The Fremont Saga
by: E Walk
(© 2009 by the Author)
 

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Chapter 7 

You Aren’t Going to Get Sick, Are you

After breakfast, Tanner and Timmy went to get dressed for school while Morgan and I did the dishes.  Morgan was actually very talkative for a change.  “Brian, when are we going to meet this Vicky person you keep talking about?”

“Cat, I hope she’ll be able to come for the homecoming dance in two weeks.”

Morgan looked at me, “What does she look like anyway?”

“Vicky has auburn hair and green eyes that seem to dance when she laughs.  She fills out her swim suit nicely.”

Morgan frowned, “What do Ben and Grant’s girl friends look like.  Are they pretty, too.”

I made a command decision, “Cat, I’ll let you decide that for yourself.  Why don’t we invite everyone to go skiing with us over the Christmas holidays?”

Morgan looked lost, “Where are we going to go skiing?”

I suddenly realized that I had opened myself to some questions, “I know someone who owns a ski lodge in Switzerland.  I’ll see if I can make reservations there.  I’ll need to clear the idea with Dad and Mother.”

Fortunately, I was saved from answering anymore questions by the arrival of Timmy, “Brian, Tanner left with Ron.  I brought your backpack.  Hurry up!  Uncle John will be here soon.  See you tonight Morgan.”

I hugged the parents as did Timmy and we were out the door.

When I got to my first hour creative writing class, I suddenly had a thought for a story.  The title was It Started With a Kiss.

It was about Tanner and Ron only I changed their names  to Taylor and Rod to protect the innocent.  I embellished the story about the sexual exploits of two gay sixteen year old guys.  My imagination was going in high gear.  Before I realized I had 3500 words and I decided to close the story hoping that the readers might want to read more.  I sent a copy to Mr. Cox and one to my computer at home and trashed the story and deleted it from the computer I was working on.”

When John and I arrived in the fourth period government class, the teacher handed John a note.  After we sat down, he opened it and got a big smile on his face.  He handed the note to me.

John and Brian,

The presentation that the two of you did was absolutely one of the best that I’ve had the opportunity to witness in my fifteen years of teaching.  I’m sure that you will both go far.”

                                                                      Gib Bolton

John leaned over and whispered, “I knew that there was a reason I picked you to be by partner.  I feel as if I should hug you.”

I chuckled, “Never mind Little John.  We got in trouble when we did that yesterday.”

We met up with Lindsey and Robbi at the entrance to the cafeteria.  We were joined by Todd and his girlfriend.  We were eating when Tanner and Ron arrived with two young ladies.  I sent Tanner a message, “Sending up a smoke screen are we?”

“What’s it to you, bro?  We’re in this position because of what you made us do last night.  We decided that we liked what you made us do.  I’ll explain more tonight.”

When I arrived in the art room to get ready for the art class, Mr. Cox was waiting for me, “Brian, where do you get the ideas for these stories?  The people in the story you wrote this morning seem so real that I feel as if I know the two guys.”

I chuckled, “Actually, Mr. Cox, you do know both of them.”

“Brian, might they per chance be Ron and Tanner?”

“Sir, I will neither confirm or deny that information in an effort to protect the young and innocent.”

Mr. Cox started to laugh, “Brian, you certainly are an atypical teenager.  You talk the way you write.”

I pulled out some prints from the drawers with the supplies. I pulled out a copy of a painting by Van Gogh, Matisse, Monet, Dali, Grant Wood and Georgia O’Keefe.  I lined them up on easels.  When the class started, I explained, “Class, I would like for you to divide into groups and compare how these are different and why the persons who did them are considered great artists.”

Both Mr. Cox and I were amazed at the discussions that were going on in the groups.  In fact, it was all I could do to get the groups to stop discussing the works when the bell rang.  I barely had time to get the materials put away before my next class.”

When I arrived at the sixth hour class, there was an announcement on the public address system.  “All football players are excused from classes.  The bus will be leaving for Lincoln at three o’clock.  All football players are to report to the training room to make sure they have all their gear.  Good luck against Lincoln Southeast, tonight.”

I had a sudden sinking thought.  I called home and Mother answered, “Mother, are you and Dad planning to go to the game in Lincoln, tonight?”

“Your Dad is going to take Timmy.  I’m going to stay here with Morgan.  Your Great Grandmother isn’t feeling very well, so I’m going to visit with her.”

When I arrived in the locker room, everyone was just about ready to pile onto the bus.  A large truck was going to take our gear as well as the band’s instruments.  I took the bag with my gear to the truck and went to get on the team bus.  Coach Henderson stood after everyone was on board, “We’ll be stopping at the Red Rooster Cafeteria at five o’clock.  We have vouchers for each of you.  Please eat light so you will be able to give the number one team a run for their money.”

When we arrived at the restaurant, they had a special room set up for us with our own buffet.  I watched as the players piled food onto their plates as if the hadn’t eaten in days.  I was with Tanner, John and Todd.  I took a cup of soup, some fresh fruit, a slice of roast beef and two oven baked potatoes and a few green beans.  I tried to avoid anything greasy. 

The other three guys did basically the same as I did.  Coach Henderson came to the table where we were eating, “Guys, you aren’t going to have enough energy to make it through the game, if you don’t eat more than that.”

I looked up at him, “Sir, if I ate much more, I would be barfing before the game started.  Even for home games, I eat a very light meal.”

We arrived at the stadium and went to the dressing rooms.  When we went onto the football field to warm up something seemed wrong.  When we went back to the dressing room for our last minute pep talk from Coach Henderson, there was definitely something missing.  We received the opening kick off and Tanner ran it back for a touchdown.  But everything started to go downhill from there.  One player after another left the field on his own and we soon had none of the starters still playing except John, Todd, Darren, Tanner, Chris and me left with a few people who had not had much game experience.

Even Coach Henderson left the sidelines and the fans started to boo.  Todd called the team together, “Guys, I’m going to go tell the opposing coach and the officials that we’re going to forfeit the game.  There is no way that we can play both offense and defense.”

No one had any objections, but you can imagine the reactions from people in the stands when the announcement was made that we were forfeiting the game.  I could hardly wait to see what was going to happen when we got home.

Dad and Timmy came to the field as we were dejectedly walking off, Timmy hugged me and Tanner, “You guys did the right thing.  If you hadn’t stopped playing, some one was going to get hurt.”

I picked Timmy up and whispered, “Why did you say that?”

“Grandpa Nappy told me.  He doesn’t want you and Tanner to get hurt.”

When those of us who still were on the field went to the dressing room, we were accosted by television crews and reporters.  One of the sports reporters from one of the Omaha television stations asked, “Why did you decide to forfeit the game.  Wasn’t that like you were admitting that you were an inferior team?”

Todd looked at me, “Brian, please respond to the man’s question.”

I looked at the people, “Ladies and gentlemen, if you hadn’t noticed, we had  only ten players on the field.  Mr. Messing made the correct decision to forfeit the game.  Of the ten of us, I am the only person who had any experience on both offense and defense.  Todd forfeited the game so some of us wouldn’t be hurt.”

“Lincoln Southeast is an excellent team.  Unfortunately, we had some physical problems tonight that kept us from being competitive.  Perhaps we will have the opportunity to meet them again when we are healthy, and hopefully we can meet them in the playoffs.”

“Benson, who gave you permission to speak for the team?”

The Athletic Director was yelling as he approached us.  Todd went and stood in front of him, “Look Mr. Wagner, if you and the Nebraska High School Athletic Association had been doing what you’re being paid to do, we wouldn’t be here.  The referees should have stopped the game when they saw what was happening.  I’m guessing you just arrived.  You smell like you’ve been drinking.   For your information, I asked Brian to speak to the media.”

Todd moved to the front and put his arm around me, “If you members of the media will excuse us, we need to go check on the rest of our team members and coaches.”

When we arrived in the locker room, we could hear a number of people relieving their stomachs of what was in them.  Those of us who were still healthy started to pack the gear and take it to the truck.  We finally got everyone on the bus and it was a long ride home.  We had found some plastic bags to take with us and the smell was almost enough to make those of us who were still feeling okay, ill.”

When we had the gear in the locker room, Todd decided that we had done more than our share of work.  Todd looked at us, “Guys, we need to get together in the morning when we’re fresh and decide what to do.  I’m sure we’re going to take a lot of flak.  I’ve never liked the new Athletic Director.  He is using Fremont as a stepping stone to bigger and better things.  We need to make sure that he doesn’t get that opportunity.”

When Tanner and I walked into the house, we were not ready for what we were to encounter.  Mother and Dad were sitting and they had obviously been waiting for us.  Mother started, “Brian, what is it with you that you’re always trying to make my life miserable?”

“Mother, I have no idea what you’re talking about.  Could you give me a clue what I did wrong this time?”

Mother got up and hugged me, “Brian, it is not what you did, but the fact that you and Todd stood up to the media and that blowhard. Wagner.  I suggest that the two of you get you bodies up the stairs, because Timmy is concerned about you and won’t be able go to sleep before he knows you’re home.  Brian, I hope you’re up to another school board meeting on Monday.”

Dad added, “By the way, Derek is going to be spending the night and will be sleeping in Ben and Grant’s room.”

As Tanner and I were going up the stairs, he looked at me, “Brian, I don’t understand what’s happening.  Who is this Derek person?”

“Tanner, I don’t understand everything that is happening.  Derek is Lauren’s boyfriend.  He’s the quarterback for Westside High School in Omaha.  He’s a really nice guy.  It’s his fault that I’m even playing football.”

When we walked into the bedroom, Timmy was wide awake, “Daddy Brian and Tanner, are you okay.  You aren’t going to get sick are you?”

Tanner fell on the bed, “No, littlest Benson boy, we’re fine.  We’re here to keep the big bad dragons away from you.”

I was sound asleep when someone was touching me, “Brian, do you want to go running?”

I looked up and Derek was standing there, “Derek, what time is it?  It seems as if we just went to bed.”

Derek laughed, “Brian, it’s almost eight o’clock.  Who are the two men who are sleeping with you?”

I leaned up on my arms, “You mean my two brothers, Timmy and Tanner?”

Timmy woke up and my kidneys were the worse for the wear and tear as he climbed over me, “I gotta go to the bathroom bad.”

Tanner sat up and yawned, “I guess it’s time to get up,  I feel as if I just got to sleep.”

“Tanner, this is Lauren’s friend, Derek.  He wants to know if we want to go for a run.”

Tanner crawled out of bed obviously needing to go to the bathroom. 

The four of us went running and Derek was amazed that Timmy was able to keep up with us.  We kept changing partners as we were running so Derek had an opportunity to talk to both Tanner and

Timmy.

When we returned to the house, Lauren was fixing breakfast which was a rarity.  Timmy went to her and asked, “What can I do to help?”

Lauren knew she had to do something, “Why don’t you take Dad and Mother a cup of coffee and tell Morgan that she needs to get up if she wants breakfast.  We’ll be eating in about twenty minutes.  That will give you smelly men a chance to take a shower.”

When Timmy came into the bedroom, he had tears in his eyes.  “Brian, do I really smell?”

I sniffed him and laughed, “Timmy, Lauren didn't mean that we smelled.  She was just saying that we had time to take a shower before breakfast.  Come on, we can take a shower together to save time.”

We were eating a late breakfast, albeit, when the phone rang.  Morgan went to answer, “Mom, it some man who wants to know what you’re going to do about the football team forfeiting the football game?”

I watched as Mother went to take the phone.  We couldn’t hear what she was saying, but we did hear, “I’ll call a special school board meeting Monday night.”

When Mother was returning to the breakfast table she turned on the television, “Brian, it seems as if you and Todd are big news.”

The television was visible from where we eating and a reporter came on, “This is Dan Nelson and I have more information on the Fremont High forfeit to Lincoln Southeast last night.  It seems that their team was provide vouchers to eat at a cafeteria that was owned by a relative of the Fremont High School Athletic Director.  Not only that, it seems that the Lincoln Southeast coach is the brother of the Mr. Wagner, who is the Fremont High Athletic Director.”

Mother started to sit down and the phone rang again. Timmy went to answer, “Brian, it’s some reporter who wants to talk to you.”

I went to the phone, “This is Brian Benson and I have been advised to not make any statements.  Thank you for calling.”

To be continued...

Editor's Notes:  Mr. Wagner is not a nice man.  I have a feeling that someone is going to put him in his place.  I suspect that his place is going to be standing in the unemployment line some time soon.

It makes me kinda wonder if the food was somehow tainted. 

That could be considered criminal assault, peppered with other accusations. I am sure that it won't take the authorities long to catchup with the people responsible for all the harm done, once they've mustard up the courage to tackle the situation. I think our guys will rub salt on the wounds eventually. I am sure the creeps will be in a fine pickle. And I wouldn't relish being in their position.

I want another chapter, soon.

Darryl AKA The Radio Rancher

Posted: 01/22/10