life was easier to navigate with a partner, but when I started dating after my divorce, each date was worse than the last. The womanizer, the guy who was financially irresponsible, the controlling one, the immature one… It took a while but I finally got the message: I’d be single forever.
At least the kids and I are a happy family, I thought as the booster meeting wrapped up around me. I knew it should be enough, and most of the time it was. But sometimes in the back of my mind I caught myself wishing for a companion. Someone to talk to at night after the kids went to bed. Someone to hold hands with at the football games. Someone to love and someone to love me. But it seemed like all those bad dates had proved that God had closed that door for good.
“One last item,” the man running the meeting announced. “Don’t miss the game on Friday! See you all there.”
I gathered my things. On my way out I bumped into my friend Darryl, who was talking to someone I didn’t know.
“Hey, Darryl,” the guy said. “Aren’t you going to introduce me to your friend?”
“I’m surprised you two haven’t met. Kenny, this is Charlotte,” Darryl said. “Kenny’s son will play on the team this year.”
“Nice to meet you, Charlotte. I’ll probably see you at the next game,” Kenny said.
As I drove home, I remembered everything I’d already heard about Kenny through Mack, another mutual friend. Kenny was a widower who had lovingly cared for his wife during her long illness.
Next time I saw Darryl he asked if I would work the cash box at the tailgate fund-raiser before the game. The money went toward college scholarships for the players. “Sure,” I said. “Happy to.”
I drove straight there after work on Friday. It had been a long week, but I was excited to mix with the other parents before the game. There was always a crowd of them. But when I arrived in the stadium parking lot, I couldn’t believe what I saw. I was the only woman in sight! Only me and a bunch of men to work the team fundraiser. Darryl waved to me from behind the grill with his tongs. “Hey, Charlotte!” he called. Kenny stood next to him.
Then it hit me. Darryl had set me up! He knew exactly what he was doing when he asked for my help!
I exchanged cold but polite hellos on the way to the cash box. If Darryl thought he was going to play matchmaker he would be disappointed. Dating and I were through.
As the fans passed by paying for their burgers, Kenny offered me a soda. “So what position does your son play?” he asked.
“Safety,” I replied.
“You really get close to these kids as a single parent, don’t you think? My son is my best friend,” Kenny said, smiling. He had a nice smile. Not that I entertained for a moment that he might be a “match” for me.
“Hey, Kenny! Charlotte!” someone called across the parking lot. It was Mack. “I heard you two finally met,” he said. It looked like Darryl wasn’t the only one playing matchmaker. Was the whole town in on this?
“How about I save you two some seats while you finish cleaning up here?” Mack offered. “I’m heading into the stadium now.”
When the tailgate party ended and I counted the last dollar, I rushed into the stadium, not wanting to miss the kickoff. I climbed the bleacher steps and scanned the crowd for Mack. As I settled into my seat, Kenny took the one next to me. Exactly, I figured, what Mack had planned. Lord, help me.Those two just don’t give up.
Kenny and I talked so much I have to say I hardly remember a moment of the game! Two days later he called and asked me out. I said yes before I even had time to remember my reason for saying no. We went to all the games together and spent the football season falling in love.
By the first game the following season, Kenny and I were married. His son and my son and daughter became a happy family. I’m glad Darryl and Mack didn’t pay attention to me when I felt so sure I was destined to be alone. You see, God hadn’t closed the door on love for me. I had. Thankfully, caring friends knew that if I opened that door one more time, I was bound to find an angel.
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