Chapter 7

Tuesday, July 6, 1976

I awoke at about 8:00 am. I dressed in a pair of running shorts and a tee-shirt ready for a workout. I heard a knock at the front door. Who could that be? I thought.

I opened the front door, and there stood a teenage boy about Calvin’s age and height but seemed skinny to my way of thinking. He is holding a gift-wrapped box. I searched on Calvin’s memories, as I am sure he would know this person. Thank goodness the memories came flooding back. He is Raymond James. Better known as RJ and is Calvin’s best friend. I envied Calvin at that moment. I never had a ‘best friend.’ I had friends, just not close ones, or ones that I would consider the best one.

“Hello, RJ. What’s happening? Why are you here so early? I was just on my way to work out.”

RJ gave me a funny look, “I’m here to give you the birthday gift I got for you.” Pushing the box into my hands.

Taking the present, I went into the living room and put it on the coffee table in the living room. RJ followed me into the house. From Calvin’s memories, I was able to sense that RJ and Calvin had been friends since Kindergarten. So, walking into each other’s house was just like walking into our own. Both moms were known as ‘Mrs. J.’ I smiled at that thought. It was purely coincidence that we met and became so tight and that our families became so friendly with each other. I was surprised then that he knocked on the door. We don’t usually do that.

RJ asked if I was going to open the present, I answered, “Yes.” And tore the wrapping off and discovered a new Spalding football. I was impressed that it was an official NFL spec ball made with real leather; it felt amazing in my hands. It had been forever since I held a football. I forgot what it felt like, I was overcome with emotion.

“Thanks for this, RJ. It’s awesome, um I mean it’s really cool.”

“Yeah. I figured with you making Varsity last year and your invitation to try out for the starting quarterback position this year, you could use a new ball.”

He stopped talking and looked down at his feet. “I’m sorry about your parents.” He said, “My mom and dad said they probably didn’t suffer too much, but it still has to be pretty shitty.”

RJ never swore. I was taken aback. “Thanks for that. Yeah, it is pretty shitty.” I didn’t even get to go to the memorial service. I was still in a coma. I had to turn my face and wipe my eyes. Guys don’t cry in front of each other.

“So, what are you going to do today?” he asked.

“I need to start working out. If I am going to continue to play sports, I need to be in better condition. Plus, it will show the coach that I am serious about giving it all I’ve got. The better physical shape I can get into before practice starts, the better advantage I’ll have over the rest of the others. Why don’t you join me?” I asked. “I am also thinking about going out for Cross Country in addition to football, and yes, I am aware they both compete in the fall. But I am going to talk to both Coaches and see if something can be arranged.”

“How can you think about all this physically demanding stuff? You were in a coma for three weeks. My mom said the doctors were afraid you wouldn’t make it, that you’d die. Mom went to visit you, but she couldn’t stay. She was bawling her eyes out when she came out of your room. She said you had casts and bandages everywhere, and you were unconscious. She wouldn’t let me go in.” The last was said with a little bit of resentment.

“I’m fine, better than fine even. I haven’t any physical limitations. I’m completely healed one hundred percent, I swear.”

I proved to him that I wasn’t going to get hurt by working out. I went to my room and brought back my daily workout plan and showed it to him. Daily, run 1 mile, 50 toe touches, 25 sit-ups, 25 push-ups (military style), 15 chin-ups, and 25 windmills (mornings only). And when I’ve purchased some free weights, I’ll add Leg presses, flies, and curls.

Then I showed him the escalation schedule so that by the start of football practice, I would be at. Daily, run 5 miles, 200 toe touches, 100 windmills, push-ups, and sit-ups with 50 leg presses at 450 pounds minimum and 100 curls and flies at 10 pounds.

The look on his face was priceless. “There’s no way. That’s just too much for anybody to expect from someone who’s been a major car accident,” he said, his voice cracking and reaching squeal in pitch.

“Let’s start then,” I said.

“I would like to join you if I may.” Uncle Lucas said from behind me.

I turned around and replied. “I’d be okay with that. But it might be a bit of an uphill battle at your age.” I laughed.

“Oh, I think you’ll find that I am more than capable of keeping up with an out of shape boy like you.” He said with a smirk and a glint in his eye.

“Well, there’s only one way to find out, uncle. Why don’t you change into some workout clothes? RJ, what you’re wearing will be okay for today. Let’s go outside and warm up in the yard. Then we can go for a run.”

RJ’s eyes got big, “You’re serious?” Then he got a look of resolve. “You know what? I’m in if you think you can do it, I can do as well.” That was the same sentiment I got from my uncle. We would do this as a team. Doing this training program would be suitable for all of us.

We started with stretches. Then after we warmed up, we completed the sit-ups, push-ups, and the toe touches. Then, we jogged in the direction of the high school, to use the track for today’s run. I figured I’d add a Cross Country run with a course I’d scout later.

When we got to the track, I was slightly surprised to see other people running around the track. I guess I shouldn’t have been, but I was. We waited for the crowd to thin out a bit before stepping on to the course, for the first lap, I set a leisurely pace, which I gradually increased each lap until I was sprinting. I wasn’t timing myself, but I began to notice that I was pulling away from both RJ and Uncle Lucas. In time, I was lapping them and others on the track. I thought that I might be exposing myself and standing out, so I slowed down and started my cool-down routine, this included some stretching and walking to keep me from cramping. I hadn’t been paying attention to how many laps I’d run. This was just supposed to be an introduction to my workout plan.

I was spotted by more than a few people who were eager to talk about my run. I wasn’t as keen to speak to them. I started to leave the track when I heard my name being called. I turned to see Coach Wilson, the high school football Coach.

“Excuse me, son. Come over here for a second.” I walked over to the Coach. He shook my hand, it’s good to see you, son, but should you really be going all out right now?”

I said. “Coach, everything is A-OK. I can even give you a copy of my medical release from the hospital. Doctor Albright cleared me for full activity, no restrictions. I will be ready for practice come August.

I went home and took a shower. I figured a great way to spend a hot July afternoon was at the pool, so I called RJ and told him I was going to go to the pool, and RJ said he’d meet me there. I grabbed my bike and headed the six blocks up the street to the neighborhood pool. I’d missed this, just being free to let whimsy take over. You slowly forget just how it feels to be free, having nowhere that you need to be, and no job or responsibilities. Summer vacation is wasted on the young, to paraphrase an old saying.

Yes, I know I have to be responsible. I am going to start a company and employ people, explore space, and colonize the galaxy. I can and will take care of my responsibilities. But right now, I am free of such things, and I want to enjoy it a little bit. It was still a hot day in the middle of the summer, so I went to the nearby community pool.

I was surprised to find Eve at the pool. I watched her as she took two bounces on the diving board, and dived into the water, her form was knife-edge precise, and she was like a goddess in the water. I watched her come out of the water and grab a towel off a nearby chair, she wrapped it around her body and sat in the lounger and covered her face with an oversized hat. She is wearing a modest one-piece yellow swimsuit, trimmed with white ruffles around the leg openings. I watched her on the diving board. She took two bounces and jumped into the pool.

I walked up beside her and tapped her on the shoulder. “Eve!” I said. “What a surprise seeing you here.”

She said she had today off, and she wanted to spend some time at the pool before it got too hot. I found an unoccupied lounger and dragged it over, the legs scraping against the concrete sounded like nails on a chalkboard. I positioned the chair so I would be close to, but not right up next to, Eve. Then I dropped my towel and bag with my change of clothes on it.

“I am ready to get into the pool and swim. Want to join me?” I asked Eve.

She peeked out from under the hat, lifting it slightly. “Michael. Wow, you weren’t kidding about wanting to get back into the swing of things, were you.” She said, lifting her hat slightly and peeking out from under it.

“I’d already run two miles this morning, plus did a full workout,” I said to make a point as I jumped into the pool, creating a large splash, getting Eve wet in the process.

She screamed, threw the towel on the lounger, and came in after me. I was half-way across the pool, thinking I was safe. But she’d dived into the pool and covered the entire distance between us underwater. She didn’t stop until she rose up out of the water, grabbed me, and pulled me back under the water with her. I’d barely managed to get a breath before I was submerged. I tried to challenge her grip, but in the pool, she ruled. When we surfaced and broke apart, I made my way to the shallow end and the nearest stairs to get out of the water, I remembered just in time to walk around the poolside. I didn’t want to sit out the next swim-time. Eve took the opportunity to swim some laps now that I was out of the pool. I watched her go from end to end, swimming part of the way each time underwater. She glided through the water like a fish, but man she looked at home in the water.

I decided to see how many laps I could do. I was never much of a swimmer, and I was out of shape. I got back in and started slowly. I tried to remember what I had learned about swimming. Keep your face in the water, breath in from the side. Extend on the arm stroke. Kick evenly with your feet and legs. Let them propel you, and glide. I’m reasonably sure I won’t make the Olympics swim team, but I was able to swim maybe 5 or 6 laps before I started to feel the burn. I decided that with the earlier workout that that was plenty for this morning.

It’s a 50 Meter pool, which means 32 laps is 1600 meters, which equals a mile, 1610 meters. So, my six laps are not that impressive. Eve was still swimming laps when I finished. She completed another 15 laps before getting out of the pool.

“How many laps was that?” I asked in amazement.

“Fifty, that’s a mile and a half. I try to do that three times a week. I am on the swim team, and it’s what I do to keep in shape.”

“Well, it’s working,” I said with a wiggle of my eyebrows.

“Thank you,” she said with a big smile. She looked so beautiful when she smiled.

“Would you like to go get a burger,” I asked.

“Michael, I would love to get something to eat. Where are we going to go?”

“There’s a place called the Burger Joint. It’s my favorite; you’ll love it. Trust me, and they have the greatest burgers and shakes. My treat.”

“Ok, I’m game.” She said with a smile.

We made our way to the Burger Joint. We both ordered the burger and shake combo. We sat there, eating and talking. We were getting to know each other. I was talking about wanting to start my own company and how I wanted to make an impact on the world. How I planned to make safer cars, I would get involved in other things that would make a difference. I asked her if she was willing to try out being in a relationship. I told her I was very attracted to her; I would like to get to know her better.

“Michael, I would love to go out with you. I think we’d make a great couple.

“But?” I questioned.

“But I want to become a doctor, a surgeon, and I need to stay focused on that goal, or I will not succeed. I don’t want to fail because I let myself fall for a boy. I am committed to my future.”

“I understand about having goals, and I support you following your plan 100 percent. But does that mean you can’t have any fun? Do you have to be always ‘Working’? If so, you’ll burn out before your Sophomore year of college and you’ll eventually drop out due to stress. Do you think that I’m going to wait until you’ve achieved the status of being Doctor Eve...? I’m sorry I don’t recall you telling me your last name.”

“It’s Goodnight,” she said.

“No way. That’s just too perfect of a name. Eve Goodnight. Dr. Goodnight. Oh man, the puns I could use.”

“Yes, that’s my name. I’ve heard them all. I am a Goodnight, having a goodnight, goodnight. It’s part of why I want to change my name. But my mom won’t let me. But, when I turn 18, I’ll get it changed by the court.”

“What would you change it to?” I asked.

“Probably Williams. It’s my mother’s maiden name,” she replied quickly, obviously having thought about this for some time.

“How does your mom feel about this idea of yours?”

“She hates it. The thought makes her angry. She feels I am not honoring my father. Because there are no male heirs to carry on the name, it will fade away. But I keep telling her that if I marry, the same thing will happen.”

“So? How about we take it slow and see what happens.”

At that moment, a driver in a blue sedan honked the horn and called out the window, “Eve, come on. We’re going to be late.” Eve quickly said goodbye and ran towards the awaiting car.

Well, the afternoon had become a bust. I headed back to the pool to pick up my clothes, and then I realized that I had left RJ hanging. I slowly walked over to where he was. As I got nearer to him, I saw him talking to some unsavory older teens. They were in simple terms, thugs, gang bangers, bad dudes. I walked up to him, and I noticed that one of these thugs was carrying a gun. On closer inspection, I noticed that all three of the idiots were packing. I readjusted my stance. I wasn’t some badass who would be able to take three armed men in unarmed combat and win. But I was someone who would try to de-escalate the situation.

I heard one of them tell RJ, “You know joining up with us will keep you protected. You can’t go into that territory and not be affiliated with someone. We’re your homeboys. Your brother is one of us, so jumping you in will be easy, nothing big. All’s you gotta do is take this gun and point it at the clerk, and they will hand over the cash. It’s like taking candy from a baby. You do that with one of us as a backup and a witness, so’s we know you won’t bolt or rat us out, and you’re in. One of the Bloods. No-fuss, no muss.”

“Or he’s shot and killed by the shopkeeper, or the police. Or he’s arrested for armed robbery and goes to jail,” I said, interrupting.

“He ain’t gonna go to no jail. He’s underage. If the cops try to arrest him, he’ll get juvie at the worst. Hell, he’ll do a year of probation and be no worse for wear.”

“If this is so easy, why don’t you rob the place yourself?” I ask.

“Hey, I would, but I’ve robbed the place before. Pops remembers me. Besides, I recently turned 18, which means jail, state prison. So no, I ain’t going to no prison.”

“But you’re perfectly willing to let a 16-year-old go do your dirty work,” I said, egging him on. So much for de-escalations, I thought.

“Hey. We were just offering to jump him in easy on account of his brother and all. Besides, who are you? His conscience? He’s perfectly able to make up his mind, aren’t you RJ?” The Thug questioned.