They were given a fifteen-minute break to catch their breath. We gathered around Coach Hope and Magic. We decided to focus on Ty like I had the kid from Mt. Vernon. We’d used the same strategy in the last two games. I was quickly learning how to cover someone. Ty was going to be a challenge. By the time the game started, I was pumped to play defense.
They got the ball first. Ty was five-nine and weighed about 170 pounds. I was six-two and 205 pounds. Washington thought they could just blow Ty by me for a quick score. Earlier in the day that would have been true, but I was pumped and ready to go. On the snap, I could tell what was coming by how hard he broke. I did three quick backsteps and then turned my hips to run with him. I heard ‘ball’ and looked back to see that it was drifting inside. I put on a burst of speed and suddenly Ty was the one playing defense and out of position. I will give him credit, he did try to just tackle me, but I fought him off and pulled in the pass.
“Dang it, Dawson, you suck.”
I flipped Ty the ball and shook my head.
Our next series, I threw a ball that hit Bert in the numbers and it bounced out and they intercepted it.
I was right back playing one-on-one with Ty. This time Washington played it safe and threw in front of me. They dinked down the field. It was a game of cat and mouse. They were waiting for me to cheat up and they would catch me long. I was waiting for them to hang a ball or get a good jump on it and intercept it. I caught Ed’s eye and told him I was going to cheat up and go for the interception. He was to cover me if Ty slipped past me.
They ran the perfect play to take advantage of my aggression. Ty did a double move and was past me. I could tell he thought he had gotten me. He had. What he hadn’t counted on was Ed breaking for the ball. Neither the quarterback nor Ty saw Ed come out of nowhere and make the grab. Ty threw his hands in the air.
“You guys really suck!”
Ed and I high-fived each other and went to work on offense. For fun, we did the shovel-pass play again, and it had the same effect. We were up 7–0.
For this series, they tried picking me off with other receivers doing crossing patterns with Ty. Totally illegal, but never gets called. The first guy to try it would have succeeded if I’d been paying attention. I would have hesitated to keep from hitting him. Instead, he ran into me and I flattened him. The ref called offensive pass interference. I guess they take the safety of the players more serious than they do when we have our pads on. The second guy I didn’t slow down either, with the same result. I think they refused to do it anymore. The third pass was incomplete, so they turned the ball over on downs.
Tim wanted a chance to play offense, so Jim volunteered to let him take his place. I decided to throw him the ball to see how he would do. He did pretty well, for a linebacker. A couple of plays later, Jake slipped past his guy and we scored. From there, Washington ran out of steam. We called off the dogs and beat them 28–7.
The Washington coach came up and congratulated our team, Magic and Coach Hope.
“Tony, you have a hell of a player there,” he said, pointing at me. “I think you could plug him into just about any defensive position. I absolutely dread game-planning against your offense. He took everyone apart today. If he doesn’t get hurt, my money’s on you guys to win state this year.”
I thought Coach Hope was going to choke. I just kept my mouth shut.
JIM CAME UP TO ME WITH some bad news: April couldn’t go out with us tonight. I suggested that I call his sister. I think he thought about punching me. I showed him who I was going to call and he went white.
“Dude, seriously?” Jim asked me.
“Why not? We’re just going out to goof off.”
“I know, but damn.”
“Do you want to call Cassidy and get permission before I call?”
“I better,” he said, as he went to get some privacy.
It seemed like it took him forever to come back. When he did, he was chuckling.
“It seems that April’s free tonight after all. Did you just do that to see if you could get a rise out of her?”
“Who, me?” I asked, playing dumb.
Lisa Felton did me a solid and didn’t even know it. I had a feeling that April just needed a little nudge.
I GOT HOME AND WAS immediately sent to my room to take a shower. I guess playing football all day makes you stink. I got ready for my date, throwing on jeans and a t-shirt. I did decide to wear my new leather coat as my only fashion statement. I went down to the kitchen and made myself a sandwich. I was starved from burning off all those calories today. While I finished eating my sandwich, Angie shoved Kyle into my arms because he was being cranky.
Tonight I was the last one to be picked up. Jim, Cassidy and April found me rocking my nephew. We waited until he fell asleep and I gave him to his dad. They’d decided they wanted to go to Monical’s. Never one to rock the boat, I agreed that sounded like a good plan.
When we got there, we found a lot of people I knew. I asked April if she wanted to meet them and she turned me down. To my surprise, Cassidy wanted to go, but April was suddenly at my side, and Cassidy was missing.
The first table we stopped at was Ed Pine’s. He was there with his parents and younger brother and sister. I told his dad about Ed’s good day, and how he would be a key to next year’s team. I scored some cheesy bread and we moved on.
Tim Foresee and Jake Holcombe were both there with their parents. I bragged on them to their families and got a couple of pieces of pizza. By the time we got back, the salad had arrived along with a pitcher of Coke. April had a strange look on her face.
“Do you do that to get all the free food, or because you’re running for mayor?” April asked me.
“Well, the free food is a bonus. Plus, it would be rude to refuse. In addition, Ed, Tim and Jake all played really well today. It’s one thing for them to go home and tell their family how they played, it’s something else when I say it. Many times, parents half-believe that their kids are good at something. But if someone else tells them, it’s gospel.”
“April, that’s just David being David,” Jim said. “In fact, I’d’ve been surprised if he hadn’t walked around the room talking to everyone. I’m even more surprised that he didn’t take his shirt off.”
I threw my napkin at him.
“Hey, I haven’t done that in a few months.”
“Sounds like you’re due,” Cassidy teased.
“Please, I’m trying to eat,” April said.
That rather hit me wrong. Now I was wondering if I should have called Lisa Felton. At least she had a sense of humor. Was April worth the effort? On paper, she seemed like what I needed right now, a normal girl to hang out with. The problem was I always felt like I had to be careful not to hurt her feelings. I was sure there were other girls I could date who wouldn’t be this much trouble. The other problem I had was she seemed like she only wanted to go out with me half the time.
I was lost in thought, and so didn’t notice the conversation had stopped. When the pizza came, I ate a couple of pieces. I participated in the conversation, but only when asked something directly.
After we ate, they were trying to figure out what to do since it was only eight-thirty. Then April mentioned a party she’d heard about. That was when everything fell into place: she had wanted to go to the party without me tonight. Maybe she was meeting up with Luke. I don’t know why that jumped into my head, but it did, and it somehow felt right. I really couldn’t wait until that asswipe went off to college.
“I’ve had a long day and have to get up to work out and then go to church. I hate to say it, but I’m done. Just drop me off and you all can go do something.”
“What’s wrong with you?” April asked.
“I want to apologize for making you feel like you had to go out with me tonight. I don’t want to keep you from your party. Go have fun, and I’ll see you at school.”