South Carolina 2011

We all took turns holding Thurman because the little tyke wouldn't stay still. A few minutes with Uncle Gary and he would cry for Uncle Scott. Then he would cry for Daddy Kevin. And then go around the horn again. I swear that little bastard was never satisfied. So we kept on passing him around like hot potato and when the music stopped whoever was holding him had to go home to his mother. And trust me, you don't want to be the one who has to do that. You see him? Now imagine 5'10" of that and a female. It's enough to keep you awake all night long crying.

I wish we could all just live in the mountains at high altitudes. That's where I see myself in 5 years. I love it up here. This is where I can order a sweet vermouth, rocks with a twist and say a prayer and drink to world peace. And I could live this day over and over...

Thurman had this crazy idea that he could drive. Kids do the damndest things. Gary had him on his lap for a little bit to steer because Thurman was too small to reach the pedals. My Uncles used to do that for me when I was a kid. Sure it was dangerous as all hell but I felt like the coolest kid in the world. And I bet Thurman felt the same way. This was his first roadtrip, so we had to make sure it was the greatest one of all time.

When we went inside to snack up Thurman locked himself inside the car and refused to open it. Good thing that Kevin took the keys or else we would have been stuck in Kentucky for good. When he finally unlocked the car he was disciplined and sent to the backseat.

Up until now Kevin had been calling Thurman his son, but we may have found his real Dad on the road. The resemblance is uncanny. And both of them freak the hell out of me. But the DNA test wasn't a match and Thurman continued along with us to South Carolina.

We didn't know which kind of gas to get because we weren't sure how Kevin's car would react to Stallion. So we eventually settled on Mustang because it was the least expensive. What, you think three goofs like us could afford thoroughbred? Think again Mister.

I haven't met a lot of proud parents (because I know my parents are ashamed of the man that I've become) but I can imagine they would look like how Kevin does, with his son Thurman in his lap. That sure is a fine looking young boy he is raising. And on his own too!

When the Green Bay Packers 2011 schedule was release I immediately circled one date - Sunday September 18, Packers vs. Panthers in North Carolina. This was important because my brother James lives in Columbia, South Carolina so it would give me an excuse to go visit him and also check out my first Packers road game. The only thing that I needed was some people crazy enough to make the roadtrip with me, and I found them in the McKissick brothers Gary and Kevin and this weird scary clown that Kevin picked up. More on him later. Like usual, I said goodbye to Coach Gordon Bombay on a Thursday night and we began the road trip. We had no idea what adventures were ahead of us, but we were ready.

It was good that we hit the Appalachians in the day time because mountains of any kind are quite a sight to see. I have had the good fortune of driving through these beauties recently (on the way to Washington D.C. in 2010) and was glad to be back here again.

Thurman was Kevin's idea as a way to spice up the roadtrip. Yeah, like I needed another yahoo in the car to test my patience during the 15 hour car ride. But I promised Kevin that Thurman could come along for the ride as long as Kevin would look after him. Like a good father, Kevin held his hand while we were filling up on gas and made sure that Thurman didn't get any on him and then sniff his hands. Apparently that isn't good for you. Thanks Dad.