the madness

Yesterday, I watched 15-seed Ronald Morris come close to picking off #2 Villanova. A bit later, I saw a buzz-beater shot that put #13 Murray State over #4 Vanderbilt. The day was full of little upsets. Old Dominion over Notre Dame. Saint Mary's over Richmond. But the evening brought the most incredible game. #14 Ohio University rolled over #3 Georgetown. They flattened those guys, rolled them up, and mailed them back to DC in an envelope. It was awesome.

I watched basketball yesterday not only because I love the NCAA tournament, but also because I wanted to escape Martin's bad behavior. Because he had a mild fever two days ago, he could not attend school yesterday. My husband and I took turns during the day trying to keep him occupied, but also rested up from his bout with a cold. Martin was not interested in our offerings. All he wanted to do was watch movies. It was a showdown.

I sometimes wish the world was seeded like the NCAA tournament. Martin would be the #15 or #16 seed, battling a list a foes. The #1 seed of going through a day like a normal kid. The #2 seed of fingernail clipping. The #3 seed of haircutting. The #4 seed of going to a party with friends. The #5 seed of eating vegetables. As we witnessed in the tournament yesterday, it is possible for the 5s, the 4s, and even the 3s to be overtaken by the underdog.

I want the seedings because then I and others could know that it is a huge accomplishment when Martin does some of those things that are normal for everyone else. "Martin eating peas?" we'd ask, "Well, I guess we have as much chance at that as UTEP over Butler. And we all know how that went." "Fingernail clipping? Well, I guess a 15 has taken down a 2 only four times in history, but remember how awesome it was when Richmond beat Syracuse the year I graduated from high school? It could happen again. You could clip Martin's nails successfully and without incident. Just believe."

"Going through a day like a normal kid?" A 16 has never, ever defeated a 1. I shouldn't get my hopes up. That doesn't mean it can't ever happen. But if it does, I'm storming the floor.