My car is going to hate me after today. It probably has hated me for the last five and a half years, but today I’ve been especially rough on it. 

I made the return from Kansas City to Russell in the morning and early afternoon. I had to make a detour at KCK to get something done for work, then at Topeka for gas. I got all the shopping I needed done in KCMO before departing. I considered staying later to see Robb and Dawn at Buffalo Wild Wings, but I said nah, let me get home. 

I pulled into 1224 North Brooks at 2:15. I unloaded the car and FINALLY got my hair cut. I had gone over a month without it being cut. It’s the longest I can remember going without a haircut, at least since I first started wearing it short on Memorial Day weekend 1989. The only other time since then I’ve gone a month without a haircut was when I was in the hospital near the end of 2004. Hair obviously was not a concern. Not when you’re fighting for your life. 

I drove to Norton anyway. I wasn’t planning on going to this game. At first, the plan was to drive today from Kansas City to Columbia for the LSU-Missouri men’s game tomorrow night. However, I couldn’t get tickets or a press credential, and I figured it was too much to stay in a hotel. Also, it’s one game, and it’s not my favorite sport. I don’t know if I’ll even watch, although I might check it out.

Baseball series are better, simply because you’re in a town three days, maybe four. Basketball and football are too hurried. Sometimes a football team isn’t in the locale for 24 hours. It’s fly in, check in to the hotel, check out, play the game, fly out. Same with basketball, although teams hold a shoot-around the morning of the game to get used to the arena and the baskets. 

I almost stayed home, but I figured I’d better go. I haven’t seen anyone from Norton in a month, and it’s the Bluejays’ first home game. Had they played Smith Center as scheduled Dec. 16, I probably would have skipped tonight. 

Norton is playing a team from Nebraska, Cambridge, which is 51 miles northwest of the Bluejays’ nest. It’s more convenient sometimes for teams along the state lines to play out of state than go south, west or east. The Bluejays play their first Mid-Continent League game Friday at Stockton. 

The renovated and expanded gym lobby at Norton is very nice. It was sorely needed. Now if a few other schools could do the same. Ellis, Plainville and Trego don’t need it. Stockton does. 

Now the only problem is the 120-mile drive back to Russell in the dark. The worst is always the leg on US 283 to WaKeeney. No stopping in Hays. Probably going to fall asleep quickly when I get home. 

It’s probably good I got out tonight. I can see myself going nuts staying home all day. God I wish Hays had some place to play Buzztime trivia! It sucks having to drive to Salina, and the Buffalo Wild Wings there doesn’t make me feel as welcome if I want to stay for long periods. 

This is my first trip to Norton in exactly three months. Has it really been that long?