What's in a wink?

"I never cried after a loss, only after a win." 

Pat Dye winked at me. We were both leaning against the railing overlooking his pond. His dogs, mutts all, were roaming around, sniffing, pissing, doing dog things. Jeremy had just finished his interview. The recorder was off. We were making small talk — reliving Dye's locker room speeches, talking bout Cam Newton and Gene Chizik and how he wouldn't want Nick Saban at Auburn ("I don't care if he won a national championship every year. I wouldn't want that asshole here." Agreed.). At some point, Jeremy looked away and Dye and I locked eyes. That's when it happened: a quick shutter of the left eye. Not sure what it meant, and I'm sure I don't care. The man who gave me "again and again and again" and Bo Jackson and Pat Dye Field and the team of the '80s winked at me. That's enough.  

"I like your column. Do you enjoy writing it?" 

Eyes alight, smile. "I do. Have you read this week's? I just finished it a couple hours ago."

"No. I haven't had a chance to read yet."

"Well, it's about David and Goliath. Do you know the story?"

"I do."

"Do you think David was scared when he faced Goliath — that big bully?" 

"No . . . Was he?"

"Shit yeah he was scared."

[more about David and Goliath and how Alabama and South Carolina was a modern interpretation] 

After finishing, leaning forward, a smile on his face: "Hang around me boy and you'll learn some things."

Pat Dye is not as tall as I thought he'd be. He's about six foot, age has given his shoulders a slight slump. Got to meet him last Wednesday. Jeremy and I drove out to his place. Jeremy is writing a piece for Auburn Magazine on Bo Jackson, so of course talking to Dye was a must (especially since he might not get to talk to Bo; here's to hoping). The piece is going to be great, and I was honored to receive an invite. 

I'm trying to write something for TWER about the visit. Don't have much yet. Maybe something will come of it. 

Other highlights: 

He repeatedly referred to former Alabama head coach Ray Perkins as a dumbass. Perkins once said the Iron Bowl meant more to him because he attended UA. Don't question how much Auburn means to Pat Dye, Ray Perkins. You dumbass. 

He was reading William Faulkner on his back porch when we arrived. 

He told us he had 10 love letters from Harper Lee and that he "turned her." [Insert imagination]