It’s hard to believe, but this was Carter’s first loss since becoming a Kansas City Chiefs fan.
Have you forgotten? Carter used to be a fair-weather fan; he was one of those fans who would turn away without hesitation when the team lost. Perhaps he wouldn’t add insult to injury, but he wouldn’t calmly accept the team’s loss and remain unmoved either.
He hated losing.
In the world of competitive sports, victory is everything. Without victory, without championships, talking about dreams and passion is all just nonsense.
ntal victories are rely a self-deception.
Then, he found the Kansas City Chiefs, a team that wouldn’t lose, a team that always won championships.
Everything was perfect.
Carter thought that the mont the Kansas City Chiefs lost, he would be angry, he would be disappointed, he would suffer. Those motivational speeches are just lip service. When truly facing a loss, the nature of a fair-weather fan would show itself; he didn’t believe he could withstand the test.
But...
The anger was real, the disappointnt was real, the suffering was real, but it wasn’t because the Kansas City Chiefs lost; it was because of the netizens attacking the Chiefs for losing.
Carter wasn’t even considering himself, he was wholeheartedly thinking about the Kansas City Chiefs—
How could they!
To attack the Kansas City Chiefs over one loss, to negate the Kansas City Chiefs because of one ga, to besiege the Kansas City Chiefs over one unexpected incident.
For four seasons, the Kansas City Chiefs hadn’t always had smooth sailing; they’d faced peaks and lows, stood on the brink and fought back, faced counterattacks even when leading. Yet the Kansas City Chiefs remained relentless and indomitable, which is the quality that defines a champion.
Forget before, the previous season when the Kansas City Chiefs went undefeated and topped the league wasn’t smooth or taken for granted, was it?
Those people saw the Kansas City Chiefs lose, but they didn’t see the Chiefs fighting determinedly to the last mont, their resilience and toughness even when running on empty. They even erased the fighting spirit that the Chiefs showed throughout the ga. They were just tired, fatigued from nearly three years of peak performance. Aren’t they allowed to be tired, to be vulnerable, to be exhausted?
Damn it.
Damn it, damn it, damn it!
Carter was indeed angry, angry at those who couldn’t wait to turn their backs on the Kansas City Chiefs or even attack them. They should feel ashad and disgraced!
Not the Kansas City Chiefs!
If soone had told Carter eighteen months ago that he would be furious because people attacked a team, that he would wholeheartedly support a team, that he would believe in a team without reservation even in the face of defeat, he would sneer and think it was a poor joke.
But now, Carter firmly believed he needed to do sothing.
This is their team; it’s Felix’s team, a team weathering storms together during difficult tis, a team uniting the entire city.
Precisely because it’s a difficult ti, they need to show their support even more, let the Kansas City Chiefs hear the voices from the city and the fans.
Just like Arrowhead Stadium.
If fans could raise their voice at Arrowhead Stadium today, perhaps things would be different.
But what should he do?
He, like other residents, was stuck at ho, unable to leave easily. They couldn’t organize activities; they couldn’t appear in front of the team and cheer to their heart’s content.
The situation was unprecedentedly tricky.
This plunged Carter into deep agony. He gripped his hair tightly, pulling constantly, trying to awaken his brain to co up with a viable plan.
If it were Felix, what would he do?
Carter took a deep breath. Although Felix was no longer around, he missed his friend’s presence more than ever.
"Felix, I need so help." Carter kept murmuring under his breath.
Then, a figure appeared in his mind.
"Annie."
Carter abruptly sat up. He had never t Annie Galas, but her stories were always heard in Kansas City. Felix had talked many tis about the episodes between them.
After Annie’s regrettable passing, a special event was held at Arrowhead Stadium, with people singing aloud both inside and outside to commorate the strong girl.
It all stemd from Annie’s previous action. When everyone stood on the opposite side, trying to attack and besiege Li Wei, when Gillette Stadium used ugly and dirty tactics to fan the flas and make everyone attack Li Wei, Annie responded.
Ha!
Carter gasped, nervously and clumsily dialing the number of David Anderson, the owner of Old Oak Tavern, and of course, West and the others.
After the call, Carter pushed open the window, standing before the window rail, his heart pounding uncontrollably, with emotions of tension, sha, and internal conflict crashing through him; but Carter still closed his eyes, temporarily forgetting himself, facing the street, and sang aloud.
"When you walk through a storm, hold your head up high, and don’t be afraid of the dark."
Carter’s voice was trembling slightly, because he wasn’t confident in his singing, he even doubted if he was tone-deaf, worried about going off key as soon as he opened his mouth.
He was exposing his vulnerability, foolishly singing to the street and road, all alone, exposing himself.
Sha and regret burned within his whole being.
But Carter didn’t give up. He kept singing resolutely, just like Annie back then, just like tens of thousands of Kansas City Chiefs fans.
Anderson said they are Chiefs, no matter where they are, their passion and sincerity are always at Arrowhead Stadium, fighting alongside the Kansas City Chiefs.
Indeed, they face difficulties now, they can no longer cheer for the team at Arrowhead Stadium as they used to, but this still can’t stop them, their hearts are forever standing with the team, facing all challenges and storms with heads held high.
What he needs to do is not to counterattack those haters and trolls, not to get entangled with those pathetic madn on social dia, but to look toward his own team and tell them through real actions:
No matter what happens, they will never walk alone.
Carter didn’t know or wasn’t sure where the Kansas City Chiefs players were now, whether they were still at the stadium or had returned ho; but Carter was certain, if the entire city could rally and voice the sound of Annie Galas in such difficult and darkest tis—
Then, the players could hear. Li Wei could hear.
So Carter knew he was tone-deaf, he also knew he was like a fool singing to the empty street, he knew all of it.
But he still sang resolutely, even singing louder and with more force.
It was the first ti in his life, the first ti he faced failures calmly, the first ti he sang for failure, the first ti he stood on the side of setbacks and darkness.
He firmly believed that after experiencing these tests and hardships, they could beco a better version of themselves. They could find their own color and weight in the long and aningless life; life could have more, existence could have more, it definitely wasn’t just about...breathing.
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