I experienced a modern-day, true version of the old Clint Eastwood western at the VooDoo game in the Arena on March 9th.

 

The VooDoo homecoming game was pretty special for my son, my husband and me. We're big VooDoo fans!  Before Katrina, we bought our young son an AFL football so he could get autographs from players after the games. He brought his football to the home-opener to get players to sign it.

 

After holding the football for a while, I took the suggestion of the nice lady sitting two seats down and set my son's football in the spare seat between us.

 

There was a group of well-mannered teenagers sitting in the row behind me, and there were two young men, sitting on that same row, a few seats to my left.

I recognized these same two men who stopped me near the food concession earlier in the evening.

 

My husband left his seat for a moment to answer a phone call.

I noticed out of the corner of my eye, those two guys had moved closer, now positioning themselves directly behind the spare seat.  A few minutes later, I noticed the football was gone.

 

So, here's the "Good":  One of the young ladies behind me alerted me she witnessed those same two guys "steal the ball and hide it under their seat".

 

Without hesitating, I jumped over my own seat like it wasn't there, determined to get back my son's football from the thief who stole it from him.  And, I'm grateful the Good Samaritan who saw it happen had the courage to stand right there with me.

 

Here's the "Bad":  What kind of punk would steal from a child?  The same punks who didn't have the guts to admit they just robbed a little boy, and the same punks who made no apology when caught red-handed.

 

The "ugly" surfaced when the thieves refused to give back my son's football.  I must apologize to those who witnessed the use of some ugly, unlady-like language in my anger and disgust.

 

The football was right there where the Good Samaritan said it would be.  Make no mistake, I got the football back.  How do I know it was my son's football?  It had his name on it written in permanent ink.

 

Thank you, to the young lady sitting behind me for doing the right thing.  For being a Crimestopper!

I hope her actions will be a lesson for all of us.  We have to look out for each other and have the courage to do the right thing.

 

Next time, the football stays home.

- Kriss Fairbairn / WDSU NewsChannel 6 Anchor