My husband refused to walk my 17-year-old daughter, his stepdaughter for nine years, at her high school senior night. “That’s something a real father should do,” he told her. But when her name was announced Thursday evening, her 79-year-old grandfather appeared with his walking cane and proudly accompanied her onto the court.

Travis didn’t say anything else.

He put his hands back between his knees.

But he stopped rubbing his thumb.

He went very still. The way a man goes still up in a deer stand.

The JV girls cleared the floor. The varsity girls from both teams lined up along the far sideline for the ceremony. Our girls in maroon. The visitors in white. Everybody with their hands clasped

behind their backs.

Mr. Halvorson does the announcing at every home game.

He taught shop at our school for thirty years. He has a voice like a man calling hogs who’s been

to a little bit of college.

He tapped the microphone twice.

“Ladies and gentlemen. Please welcome our senior volleyball players and their families, as we honor

them on their final regular-season home game.”

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