Bubba shrieked, "I see a cardinal!'

I looked out our kitchen window and saw the red bird sitting in the neighbor's tree right by our fence.

Bubba was so excited. "The cardinal is the state bird of Illinios!"

"And Indiana," Mower added.

"Where is it?" Little Dude strained to look.

"My dad doesn't like cardinals," Goofball interjected sadly before I could point out the bird to Little Dude. Goofball and Little Dude are staying here for the summer during the day. Goofball is a normally reserved little girl, and I stuck my lower lip out a little in sympathy for the sad tone in her voice. I was just about to ask why, expecting a story about her dad hitting a cardinal with the car or one pooping on him when he was little. She finished her bite of macaroni and cheese before commenting further. I have a borderline genius IQ, and it still took me a moment to comprehend what she said next.

"Daddy doesn't like cardinals because they beat the Astros."