Life in Switzerland: Friday Night Lights

My first Friday home in Norman was the day of the last football game of the season for my old high school, Norman High. I'd never actually been to a game as a spectator, EVER, because I had spent four years in the marching band and attended all the games as someone who was required to be there. (Although, to be fair, I enjoyed being there - I was even drum major my senior year.)

I recruited my good friend Jesse, who had been on the football team in high school, to go with me. It was his first time ever as a spectator, too, so we both paid for the $6 ticket for the first time in our lives, and headed to the 50 yard line, halfway up the stands. Norman was playing Lawton Ike, a sizable school in an unremarkable town, the 4th largest in the state, located in southwest Oklahoma. The town's economy is based almost exclusively on Ft. Sill, an army base located there that was established during hostilities with Indian tribes in 1869. Lawton is also the headquarters of the Comanche Indian Nation.

The game started off well enough, with both teams not doing much of anything, but during the second quarter Lawton scored a field goal and then a touchdown, putting Norman down 10-0. We watched the band perform the halftime show, I said hello to my old band director, and then we left during the third quarter, not caring to watch the rest of the loss.