Page 53 of Conflicted
He noticed Coach Rogers was equally fond of catfish when he sat down a few minutes later. “Evening, Coach. What happened to your budget in the middle of football season? I thought they did cuts over the summer.”
“The main boiler went out and the school district’s emergency fund was empty.” The older man lifted one shoulder. “They spread the cuts around and hit everyone. All the sports teams and extra-curriculars are scrambling. The booster club screamed bloody murder, but even they could see this is how it has to be.” His bushy eyebrows drew together. “The only reason I’m still coaching is because I’m also the Athletic Director and part of admin. I had a couple of volunteers for help from the parents, but no one with actual experience coaching, like you.”
“Have you cleared using me with the administration?” Nathan met his old coach’s eyes. “With my background, they might have some objections.”
“What background? Did you pick up a police record I don’t know about?” Coach Rogers snorted and gave him the same look he got about twenty years ago when he was slacking on pushups. “You belong in coaching and teaching. You never should have left. The only person who blamed you for what happened is you.”
Pain stabbed Nathan’s chest, and he clenched his jaw. “I should have seen what was going on with that boy. I pushed him too hard. He was in pain and I missed it. And Jason blamed me, too. I’m the only teacher he mentioned in his suicide note.”
Rogers shook his head, his expression grave. “You can’t take what the boy said seriously. He wasn’t in his right mind.” The coach picked up his fork. “Now eat your dinner before it gets cold and we’ll talk some more afterwards.” Nathan opened his mouth to protest, but the Coach interjected, “And yes, before you ask again, I spoke to the principal about taking you on and he thought it would be fine.”
The coach took his own advice and there was silence for several minutes as both concentrated on their meal. Nathan tried to enjoy the food, but the memory of Jason left him with a bitter taste that didn’t sit well with the fish.
Once a server brought them their peach cobbler, Coach Rogers started talking again, this time giving Nathan a summary of the team and their performance so far that season. They’d been doing well and had a chance at the district play-offs, if they could win the Homecoming game against their arch-rivals, KC East. “We haven’t beaten them since you intercepted that pass against them, twenty years ago, but we’ve got a better all-around team this year and I think we might be able to do it. With your help.”
“I’ve already agreed to help, Coach.” Nathan forced a chuckle from his mouth. “No need for the hard sell.”
They talked further, and the coach gave him a copy of the playbook and information on the specific players. The restaurant had emptied, and the wait staff was giving them pointed looks every time they came to offer more coffee or ask if they needed something else. “I always forget how early this place closes,” Coach Rogers reached for his ticket. “We’d better pay our bills and get out of here.”
Nathan was too fast for him, though, and grabbed the coach’s bill with his own and headed to the cashier to pay. When he returned for his things, he ignored Rogers’ scowl. “I told you dinner was my treat.”
“I’m pleased to see you still have some speed in you. Thanks for the dinner. I’ll see you tomorrow around one?”
“I’ll be there.”
After not hearing from either Ruby or Will in days, Nathan watched his team doing the warmup. They were great guys, about the same age as Jason when he...
Nathan shook off the thought and turned away from the exercising team. Of all the opponents, they faced the Lions today. What a nightmare!
The game got off to a good start with the Falcons scoring a touchdown on their first possession. The kicker missed the extra point, but they were still up 6-0. And that’s the way the score stayed for the rest of the first half. Their defense was solid and kept the Falcons from scoring, but the Falcons kept them from scoring, too.
At the half-time break, Nathan wondered what Coach Rogers would say to motivate the team. The defense was getting tired and the offense disheartened. All needed a lift. Fortunately, the coach provided it. “You’ve all played a solid first half,” he began. “I am proud to see that zero on the scoreboard. Now you need to keep it there, defense. And the next possession, we need to add to our side.” There was more of course, but Nathan was only half listening. It was Homecoming tonight and his memories overwhelmed his thoughts.
He came back to reality when the coach pulled them into a power circle. After the traditional chant they broke up and headed back out to the field. The third quarter remained scoreless, although the Falcons had come within range twice, they hadn’t been able to pull a touchdown out of the first and the kicker had missed the field goal on the second try. Then, at the beginning of the fourth quarter, the Lions turned a punt return into a touchdown run. Somehow, none of the Falcons were close enough for a tackle. With the score tied, the Lions kicked the extra point successfully to take the lead, 7-6.
Before the offense took the field, the coach gathered them around. “We still have almost ten minutes of playing time. Plenty to score again. I want to see the Falcon offense that started this game. Go out there and play!”
At first it seemed like his message had gotten through. They had the beginnings of a great drive with first downs on each of the next four plays. But then they were stalled at the Lions twenty-yard line. The coach came over to Nathan. “Go get Lindsay. I’m going to put her in for the field goal.”
“What about Martinson?”
“He’s known this could happen since he missed the last field goal attempt. He’ll cope. We still have plenty of time on the clock.”
Nathan walked back to where the kickers were practicing their moves and called for Lindsay. Martinson came over with her. “Sorry Danny. Coach is giving Lindsay the opportunity this time.”
The serious-faced girl with her hair tightly braided grabbed her helmet and followed Nathan. “Thanks for the chance, sir.”
“Don’t thank me; thank Coach Rogers – after you score.”
“Yes, sir.”
Nathan walked over to Coach Rogers as Lindsay prepped to enter the game. “Are you sure she’s up to it, Coach?”
“Lindsay Buckingham has been football-mad since she first saw the game played as a child. She has five brothers, so she got plenty of practice playing, once her parents laid down the law.” Rogers planted his ham-sized palm on Nathan's shoulder. “The world is changing, Gomez. I don’t have a problem with allowing girls and young women the opportunity to play. Of course, if someone tells me they can play the line or be quarterback, I’ll retire.” His mouth set in a determined line but then relaxed in a semblance of a smile. “Lindsay’s taken full advantage and waited all season for a chance. Tonight she gets it.”
Nathan stood with the coach and watched as she took the field. The kick would be tricky. They’d been fighting the wind all night. It whipped around with no rhyme or reason. And then the play started. Lindsay came at the ball on the tee and her focus was so much on the ball that she didn’t see the Lion player coming at her from the side. He dove at her just as she connected with the ball and Lindsay’s field goal never had a chance.
“Damn,” Coach Rogers said under his breath. “I really thought she had a chance.”
