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Rulebreaker walk-off

From The Parenting Casebook, a how-to manual on child discipline by the author of Metswalkoffs and Other Minutiae

Rule 18, Section II The Walk-0ff Exception

Doug Flutie's retirement announcement on Monday reminded me of November 23, 1984, a Friday afternoon in which this nine-year-old caught the end of Boston College vs Miami and saw the dramatic walk-off touchdown pass to Gerald Phelan that concluded the contest.

I was only 9 years old but knew from the way the play was celebrated that I had just seen something significant and I relayed the information to my father rather excitedly (considering I had no rooting interest) when he got home later that day.

"That's great" was his reply, "but you weren't supposed to be watching television today."

In fact I wasn't. I had committed some inane offense in the previous 48 hours or so for which my punishment was a TV-free day. Normally, such a rules violation would lead to further discipline, but if I recall correctly, there was no further penalty to pay.

That's because my dad amended Rule 18, Section II, ever so slightly.

The rule states...

"Television punishments shall be lifted in cases of weather precaution (i.e. does he need to wear a Fleece if he goes outside?), sitcom cliffhanger scenario (was Sam Malone proposing to Diane or Councilwoman Eldridge?), or if the winning run is on base in the last of the 9th."

I often wonder how things would have been different had my dad not been understanding of the situation. Perhaps I would have become so disenchanted by the walk-off moment that this blog would detail defeats, rather than triumphs.

Busy today...back to more signficant matters on Wednesday.


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