Bless his heart, he won! I can hear the screaming and see the fireworks from my front porch, and I suspect it’ll go on for hours. Things are hopping here in Conway for damn sure.

Here’s the thing – 38 million votes last night from Arkansas alone. Have any of you ever been through Arkansas? We might have almost that many ticks here after a warm winter, but nothing close to that many people. We don’t vote for the ERA around here or much in a presidential election, but put one fairly cute, aww shucks Baptist boy on American Idol and stand back, brothers and sisters. Stand back.

I won’t pretend I followed any of this before tonight. I was too busy trying to find parking during finals week to make his on-campus concert and, well, American Idol comes on during Deadliest Catch. Sorry Kris.

It’s possible I’m the only person in Conway who doesn’t own a t-shirt with his name across it. Wait – the second person. My daughter still harbors a grudge over his free Stoby’s cheese dip for life, so there are two of us. She’s fairly put out over this and I’m sure she’ll have plenty to say about fame and fortune and belonging to the right congregation.

Soon, all the profs at UCA will start pouring over old gradebooks to see if he was once in their classes. I couldn’t tell you on a bet right now if he was in one of mine. Nothing against Kris at all, it’s just that you could walk into any class on any day at any hour and see about three or four just like him – good boys who smile and say “yes ma’am.” I love those students, and their numbers are legion around here.

I do wish him well. I know his mama is mighty proud, because I saw her. In that red dress. Weeping. I’m also sure that for the next few weeks we’ll hear about the power of prayer. Jesus will get most of the credit for a while, but that’s fine. Jesus doesn’t have free cheese dip for life.