Not actually seen in person

My city has totally rocked out the royal blue, the horseshoe decorations, the jerseys and the enthusiastic greetings on every single road sign in the place.

"WELCOME, INDIANAPOLIS COLTS!!!"

They are here for their training camp and most of the population is just beside themselves with elation, all except for Aisling, who simply cannot understand why the main road that runs through the university campus the Boys in Blue are using is closed down and guarded by a bunch of burly men in sunglasses.

"This is a STATE ROAD," she grumbled as we had to turn away and seek an alternate route on the way to her piano lessons on Tuesday. "Who CARES if they're practicing here? I need to get to my LESSON."

"From the looks of things, I'm guessing all the major networks, plus a lot of cable outlets," I answered, gesturing toward a bevy of vans that were bristling with satellite dishes. "Look, ESPN!"

"Ugh," she said disdainfully, as if I'd pointed to an anthill.

I explained to her that the Indianapolis Colts are famous, very famous; Super Bowl winners, nearly won a second time, Peyton Manning most famous quarterback ever, highest paid....I don't really care a jot about football, so I was surprised at how much I knew. I might have made some of it up to impress her, but it all sounded pretty legit.

So by the time we passed a pizza place with some kid out front dressed in full-pads Colts regalia and sporting both a number 18 jersey and a helmet in the ninety-four degree temps, holding a sign that read "By One Horseshoe Shaped Pizza, Get One Free!" Aisling was all pumped up and screamed, "LOOOOOOOK!!!! THERE'S PEYTON MAAAAAAANNING!!!!!!!"

I then had to explain some more things to her, including the fact that when Peyton Manning is not actually practicing with the team or playing a game? He's allowed to wear real clothes.

And secondly, the kid with the sign was about five-foot-six and looked to weigh about a hundred and thirty pounds. Peyton Manning, I informed Aisling, is considerably bigger than that. And has enough money that he doesn't have to moonlight at Gino's Pizza for a little extra spending money to splash around our city during his free time.

We were ten minutes late to piano, by the way.