Pink Whistles

“This is our first duck derby ever. We decided on pink ducks because that is the color used for Breast Cancer Awareness.” --Cathy Day

Everywhere in October you seem to see pink in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Even had a pink pizza box this week. Half expected to see pink toppings on the thing. Maybe beets. It to me is a worthy and successful public relations effort, my own maternal Grandmother died from this very deadly disease in her early thirties. Here is a quick story about pink that happened to me.

Our crew was officiating at a 7th grade football game and the association we are members of has asked us to wear a pink whistle in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month for 2 weeks of games in October. We provided the press box announcer a script to read to highlight this and to inform the spectators of the reason for the hot pink whistles. Towards the end of a time out in the 2nd quarter of the game, the announcer read, “In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the officials of the Capital Area Officials Association will be wearing pink whistles for the game tonight.”

From my referee position I had the distinct advantage of looking at the defense, and at this time, specifically, a defensive linebacker (we will refer to him as blue #52).

At the end of the announcement, we locked eyes and I could see this big grin on his face. Then he loudly states to teammates and officials alike, “I like breasts!”

You never know what is going to come out of their mouths. I think he missed the "Cancer" part, all that his 13 year old adolescent developing mind heard was "BREAST."

Middle school boys, they just don’t get it. We really should separate them from our girls. Humor writer Dave Barry summed it up when he wrote, “Scientists now believe that the primary biological function of breasts is to make males stupid.”

'Nuff said.


Bottom photo: Me & the "Mother Tree" on our fall float down the Looking Glass River. Click on the photo and take a closer look at the tree, you can see where it gets its name. I will apologize for the blurriness of the photo, but the photographer was obviously discombobulated by the tree. Tree was named and photo was taken by my friend Bob, a much-older 13-year-old. (last name withheld till he lets me know it is OK to use)