Lost (and found) Red Jacket

Chalk it up to being too busy or just plain scatter-brained, but I left my red jacket up in Montpelier two weeks ago. We had a doubleheader with N’s team, and I left it in the locker room of the second game. This is not the first time this has happened, though I either realize my mistake before leaving, or it’s during practice and close to home. The reason this happens is because I change coats before a game and then change back when I leave the arena.

Life would be simpler if I just wore my coaches jacket in and out, but it’s not that warm, and I feel a little pretentious walking around in a coat that announces to everyone that I’m a coach. I get a sense some guys wear their coaches jackets like badges of honor, but I’m an anomaly in that sense.

Either way, the other parents in the locker rooms usually pick up anything left behind, but not this time. I sent out a mass email asking if anyone had picked it up, and heard several responses from people who saw the coat but were told it was there when we arrived, so they left it. Bummer.

Anyway, since the arena is over an hour away, I wasn’t sure what to do. Was it worth driving up there to get it? I use that coat a lot, and am somewhat attached to it, but replacing it would probably not be that hard. I see coats like it all the time at the Listen Center, it’s pretty generic.

Well, as luck would have it, the next weekend, we had a game in Northfield, which is about 15-20 mins south of Montpelier. I called the rink and the manager said he had it and would leave it hanging in the office. I then had to come up with a plan, and this is how it went: N had a game on Sunday in Northfield, and A had a game in Hanover. A&N also had games on Saturday, and A had a big girl’s bash all day with her team, followed by a sleepover that night at NP’s. I arranged for N to spend the night at CG’s house, whereby he would go with GG to the game in Northfield. I would drive up solo to Montpelier, get my coat, then head down to Northfield to game, work the bench, then take N down to Hanover for A’s game.

I figured I’d get to A’s game late and couldn’t work the bench, but I arrived with 5 mins to spare, so I coached. For the record, they were both good games, with wins for A&N’s teams. I got my coat, the kids had fun, and all is well. Don’t you love when that happens?

Until the next time, thanks for reading, and thanks to Gene McDaniel for the pic.