Last Thursday was a rollercoaster of extreme heat, missing brain cells, and a very public lesson in modern teen humor.

It all started at the high school football season opener, with LQPV hosting Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop. My broadcasting partner, Dick Newman, and I were setting up the radio equipment in what can only be described as a portable sauna in the press box with a view. Earlier that day, my wife gently suggested I bring a fan because it was so hot. In typical husband fashion, I scoffed and said I wouldn’t need it.

Naturally, she was right, I was wrong, and I spent the entire first quarter waiting to die because of the heat.

By the first commercial break, I was sweating through my shirt, questioning my life choices, and genuinely considering dragging my microphone outside to broadcast from the shade in the bleachers. But just as I was preparing to melt into a puddle on the press box floor, an absolute angel named Brittany Engesmoe saved the day. Having heard our desperate, heat-stroked pleas on air, she marched up into the booth carrying a large rotating fan, plugged it in, and set it to maximum blast right over my shoulder. The instant relief was incredible. Brittany, if you’re reading this: you are a legend and angel. Thank you.

With my core temperature back under control, it was time for halftime. I had invited senior cross-country runners Harper and Sadie to come up and talk about their season so far and the meet at the Appleton golf course that afternoon. I honestly don’t know how they ran in that heat—they’d already canceled the tennis match earlier in the day—but they showed up looking cheerful and wearing white t-shirts with handwritten messages across the front.

When I asked what was up with the custom apparel shirts, Harper explained that the student section had picked a “White Lie” theme for the game. Her shirt said something about how she “follows directions well.” I nodded along politely, but in reality, I had absolutely zero clue what she was talking about.

Fast forward to the end of the game. The Eagles took home a win, Dick and I survived the heat wave, and I was packing up my radio gear when I heard someone yelling my name from the stands. Down in the first row of the empty bleachers were three students in white shirts, waving me to come down for a picture. I was a bit confused, not sure why they wanted a picture with me. I get that once in a while, someone will want a picture with me.

I trotted down, feeling pretty popular, until I got close enough to read one of the  girl’s shirt.

​In big, bold letters, it said: “I DON’T LIKE PAUL RAYMO.”

I stood there completely shocked and thinking why does she not like me? I don’t even know her. What is going on? Is this a joke? Are they using me? Are they making fun of me?

​Seeing the sheer terror on my face, she smiled and reminded me of the theme Harper mentioned to me at halftime: “It’s a white lie!”

I looked at her and embarrassingly asked. “What’s a white lie?”

All three girls burst out laughing, finally taking pity on me to explain the joke: whatever is written on the shirt is the exact opposite of the truth!!!

​The lightbulb finally went on. Relief washed over me—she didn’t actually hate my guts! In fact, it was a very nice compliment. I went from deeply humiliated to touched in about three seconds flat. We grabbed a picture together, I gave her a hug, and thanked her for making my day. Then I took a look at her friends’ shirts. One read: “I have good taste in men.” (Hey, at least they were consistent!)

I’ll be honest—I had no idea who any of these girls were at the time and had to ask around later to find out her name was Addison. Addison, if you’re reading this, thank you for making my day and giving me a memory I won’t forget anytime soon. And something to blog about!

It was a wild, sweaty, hilarious end to the night. I might not be the sharpest knife in the drawer not knowing what a white lie was, but at least I’m learning new things every day! Just putting myself out there!