field that varsity used for practice. It wasn’t dry like ours was. Their practice field was watered daily, and the lush green grass was nicely groomed with fresh lines painted on it every morning. Every day we had to jog by it to get back to the lockers to change. The three bleachers along the varsity practice field were always filled. It was unbelievable that people would show up on these hot days to watch a football practice—not even a game, a practice. I was on the team, and I wished that I didn’t have to be out in the sun, in the scorching August heat. People took pictures, and there was always at least one news crew filming the practice. Wow, this town needed to get a life. We had just jogged past the bleachers when Coach Miller called me over. Eric was next to me and pushed me in the direction of Coach Miller. “You are busted, Keller,” he said, running on.
Coach Miller was an imposing figure. For a man in his sixties, he looked like he could play pro football. He was watching the varsity team practice. I jogged up next to him.
“We’ve been watching you and we like what we see. For the next scrimmage against Moeller, we want you to play with varsity.” I was stunned. “How does that sound to you?”
“G-G-Great, Coach! Thanks!” I said, almost bursting with excitement.
“And, Keller, don’t let me down.” He looked into my eyes.
“I won’t, Coach.”
Suddenly, I heard a loud metallic crack and spun around. One of the large light towers used by the TV stations was falling out of the bleachers and heading right for us. I pushed Coach Miller out of the way as it crashed and sent pieces of glass and metal everywhere.
“What are you trying to do, kill us?” Coach Miller yelled into the stands. “I am going to ban whoever is responsible for this.”
Several news crew members scurried out of the stands. Through the bleachers and the smashed light tower, I saw the same sea green truck that I had seen at the rest stop. I moved to see it better, but it sped away.
“You okay, Keller?”
“I’m fine, Coach.”
“Okay then, go get cleaned up while I deal with these hooligans.”
I sprinted back to get changed. I couldn’t believe I was almost killed. But, at least I was going to break my three-years-of-not-playing streak, and I was going to do it playing with varsity. JV hadn’t had a scrimmage yet. Their first one was the same day as varsity’s scrimmage. I was looking forward to playing with JV, but the chance to play with varsity was a dream come true.
When I got off the bus, I ran the ten-minute walk to my house. I was so excited to tell Cora the incredible news. I bounded up the walkway and through the front door, slamming it with a loud thud. Cora came running down the stairs.
“Is everything okay? Nicholas, what’s the matter?”
“Nothing’s the matter. Everything is great. I think I might actually play in the next scrimmage!”
“That’s wonderful!” Cora was excited too, because for the last three years she had sat in the stands waiting for something to cheer about. Now she would get her chance. “That is great news!”
“Well, it’s just a scrimmage, but I have to start somewhere.”
“Nicholas, I am so proud of you.”
“Wait, the best part is Coach Miller, you know, the varsity coach, told me he wants me to scrimmage with them!”
Cora’s face turned to stone. The air in the room felt like it was sucked out. All of the excitement was gone.
“How can you go from not playing the last three years, to playing with varsity this year? You’re just a tenth grader. Is the team really that bad?”
“Gee, thanks! What happened to the excitement?”
She took a deep breath. “No, it has nothing to do with you. I mean, you have never played in a game before at the smaller schools, and now they want you to play varsity for a school that is known for its football team. There will be,” she paused and took another deep breath, “a lot of people watching
Coach Miller was an imposing figure. For a man in his sixties, he looked like he could play pro football. He was watching the varsity team practice. I jogged up next to him.
“We’ve been watching you and we like what we see. For the next scrimmage against Moeller, we want you to play with varsity.” I was stunned. “How does that sound to you?”
“G-G-Great, Coach! Thanks!” I said, almost bursting with excitement.
“And, Keller, don’t let me down.” He looked into my eyes.
“I won’t, Coach.”
Suddenly, I heard a loud metallic crack and spun around. One of the large light towers used by the TV stations was falling out of the bleachers and heading right for us. I pushed Coach Miller out of the way as it crashed and sent pieces of glass and metal everywhere.
“What are you trying to do, kill us?” Coach Miller yelled into the stands. “I am going to ban whoever is responsible for this.”
Several news crew members scurried out of the stands. Through the bleachers and the smashed light tower, I saw the same sea green truck that I had seen at the rest stop. I moved to see it better, but it sped away.
“You okay, Keller?”
“I’m fine, Coach.”
“Okay then, go get cleaned up while I deal with these hooligans.”
I sprinted back to get changed. I couldn’t believe I was almost killed. But, at least I was going to break my three-years-of-not-playing streak, and I was going to do it playing with varsity. JV hadn’t had a scrimmage yet. Their first one was the same day as varsity’s scrimmage. I was looking forward to playing with JV, but the chance to play with varsity was a dream come true.
When I got off the bus, I ran the ten-minute walk to my house. I was so excited to tell Cora the incredible news. I bounded up the walkway and through the front door, slamming it with a loud thud. Cora came running down the stairs.
“Is everything okay? Nicholas, what’s the matter?”
“Nothing’s the matter. Everything is great. I think I might actually play in the next scrimmage!”
“That’s wonderful!” Cora was excited too, because for the last three years she had sat in the stands waiting for something to cheer about. Now she would get her chance. “That is great news!”
“Well, it’s just a scrimmage, but I have to start somewhere.”
“Nicholas, I am so proud of you.”
“Wait, the best part is Coach Miller, you know, the varsity coach, told me he wants me to scrimmage with them!”
Cora’s face turned to stone. The air in the room felt like it was sucked out. All of the excitement was gone.
“How can you go from not playing the last three years, to playing with varsity this year? You’re just a tenth grader. Is the team really that bad?”
“Gee, thanks! What happened to the excitement?”
She took a deep breath. “No, it has nothing to do with you. I mean, you have never played in a game before at the smaller schools, and now they want you to play varsity for a school that is known for its football team. There will be,” she paused and took another deep breath, “a lot of people watching
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