CAROLINE'S CORNER: TAILGATING WITH STYLE

When I grow up, I want to be a tailgater at Southeastern Conference football games. I know of no function that offers more excitement than a major game, and the tailgaters are able to participate in the activities with style.The tailgaters arrive on campus in their recreational vehicles that have been cleaned to a high shine. The RVs, bodies gleaming in the sun, are decorated with school colors. There is usually an expansive awning to protect owners and guests from the elements, and on the ground is spread a rug on which are placed comfortable lounge chairs and a welcome mat from the school of choice.

Those who tailgate in the highest style serve their hors d'oeuvres on tables covered with linen tablecloths edged with lace and decorated with bouquets of cut flowers (in school colors, if possible). The dishes are fine china and utensils are silver. Ferns are hung from the awnings and chrysanthemums (in school colors, if possible) are placed at strategic locations.

The serious tailgater arrives in his home on wheels the Wednesday before the game on Saturday. He has occupied the same spot across from the stadium for many years, and he would not give up his spot for anything. His friends know where to find him and as the big RVs begin to roll in, the parties begin. The atmosphere is similar to a family reunion and a New Year's Eve party combined. Anticipation hangs in the air as Spanish moss on a live oak tree.

In October, my longing to be a tailgater was especially great when Boulware and I attended the Mississippi State-Auburn game in Starkville, Miss. We parked a mile from Scott Field because tailgaters had taken the spaces closer to the stadium, and we walked through the jubilee. Boulware took the sidewalk trail as I meandered through the maze of RVs, hoping that someone would take pity on me and offer me a piece of fried chicken.

Even though I am not fortunate enough to be a tailgater, I can get over that deprivation and still enjoy the games with great gusto. I can ease into the spirit of the season quickly by going south.

In the Southeast, folks take their football seriously. The game is the main topic of conservation from late August until Thanksgiving, and who is number one and who has the best quarterback is debated daily. Once I step into the region, I become a part of the football scene.

An added interest is that our family is split right down the middle on the topic. Boulware and one daughter are Auburn graduates, and they wear orange and blue to the games and yell, "War Eagle!" The other daughter is a Mississippi State student and long ago I graduated from a girls' school 20 miles from that campus, so we wear maroon and white and scream, "Go, Dawgs!"

Boulware carries his little orange and blue stadium cushion, and I walk beside him proudly displaying my maroon and white cushion. Because we are not a part of the tailgate hierarchy, we sit on our opposing cushions and eat hot dogs from napkins and drink Pepsi from plastic cups.

The last game was especially exciting to me because as we entered the highway leading to Starkville, we found ourselves in the caravan of buses and vans that was transporting the Auburn team to the stadium. They were surrounded by Mississippi State Highway Patrolmen and Alabama State Troopers, and we hooked onto the rear vehicle and sped right through campus, never having to stop for the usual traffic tie-ups. Boulware was quite hesitant about using this freedom, but I assured him that I would take full responsibility.

As he slid down in the seat and peered over the steering wheel, I placed my Mississippi State cushion out of view. I held his Auburn cushion to the window and waved and returned "War Eagle" yells as we sped through the throngs of Auburn fans assembled to watch their boys arrive on campus. They must have thought I was somebody's mama.

The friendly rivalry of the game is not confined to the Southeast. Those of us who have moved from the area find other SEC fans with whom we continue the war of words.

Boulware and I have such a relationship with a local pharmacist who is a graduate of the University of Tennessee. When I informed this vocal UT fan that we were planning to attend the Mississippi State-UT game, he offered us the use of his UT flag to place atop our antenna, in case we should need it after the game.

"You might find it useful to get back through Tennessee," he said.

Because we won the game, we did not have a use for the flag. I felt that I should repay the friendly deed, so upon our return, I delivered a plastic Mississippi State cup to his pharmacy. Inside the cup I placed a friendly note. "Thank you for the offer of the flag, but we did not find a use for it. Please accept this cup as a gift in case you get thirsty for orange juice."

The pharmacist assured me that he really will drink orange juice from the cup and he really will repay the favor. I am nervously waiting to see how the debt will be repaid.

Maybe this friend will buy a huge RV and invite us to a tailgate party. I'll even wear orange and white and provide the fried chicken, china and silver. Orange mums should be easy to find this time of year.

Caroline Simpson is a regular columnist for the Jackson U.S.A. Signal. Her human interest stories and feature columns appear in other Rust Communications newspapers.