The Royals Pennant Above the Bed

A father hangs a worn Kansas City Royals pennant in his daughter's room, and she asks why—not knowing it's his own childhood dream tucked into hers.

My daughter asked why I hung the old Royals pennant above her bed. I almost said because they're a good team, but that felt small.

Truth is, I watched them win in '85 when I was her age, glued to a tinny radio in my grandfather's garage. He'd squeeze my shoulder each time they scored. I kept that pennant all these years—through moves, heartbreaks, seasons when nobody asked about baseball.

Now she falls asleep under royal blue, and sometimes she tells me she dreamed she caught a fly ball. I don't correct her. I just sit on the edge of the mattress and listen.

Maybe the pennant isn't really about the team. Maybe it's about saying: I carried something small and joyful long enough to share it with you.

Do you have something from your childhood still hanging around, waiting for the right moment to be passed along?