Are you ready for some Football!?

      It’s around 4:45 P.M on a Saturday. The sun is beaming down, the grill blazing and the crowd is going berserk! There’s alcohol of all types, people dancing and singing while wearing their team colors. There is a tone of the opposing team’s paraphernalia scattered across the parking lot.  I see cops standing guard waiting for someone to slip up.

      Although there are people of all ages, race and gender my main focus is a group of young adults standing in the middle of the lot where the festivities are taking place. There are three young women and five young men. They seem to be between ages twenty-one and twenty-five years old. They are barbequing and drinking heavily. They seem to be going for the least favorite team, so it is causing a lot of negative attention. They begin chanting out loud and singing their universities fight song. Their going haywire now drinking, yelling, cursing and daring others to come approach them. The crowd starts to taunt them and the threats become sever! Within a matter of seconds, chairs go flying, hair is getting pulled, legs start kicking, beers  are being knocked over, fist meets face and bodies are being slung left to right! I am literally witnessing a riot right before my eyes!

     Where is the security? Two minutes go by and finally the police come swarming in and start breaking people up. I gather my things and move elsewhere. I make sure I can still hear and see what the outcome will be. To my surprise the ones who started the fight (in my opinion) do not get arrested. The ones who get arrested are the ones who where minding their own business and enjoying their time. Sure they may have been a bit antagonizing with their words, but why were they being prosecuted? Perhaps the cops didn’t approve of preferences when it came to sports, who knows?

     Once the police came and carried out their duties, the reaming crowd disappeared slowly and things went back to normal. Everyone gradually started laughing and singing songs from the radio. The speakers were booming and the food smelled oh so delicious! It felt as if nothing ever happened. People started dancing and talking. I couldn’t believe my eyes for a moment. It literally felt as if it only took three minutes for the crowd to snap back. I must say I was quite impressed. Yes ladies and gentlemen I am at my first tailgate!