huge athletes with astonishing mobility. He knew firsthand how good they were. Johnny had been the recipient of much of their punishment the last two weeks.
“Nice knowing you, kid.” Buck gave him a toothless grin. “We’re going to miss planting you in the ground.”
“I hear the cheerleaders need a guy to help them out,” Big Ben added. “You’d be great at it; there’s no running involved and you are already used to having people standing on top of you.” He laughed, but it was a good-natured laugh.
“Yeah, thanks for the pep talk, guys. I got no regrets. I left it all out there on the field. Nothing else I can do except go nurse these bruises now.”
“You know, kid, you are pretty cool.” Buck smiled again. “You get your brains knocked out, take all our crap, but you never folded, not once. Listen, we’re all going to the farm tonight to celebrate the end of training camp. We’ve got a few kegs and some pizza along with some girls coming in. Why don’t you join us? It’ll be good times.”
“Really? This isn’t a prank or anything, is it? You aren’t going to make me look like a fool and send me on a wild goose chase, are you? I mean that sure would be funny and everything for you guys, but I have kinda already had a tough week.”
Big Ben laughed. “Yeah, it would be a pretty good prank, but, no, this is for real. Look Clark, you ain’t even close to being a football player, but you’re pretty cool. Just chip in your five bucks and bring it, man. You’ll have a good time and it will take the bite out of some of those hits you took. You know, for a little guy you got some grit. You earned it, man. A lot of guys respect you.”
“Thanks, guys. I’ll be there.”
And with that Johnny jogged to the locker room a new man. It did not hurt so much an hour later when he left the locker room. Even when he saw the list on the board sans his name, he was okay. His football days were over. High school had been fun, but a part of him always knew that heart and hard work would never be enough. Without physical gifts and skills, he never really had a chance at the college level. At first he had been angry about it when the older boys teased him, but as he grew older he learned to deal with all the taunting. His mantra, his philosophy, had been conceived then. No matter what they say, I will never give up on my dreams. No one will ever outwork me.
“Clark!” Coach rounded the corner, a little surprised to see him standing at the board.
“Hey, Coach. Listen, good luck this year, and thanks for the try-out. I really appreciate it.”
“No, Johnny, thank you. Look, son, I’m really sorry I couldn’t find a spot for you on the team. But I’ve seen hardworking kids like you before. I know that whatever you do in life, as long as you stay true to who you are and go after it, you will succeed. Just won’t be football.”
Johnny laughed and the coach began to chuckle with him. “No, Coach, it sure won’t be football. We pretty much put that notion to bed, didn’t we?”
The party was going strong when Johnny arrived that night. It was more amazing than he had ever imagined it would be. It turned out that “The Farm” was the college students’ most popular party spot and no one threw a bigger or better party than the football team. Situated on rolling hills, the forty-acre plot was owned by a Middle Tennessee State alumnus, who had himself played football for the Blue Raiders years ago.
The plot was about twelve miles from campus in the middle of absolutely nowhere, which was perfect. The twisting road to the location went from asphalt to gravel and finally to just pure Tennessee dirt. If you were on this road and not going to The Farm then you were most definitely lost, not to mention unwanted.
It was largely wooded land, but after a few hundred yards the landscape opened up to an incredible clearing at the apex of one of the hills. From this vantage point, Johnny could see more
“Nice knowing you, kid.” Buck gave him a toothless grin. “We’re going to miss planting you in the ground.”
“I hear the cheerleaders need a guy to help them out,” Big Ben added. “You’d be great at it; there’s no running involved and you are already used to having people standing on top of you.” He laughed, but it was a good-natured laugh.
“Yeah, thanks for the pep talk, guys. I got no regrets. I left it all out there on the field. Nothing else I can do except go nurse these bruises now.”
“You know, kid, you are pretty cool.” Buck smiled again. “You get your brains knocked out, take all our crap, but you never folded, not once. Listen, we’re all going to the farm tonight to celebrate the end of training camp. We’ve got a few kegs and some pizza along with some girls coming in. Why don’t you join us? It’ll be good times.”
“Really? This isn’t a prank or anything, is it? You aren’t going to make me look like a fool and send me on a wild goose chase, are you? I mean that sure would be funny and everything for you guys, but I have kinda already had a tough week.”
Big Ben laughed. “Yeah, it would be a pretty good prank, but, no, this is for real. Look Clark, you ain’t even close to being a football player, but you’re pretty cool. Just chip in your five bucks and bring it, man. You’ll have a good time and it will take the bite out of some of those hits you took. You know, for a little guy you got some grit. You earned it, man. A lot of guys respect you.”
“Thanks, guys. I’ll be there.”
And with that Johnny jogged to the locker room a new man. It did not hurt so much an hour later when he left the locker room. Even when he saw the list on the board sans his name, he was okay. His football days were over. High school had been fun, but a part of him always knew that heart and hard work would never be enough. Without physical gifts and skills, he never really had a chance at the college level. At first he had been angry about it when the older boys teased him, but as he grew older he learned to deal with all the taunting. His mantra, his philosophy, had been conceived then. No matter what they say, I will never give up on my dreams. No one will ever outwork me.
“Clark!” Coach rounded the corner, a little surprised to see him standing at the board.
“Hey, Coach. Listen, good luck this year, and thanks for the try-out. I really appreciate it.”
“No, Johnny, thank you. Look, son, I’m really sorry I couldn’t find a spot for you on the team. But I’ve seen hardworking kids like you before. I know that whatever you do in life, as long as you stay true to who you are and go after it, you will succeed. Just won’t be football.”
Johnny laughed and the coach began to chuckle with him. “No, Coach, it sure won’t be football. We pretty much put that notion to bed, didn’t we?”
The party was going strong when Johnny arrived that night. It was more amazing than he had ever imagined it would be. It turned out that “The Farm” was the college students’ most popular party spot and no one threw a bigger or better party than the football team. Situated on rolling hills, the forty-acre plot was owned by a Middle Tennessee State alumnus, who had himself played football for the Blue Raiders years ago.
The plot was about twelve miles from campus in the middle of absolutely nowhere, which was perfect. The twisting road to the location went from asphalt to gravel and finally to just pure Tennessee dirt. If you were on this road and not going to The Farm then you were most definitely lost, not to mention unwanted.
It was largely wooded land, but after a few hundred yards the landscape opened up to an incredible clearing at the apex of one of the hills. From this vantage point, Johnny could see more
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