Many Lives Ranch

My Pre-Writing Interview with

Blake Lightfeather

Me: "Before I begin writing Katy Rose’s story, I wanted to get to know you a little better, okay?"
Blake: "Sure. What do you want to know?"
Me: "Let’s begin with a common question. How did you get started in football?"
Blake: —smiles and gives a little chuckle— "As a kid, I mean a little kid, I loved anything to do with a ball—catch, T-ball, baseball, soccer, basketball, football. I liked games on TV better than cartoons. As I grew, I played everything, but in high school, I limited myself to baseball and football. Then we started winning football championships, and I was scouted. The rest is history."
Me: "You had several offers. Why’d you choose Texas A&M?"
Blake: "I liked the team spirit and liked being close to my family."
Me: "Rumor had it you really wanted to be drafted by Austin Legend out of college. Why the interest in such a new franchise?"
Blake: "I’d met Coach Chambers several times and really felt connected. Plus, I watched how well he put a new team together. Instinct told me Austin was my place. And I’m a Texas boy all the way."
Me: So it was a dream come true when they picked you?
Blake: "You bet. I couldn’t have been happier. Austin is my team."
Me: "You’ve been with the Legend for nine years now and made it to the top. Any special plans?"
Blake: "Just to keep getting better. There’s always more to learn, more to sharpen—another championship, a Super Bowl. I want to play better next season than I did last season, help my teammates, and move the team forward."
Me: "Any plans to retire?"
Blake: "Not until I have to."
Me: "If you had to pick one person who was the biggest influence on your life and success, who would it be? You can take a second to think about that, if you want to."
Blake: "I don’t have to think about that at all. My dad was my rock from the day I was born. He encouraged me, worked with me, taught me morals and ethics. He taught me how to work. He cheered everything I did and always had time for me. His opinion and direction are still very important to me."
Me: "You’re very proud of your dad.What was he like?"
Blake: "My dad overcame the hate that came in his generation—racial odds and the contempt of citizens for fighting in the Vietnam War. He didn’t have a college education, but he had work ethic and values. He treated his family well and raised his children. He's the best mechanic in Bellville—or I should say, he was. He and Mom are retired now, traveling, seeing the world."
Me: "You mentioned race. I imagine with a name like Lightfeather, you took heat for being Native American."
Blake: "You see, that’s the thing—my dad stood up for who he was and never felt embarrassed or cowed by people. One of his great-grandfathers was Apache, and another was Mescalero Comanche. To assimilate into white society, his grandfather dropped “Feather” from the family name and went by Light. When my father learned about his ancestry, he took back the name Lightfeather and wore it proudly.
"There was a big stink when he married my mother—who was already pregnant with me. Of course, that was during the era of free love and hippies, so in some circles, it wasn’t too bad. It didn’t help that her parents' marriage was biracial. One family in particular in our town hated the Lightfeather name, which caused trouble for Katy Rose and me. Her grandfather didn’t want us to be friends. He called me a filthy mixed breed, no good, and a few other names I won’t repeat. It wouldn’t have mattered to him how well-educated or successful I was. To him, Katy Rose was too good for my kind. We tried to keep our friendship hidden for two years."
Me: "How do you feel about Katy Rose now?"
—Blake stops, gazes around the room, tapping his fingers on the arm of the chair like he’s ready to end the interview—
Me: —I dig in a little harder— "Well, you’re swarmed with beautiful, talented ladies. That can’t be so bad. What more can a man in your position want?"
—Blake’s smoking gaze snaps to me, and he shoots a glare like I just smashed his Super Bowl ring—
Blake: "You really have no idea, do you? Katy Rose was my gold standard. She loved me before I was anything. And I loved her. She was crushed after losing both parents and moving to podunk Texas, but she cared about me—the person. She liked football well enough but didn’t chase it. Her dad taught her just enough to keep up with my conversation. Any free time I had, we were together—studying, reading, hanging out, running together. But then I screwed up.

"She was so low, and I’d just graduated. We drank a little wine—a first for both of us—and I screwed up. I never should have let things go so far. She was only sixteen years old. Six weeks later, I left for football training at Texas A&M. I figured Katy and I were solid and she’d be waiting when I came home on break. I was wrong. Two days after I started training, she quit answering her phone. When I got a break and came back to Bellville, she was gone, and her grandfather wasn’t talking. Later that summer, he died, and Millie, his housekeeper, left town. Katy Rose was gone, and I had no clue where she was. It was the hardest time of my life, and it almost stopped me. If it hadn’t been for Cody, I would have never made it to the NFL."
Me: Cody’s a good friend. Where did you two meet?
Blake: "In college—we were roommates. Man can he ever snore. Sounds like a bear."
Me: I'm laughing. "Must not have bothered you much since  you kept him around. So Cody told you… what?"
Blake: "He said Katy Rose made her choice and that I had to focus on my career. Told me to give it time—that if there was anything between Katy and me, she’d come looking. Katy Rose never did. He listened to me for hours talking about her, with me groaning and licking my wounds. Cody pushed me to man up and said a few other things I can’t repeat here. He was tougher on me than Coach."
Me: "So everyone else calls her Katy. Why do you call her Katy Rose?"
Blake: "That’s how she introduced herself to me: “Hi, I’m Katy Rose Malloy.” She’s always been Katy Rose to me—never just Kate."
Me: "Describe yourself to me."
Blake: "You mean my looks?"
—I nod—
Blake: "I’m 6’3”, weigh 210, brown hair, brown eyes, keep in shape. Some people call me good-looking."
Me: "Cerebral or physical?"
Blake: "Both. You’ve got to be able to think fast in this game, and I don’t mind the hits. So it’s both."
Me: "Are you emotional?"
Blake: "The day after I made love with Katy Rose, I realized I’d let my emotions get the best of me. I decided then and there not to let emotion run my life. I make a conscious effort to control my reactions and attitude. It’s too dangerous otherwise. A loose cannon makes bad calls."
Me: I understand you don’t drink.
Blake: "Yeah, another thing I learned from my mistake with Katy. Alcohol kills your good sense. I might have a glass of wine with dinner or a beer with the boys, but I leave it at that.
Me: "You called what happened with Katy Rose a mistake. Why?"
Blake let's out a loud breath and runs a hand through his shaggy hair.
Blake: "Because she trusted me to watch out for her and I didn't. I never wanted to break her trust. Never wanted to let her down, and then she left. . . " He shrugs and shakes his head as his gaze drops to the floor.
Me: Let’s talk about your foundation, Many Lives. It’s an unusual name. Not named after you.
Blake: "Because it takes many lives to help many lives. I don’t need a foundation named after me. It's a program that includes my teammates and friends who want to help enrich the lives of disadvantaged kids—help them see beyond who they think they are and find their potential. Horses, football, and kids go together."
Me: Were you surprised to discover HR hired Katy Rose?
Blake: "Biggest and best surprise of my life."
Me: "You think you and Katy Rose will get together again?"
Blake: "That’s my dream."