Sporting Chance

Things were going really well and then I suffered a devastating blow just as my star began to rise. It happened on April 15; fate couldn't have chosen a more ominous day. While helping a student, Ricky Myers, to master the finer points of serving the tennis ball I was distracted by a car crash on the street next to the tennis courts.

I turned to look at the accident allowing Ricky's serve to smash into my ass like a rifle bullet. The location of the hit was made worse because I'd been wounded in that exact spot by sniper fire in Afghanistan. Fortunately the bullet grazed my ass instead of a direct entry but the wound had gotten infected and had left that cheek too sensitive to ignore the pain from the direct hit of Ricky's tennis ball.

The blow was incredibly painful and I lost my balance trying to recover my stance, only making the situation worse. Trying not to fall onto the cement I succeeded in doing more damage when I lost my balance completely. I basically did a leg split and fell on my left arm. I knew the leg split damaged muscle tissue in my left leg and I had nasty abrasions on my calf and arm. Coach Baker was coaching soccer on the field next to the courts and came running immediately.

"Don't move, Jeremy! Let me take a look."

It was the first time he'd ever called me Jeremy.

"Where does it hurt?"

"Where doesn't it hurt?"

I tried to laugh but only managed an embarrassing groan.

He took my arm first and gently probed the forearm muscle. The fall on the cement had scraped the skin and it was bleeding profusely. That, with the blood from the leg abrasion made my injuries look worse than they were.

"Can you move your arm? Don't move too fast."

I've had my share of training injuries, mostly minor, not to mention field injuries in the army. I knew I needed to be checked out by a physician and I didn't hesitate to tell Baker. He was gently probing my leg muscles as a crowd was began to gather.

"Can you get up?"

I tried to stand but it was too painful. He pushed my shoulder down to keep me seated on the court.

"Don't move. I'll get help."

Coach Chancellor was walking toward the courts and Baker yelled to her.

"Call an ambulance, Chancellor. He can't stand up on his own. I don't think he's broken any bones but he definitely needs to be checked out by a doctor."

She used her cell phone to call the EMT's and directed two students to stand near the road to help guide the ambulance driver. I lay down on the court, disgusted with myself for losing my concentration and letting this happen to me.

"I'm so sorry, Coach Easton, I didn't mean to."

Ricky was panicking.

"It wasn't your fault at all Ricky, not at all. I'd just like to know one thing, though. Did you aim that shot at my butt deliberately?" I laughed.

"No, no! I swear I didn't!"

"Relax, Ricky, I'm just teasing you. You whacked me in the butt right where an Afghan shot me a couple of years ago," I grinned. "It still smarts sometimes when I sit down."

A few of the kids in the crowd laughed and so did Ricky.

"Coach Easton's a tough nut to crack and he's going to be okay, you guys." Baker said. "He was in the Army Rangers, you know."

Apparently a lot of them didn't know because suddenly I was bombarded with questions about my military experiences, some wanting to know if I'd been a spy. Apparently someone had said that being a Ranger was a cover for CIA agents so I was having fun with the questions and even Baker jumped in, teasing me. The EMT squad arrived while I was still trying to digest the fact that Baker had seemed so concerned for me.

"Give me your cell phone, Easton."

I watched as he programmed his telephone number in my phone.

"When you know what's going on, call me. I put my cell number in your phone so you can reach me no matter what time it is. And why don't you give me your car keys? I'll take your car to your house and have one of the kids bring me back here."

I handed them over and didn't know why I was suddenly complying with his requests. While we now had a friendly relationship, I still felt uncomfortable giving my keys to him. It wasn't the car keys that worried me, it was that the keys to my house were also on that ring and it made me uncomfortable knowing that Patrick Baker could plunder through my home and personal items if he chose.

The emergency room physician, Dr. Harcourt, did a quick assessment and the result was what I'd expected. Plenty of rest, ice and compression, keep my leg elevated, and don't aggravate my left buttock. He bandaged the abrasions, gave me a shot for pain, and a prescription to get filled. Although I'd lived through it all before, I still listened carefully as the doctor gave me recovery instructions. I signed my release and called Coach Baker. Sitting in a wheelchair in the lobby, I was surprised when he appeared in front of me about twenty seconds after I phoned. He grinned.

"I'll bet you didn't know I can do magic."

"Good," I laughed. "Wave your wand and make me well."

"Magic, not miracles. After you'd been here two hours, I called Millie and she gave me the update on you so I had an idea of how much longer it would take. I was in the snack bar down the hall waiting for you to call me. I hope you don't mind but I drove your car here to pick you up because with your leg injury it'd be hell on you to climb up into my truck. I left my truck in your front yard so I can get home after I drop you off."

"Thanks for helping me out, Coach Baker. Sounds like you've got quite an information highway here at the hospital."

He grinned mischievously. "Millie's my sister and Collins is her husband."

"Who?"

Baker laughed. "Collins Harcourt. You don't think I'm gonna call my brother-in-law Dr. Harcourt, do you? Come on; let's get you out to the car."

A giant male nurse helped us to the car and practically lifted me into the car like a doll. It felt strange to be the passenger in my Volvo.

"You know, Jeremy, people around here are real big on American cars," he chuckled.

"Well, people around here are just going to have to get adjusted to my Volvo. I've had her for ten years, she's got over a hundred thousand miles on her and still runs like a dream. When she dies I'll buy another Volvo. I think a veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan with two Purple Hearts has earned the right to drive any damn thing he wants to."

He laughed. "I know you didn't drive her while you were in overseas."

"Nah, my mom did and she hated to give her up."

"I can see why. It drives like it's new."

"One of the times when I was a kid Dad was stationed overseas we stayed in Oregon. We'd had trouble with several cars and then one night on the way home from my aunt's house the car broke down in the middle of nowhere. My sister Karen was four and she has asthma. She was terrified and couldn't breathe and if it hadn't been for her inhaler she would have died. We were so worried about her that Mom and I hardly had time to be afraid for ourselves and it was about four hours before someone showed up. The next morning Mom took us to the Volvo dealer and bought a new car."

"And your father? He didn't have any say in the matter?"

I laughed. "Gramps was a brain surgeon at the Mayo Clinic and Mom was his only child. Dad's the provider and always has been but if Mom ever wanted something like that Volvo then Gramps bought it for her. He died three years ago and Mom inherited more money than Dad's earned throughout his entire career. Anyway, that's how I came to like Volvo's."

"And your Mom drove your old Volvo when she could have had a new one?"

"Oh, she gets one every other year. It's just that she liked mine for fishing trips."

We both laughed at that. Mom was quite a character. She was the one I spoke to when I called home and I missed her but Dad and Karen were what kept me away. Mom's life would be hell if she openly took my side against them and I didn't want that. Baker must have sensed my feelings for Mom.

"You didn't see them at Christmas so are you going home for the summer?"

"I don't know yet; it's complicated."

"Got it. I know all about complicated, Jeremy."

There it was again. He called me Jeremy. I was considering how to respond when he spoke again.

"Collins gave you a prescription so why don't we get it filled before I get you home? That or at least drop it off."

"There's one over on Hanley."

He snorted. "The one on Hanley is run by a bunch of fucking morons and there's no telling what would be in your pill bottle. No, I'll take it to Kmart. It's cheaper and Marie will fill it for me in five minutes."

"Wow, more Baker magic."

Another awesome grin, "Marie's sort of school family. Her husband Al Sumner was the head of the science department, the guy you replaced, and so she's always been the pharmacist we all use. Give it time, Jeremy; you'll learn the ropes."

I rolled my eyes. "My mother warned me that if I moved to a small rural town everyone would know the kind of underwear I have. She grew up in Twin Oaks, Oklahoma and they've got like two hundred and fifty people there. Mom was born for the big city and being an army officer's wife and she doesn't miss small town life at all.

Baker burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?"

"Linda Jacobs, the Business Education teacher, is from Twin Oaks. She thinks it's a slice of heaven, never shuts up about it. I'm surprised you haven't heard her yapping about."

My eyes must have gotten as big as saucers.

"No, I haven't heard anything that bitch has said. The first day I came to work she chewed my ass out after the faculty meeting for parking in her parking space," I said. "When I told her I didn't see any names painted on the curb she nearly spit in my face telling me everyone knows that's where she always parks. I swear to god, Baker, this school has got more fucking fruitcakes than a grocery store at Christmas."

As soon as I said it I could've bitten my tongue off. I never said things like that to others; think it, yes, say it, no. I just don't like to get too personal with anyone. I closed my eyes and moaned in pain, emotional and physical.

Baker nearly lost it laughing.

"Sorry, is she your sister, too?"

"No, I'm not related to Eileen. I always thought Twin Oaks must be something like another dimension because it's the only explanation I can find for Eileen. That and I don't think she's ever been fucked in her life. What she needs is some man with a donkey dick."

I was stunned. In one afternoon Baker had gently probed my body, had started calling me by my first name, and now he was making sexual comments to me. I yawned and broke the spell.

"This has been the most fun I've had in a long time, Jeremy," he joked sarcastically. "We MUST do this again."

"I'm sorry, Baker, I think your brother in law gave me too much painkiller or I'd have never said what I did about that bitch. Sorry, the shot is making me crazy. For god's sake, promise me you won't say anything to Jacobs. Goddamn, I'm so tired."

Baker thought that was even funnier and was still laughing as we pulled into the Kmart parking lot.

"Oh, and get me a couple of ice bags, would you? I haven't got any at home."

I woke as we pulled into my driveway. As we stopped he turned to me, still laughing.

"Here, let's get you inside before you fall asleep. I'm not Willard Saxby and I can't carry you in."

Of course he knew the name of the male nurse. Of course he did.

It was a struggle to get inside the house and Baker cursed continuously because he hadn't borrowed a wheel chair from the hospital, vowing to get one the next day. All I wanted to do was collapse onto the couch but he forced me on to the bedroom. He'd wanted to know if I needed to go to the bathroom but I declined. I knew I could still get around well enough to make it to the toilet and there was no way I planned to let Coach Patrick Baker help me sit on the toilet.

I lay back, my head on what seemed like the softest pillow in the world, and closed my eyes as he slowly undressed me and I could have sworn his hand brushed my crotch too many times, that his hands actually caressed my legs, his fingers trailing through the dark brown curls on them. But surely it was a dream.

"Did you call Marcus, yet?"

I shook my head no. I was hardly conscious.

"Don't worry, I'll do it."

Baker telephoned Marcus sitting on the edge of my bed. I half heard him as he told Marcus I was in la la land from the ER shot, then described my injuries, and the probable number of days I would be absent. I also heard him as he told Marcus that he'd take care of me since he lived next door. And then, exhausted and medicated, I passed out.

I awakened the next morning to the sounds of movement in my kitchen. Before I could panic or yell, Baker walked through the bedroom door, dressed for work.

"I hope I didn't scare you. I kept your keys last night so I could drop by this morning and check on you. I see you've got cereal here or I could make you some eggs."

"You don't have to do all that, Baker," I protested.

I was really beginning to feel like I was taking advantage of him and it was uncomfortable. I didn't have a wife or girlfriend because I didn't like getting that close to people, taking favors, owing them, being a part of the social community. Baker saw the hesitancy in my eyes.

"Look, Easton, I may not be exactly who you'd choose to keep company with but I live right down the road from you and I'm willing to help you get back on your feet. You're alone across the country from your family so who else is there? Have you noticed your good buddy Marcus hasn't called?"

"Hey, you called him last night as I was passing out and you woke me up this morning. When has he had the time to call? I know you don't like him but...AND what the fuck, there you go with that fucking buddy shit again!"

Baker's laughed merrily.

"Don't hold your breath until he calls. So do you want me to check on you tonight or not?"

He was unsure of me.

"Man, I'm sorry, Baker. I really appreciate everything you've done for me and sure, I'd really appreciate it if you'd continue to help me at least until I can get around without falling. I didn't mean to imply I don't want your help or appreciate. I apologize if you got that impression."

He stepped outside in the hall for a second and brought in a set of crutches.

"These were mine from the last time I pulled a muscle and the time before that, and the time before that," he laughed. "You may have to adjust them for your size. I think you're a couple of inches taller."

"I'll manage. Thanks, and Baker, I really do appreciate this and I just want you to know I'm just trying hard not to take sides, not to get between whatever it is between you and Marcus. I just want to do my job and stay out of whatever the office politics are. It's kinda hard though, I've felt like I've got a target on my back ever since I got here."

"You're babbling, Jeremy, we've been thru this before, don't you remember? Remember I told you what a good little boy you've been? And everyone loves you, you paranoid prick."

He gave me my medicine and a glass of water, then sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Okay, Jeremy, I'm going to level with you, probably should've long ago. I'm surprised one of the kids hasn't told you yet. I'm sure a few know the truth, particularly your good little buddy, Roger."

"Another buddy, huh? I've got so many, so many..." I droned.

"If you're awake enough to hear me, fine. If you're not maybe that's even better. The man you replaced, Al Sumner, he retired because of Marcus. A kid transferred to our school in the second quarter and Marcus tried to force Al to take the kid in his Physics II class. The kid had never taken physics before and didn't even have the math background to even have a hope of passing it. Honestly, I think Marcus didn't realize his mistake until Al lost his temper and blew up with him over the kid not having the necessary prerequisites. By then Marcus just decided to be a bastard about it and refused to back down. Al complained to the school board that the kid was going to fail the class and it would affect Al's sterling record with the high school exit exams. That's all it took. All those people downtown give a damn about is our standing in the state test ranks."

The shock of his statement brought me back to life briefly.

"Good god, I can believe Marcus would pull a stunt like that. That's the kind of thing that's probably how he got his nickname Jughead at Fort Benning."

As soon as I said it I know I turned red as a beet. I didn't gossip, particularly about Marcus and again I blamed my indiscretion on the medication.

Baker grinned.

"Jughead, huh? Wait until that turd calls me Patrick again."

"You can't! He'll know it came from me!"

He laughed. "I'm gonna tell him you asked for Jughead while you were drugged out of your mind."

"Oh, shit, shit, shit! We called him Jughead behind his back!" I yelled. "So finish your fucking story. Why did this Al retire? I'd have told Marcus to go to hell."

"You would have and maybe you'd have gotten away with it. He got Elaine Jergens fired for gross insubordination three years ago for doing just that. Now, granted Elaine was a bitch on wheels but she refused to let Wolfe intimidate her and he tried that Army drill sergeant routine in front of some students and teachers and she told him to fuck off. He embarrassed the hell out of her in front of everybody, Jeremy, and most of them were on her side. She'd been at the school for nineteen years but she was gone the next day. She was the first person to leave against their will under his regime, the first of several."

"I can see where this is going," I sighed.

He glanced at his watch.

"I've got time. My first class is not until nine and Marcus knows I'm stopping in to check on you. So when Al made a stink about Rod, that was the kid, Marcus tried to get Al written up for some disrespectful behavior bullshit. Al's students signed a petition against Marcus and actually carried signs and picketed the school board before and after school hours for two days."

"Damn, this place sounds more and more like a soap opera. But why does everyone hold all this shit against me? I didn't do anything but take the job."

"Did, Jeremy, the operative word they DID hold against you, you drug dazzled ass."

"Do you like my ass, Baker?"

He burst out laughing.

"Would you like for me to like your ass, Jeremy?"

"I don't know," I moaned. "So what was it that you were saying about Jughead?"

I could tell Baker was having a grand old time. Even drugged I knew whatever advantage I'd gotten from seeing him masturbate in the shower I'd just given back to him in spades.

"Marcus has been riding my ass and playing drill sergeant since he became principal five years ago," he said. "No one's been safe from him until here you come along and you're his fair haired child. I'll bet he's never ridden your ass about anything, has he?"

"No."

"Those kids I told you about that demonstrated for Al, the leader of the students was my nephew, Hunter Harcourt. Hunter was the top of his class, everyone expected him to be valedictorian, and Marcus fucked with the figures in the guidance counselor's office and suddenly Hunter was number four in the class. I wanted to fucking kill him, still do. It devastated Hunter and nearly killed Millie and Collins. He still got into Harvard but that's not the point. Collins graduated from there and so did his father and uncle and god only knows how many others. I'll never forgive that motherfucker I don't give a shit if he apologized forever. You can't undo what he did to Hunter."

"How could he fuck with numbers in the guidance counselor's office? There's two people in that office and numbers don't lie."