Chapter 07

Spring Scrimmage

Like a lot of US colleges the weekend between the third and fourth weeks of April are the annual Spring Scrimmage. This is to demonstrate to the college the condition and skill of the players on the football team. Anyone who’s anything with the college is in attendance, including the members of the Board of Management and the Alumni Association.

In preparation for the game several players have been manipulating how they performed for the last few weeks so the right conspirators are on the right scrimmage team for what Lyn has planned. Less than half of the team are in on the plan, but the revolutionaries are spread out and in the right positions to give it a good chance to succeed.

Despite missing about twenty percent of all of the training time Lyn is on the starting team and they’ll receive the kick-off with Lyn as the kick returner. Many of the team members complain about a player being on the field when he misses time at training and says he doesn’t want to be there. But he is playing because he’s the best kick returner they have.

The kick is made and it goes deep. Lyn catches it in the end zone. The coach signals for him to take a knee for a ‘touchback,’ but Lyn doesn’t. He waves the coach off and carries the ball out. Both teams form up to deal with the play. Lyn runs out behind the shield of players on his team. Just as he expects a crease opens up and he’s through the hole. The crowd is very vocal while he races down field. Lyn fends off a tackle from one player, avoids another, and sidesteps to make the kicker miss his tackle. At the one yard line with just a pace or two from scoring a touchdown he turns and heads back up the field with the ball. He avoids players from both teams trying to stop him while others who are aware of what he’s up to run interference for him by stopping the rest from catching him. The crowd goes quiet while they try to work out what’s happening.

All over the field players are talking to each other with only a few trying to stop Lyn. A typical conversation is:

Rob asks, “Why shouldn’t I go tackle Davies?”

Peter replies, “It’s a special plan to make a point. Leave him be.”

“What point?”

“You know he’s always said he doesn’t want to be on the team but is being forced to be on it.” Rob nods yes. “Well, about a quarter of the team starters are in the same situation and Davies has come up with a way to stop this abuse of power by the AD. We all felt we had no choice on playing or not, but Davies has given us hope and he’s pulled us together to act as one. Leave him be. If his plan today doesn’t work we’re about to have the worst season ever because a fifth of the starters will do their best to throw every damn game. Now, which do you want?”

Rob is shocked at them planning to throw games, so he asks, “Is it that bad for you to play, Pete?”

“Yes, Rob, it is! The way the AD is pushing things I’m likely to lose my scholarship and I’ll have to pay it back. I’m not here on an athletics one, but an academic one and it’s the same with many of the others.”

“Let’s go see Davies gets to make his point.”

For the rest of the quarter the players and referees stand around while Lyn strolls about between the ten and fifteen yard line. As long as he doesn’t stand still or isn’t tackled the play is live and the clock is ticking. Just before the end of the quarter Lyn moves to the twenty-five yard line where they would start if he’d taken the knee for a touchback and he takes a knee just as the siren sounds the end of the quarter. The coaches on the sideline have been screaming at everyone for the whole quarter, but now they can enter the field while the players walk off for a drink.

The head coach is ropeable while he walks to Lyn as he shouts, “What the hell was that about, Davies?”

Lyn is calm when he replies, “Coach, you know I’m being forced to be here. This is my way of making this issue very public. It affects a lot of other players as well as me. I figure there’s no way you’ll risk me playing now, because next time I may just hand it to the opposition instead. I’ve no intention of ever taking a real tackle in this game. Go talk to Doctor Grey about what’s likely to happen if I’m tackled hard.”

“What’s that mean, Davies?”

“Coach, a hard tackle will piss me off. I’ve an anger management issue at the moment. I’m under counselling about it courtesy of a court order because the last three times people pissed me off I killed them, all twenty-three of them. Want to see me lose it on the field and kill a player on live television. I don’t, nor does Doctor Grey. But we weren’t able to stop the AD pushing me into this team and this situation. Now I’ve made a very public objection. Let’s see him squirm his way out of this.”

“Damn! OK, you’re out. Go shower and change.”

When Lyn heads to the showers the few reporters on hand catch up with him. The Athletics Department policy is only seniors may give a press release, and then only under supervision by the athletics staff. Lyn ignores the policy by saying, “The Athletics Director has been forcing many players to play at this level when they don’t want to. The strain is too much for them and it has been affecting their academic performance. Like me, none of them have any obligation to the Athletics Department to play at this level, but the AD is misusing policies to force us to play via a threat to our degrees. Well, unlike the others I’m in a position to fight back, so I am. Back in seventeen seventy-six the people of this country stood up to the abuses by the parliament of King George. Well, I’m standing up to the abuses of this local king. Viva la revolutión!“ He punches his hand up in the air when he says the last phrase.

Lyn is dressed and packing his personal gear when the AD walks in to abuse hell out of him for staging the mess in the first quarter and for talking to the press without approval. Lyn turns to him and simply says, “Fuck off, arse hole.” He picks up his bag and walks out. The AD is screaming while he follows Lyn out.

When they exit the tunnel the AD grabs Lyn’s shoulder to spin him around to shout in his face. Being aware a local news team has their camera aimed at them Lyn takes the opportunity to act. He lets go of his bag while he spins in the direction of the pull and he punches the AD in the stomach as hard as he can. The AD drops to the ground.

While turning away Lyn snarls, “Next time you assault me I’ll rip your head off, arse hole.” He bends to pick up his bag and he walk back to the bench so he can watch the rest of the game.

In the Stands

During the non-play first quarter many of the conspirators move through the crowd of students explaining the situation and Lyn’s plan to small groups of the spectators. Most soon know all about the problem and this process to get attention to fix it by the end of the semester.

When the quarter ends Doctor Grey and President Mason tell the guests from the Board of Management and the Alumni Association what they know of Lyn, his being forced to play when he doesn’t want to, and add they guess this is his way of protest. They also point out how the other players responded to the situation on the field to support him.

When the Board of Management have their meeting the following week they pass three policies relevant to the situation:

1. Only modules required to meet national accreditation can be set as compulsory, and only for the degree concerned.

2. All non-Athletic Scholarship SPA modules are set as electives.

3. Intramural sports fees are linked to a fair formula to cover the costs of the sport with a part sent direct to facilities for maintenance works.

The last two are initiated and passed at the meeting. The first two are effective as of the next day and the third as of the next semester. The AD is not happy with the changes in the situation.

The news of the changes is very fast to spread across the campus. At the next football training session most of the players being forced to play withdraw from the team. A few want to go but agree to attend training sessions to help others improve their game to replace them. The whole student body is happy with the results of the revolution. Some coaches lose the special privileges they had and most aren’t happy about that.

Dorei Decision

On the last Friday in April Nancy and Lyn are having a quiet night in their room after eating dinner in the cafeteria. Their studies are all up to date, so are their assignments, and they don’t feel like driving to the apartment tonight. They’ll do that in the morning. Both their roomies are out for the evening so Nancy and Lyn are planning on an early night.

After their usual fun shower of washing each other they retire to the bedroom to relax while watching a DVD on the built-in TV. All evening Lyn is wondering what’s up with Nancy because she appears to have something on her mind, but he leaves her to decide when to talk about whatever it is she’s thinking about so hard.

Later that night Nancy turns to Lyn and says, “Sensei, please take your clothes off and lie on the bed.” He now has an idea about what she’s thinking, so he does as she asks.

When they’re both nude and on the bed she gets him erect and ready for sex. Giving him a small smile she moves over him and lowers herself onto his erection. Nancy takes a few minutes to slowly push down onto him. Lyn waits until their groins meet before he pulls her body down to lie on him and kiss her. A moment later he rolls them both over and takes over control while he makes gentle love to her. They spend the rest of the night in having rests between their bouts of sex. Both are a lot happier about this and know sex will now be a regular part of their lives most days.

Dorm Discussions

One evening in the last week of April Lyn is walking down the hall to go meet a pizza delivery when he meets the four girls from room 315 as they walk to the showers nude while carrying their towels. Lyn slowly shakes his head and says, “A little later I want to talk to the four of you! Will you be in your room in about half an hour?”

Jane grins and says, “Yes, we’ll see you then.”

After collecting, sharing, and eating the pizza Lyn cleans up and goes to room 315 for a chat. Nancy goes with him to see how it goes. They arrive and are invited in, the four are sitting around in just their panties. A nice view, but against the college policy.

Lyn asks, “Aren’t you worried some boy wandering around the dorm will see you walking about nude or in your underwear?”

Jane replies for them as she seems to be their spokesperson, “No, we’re not. We’re all cousins close in age who spend most summers at various nudist resorts, so it doesn’t worry us. Nor does violating the policy. Why does it worry you?”

With a grin Nancy says, “It doesn’t worry Lyn. What worries Lyn is how you or some of the girls will react when they learn Lyn is a man.”

This gets some wide-eyed looks in response. They talk the situation over, especially how they think the other girls in the dorm will react.

Annie, the youngest, says, “Most of the girls know and like you, Lyn. A few have wondered why you push the dress policies. So I don’t expect any issues with them when they learn the truth. But it’s good you’ve not tried to hide it or leer at them.” Over the next week all of the girls in the dorm learn Lyn is a man and most think it’s funny, but none are angry.

Thus his situation of being in the wrong dorm is accepted by the other students in the dorm. Betty has a big laugh when she’s told.

May

Study and Exams

In late April Nancy and Lyn also start reviewing the work they’ve done during the semester in preparation for the exams coming up. One check they do is to download a lot of old exams to sit them. One thing is soon learned: they’re more ready for the subjects they both take due to studying together and talking things over. As things are they’ll pass all of the exams, but they want to do really well. So Lyn seeks help for them.

The first Monday in May Lyn goes to the ‘Academic Support Center,’ and wonders which came first: the name or the acronym. He’s surprised to find about twenty students already there, then he realises they’ve done the same thing he has and they have the same problem with the same answer he’s arrived at.

While waiting Lyn listens to what those being served are asking for help with and how much or little, can be done for them this late in the semester. The smarter people got tutors to help them back in February.

When it’s his turn to be served Lyn fronts the counter and says, “My bunkie and I would like some people to help us review these subjects, please.” While the lady reads the list of five subjects, three for Nancy and two for Lyn, he adds, “We’re doing OK so far, but we’d like to do a bit better. Which is why we’re seeking people to help us review the material. That being the case I doubt we need your best staff to help us. Just someone who knows the subject, can pick up what we’ve not got straight in our heads, and will tell us what we need to study further. Not actually teach us the subjects from scratch, as some others may need.”

The woman smiles as she replies, “That’s good. Just about everyone who comes in this late wants a teaching level tutor to stuff everything in their heads in just a couple of weeks. I gather what you want is a tutor who can help you identify short falls then send you to the right books!”

“Yes! That’s exactly what we need. We’ve done some old exams on the college website and we want help to point us in the right direction.”

“At the moment we’ve a few tutors needing work who aren’t good at the last minute knowledge jamming but are great at helping people in the general study of their subjects. They’ll be ideal for what you want and they’ll appreciate the work right now because they don’t have much to do at this time of the year. I’ll have them contact you.”

“Thanks, we’ll look forward to hearing from them.” He’s just turning away when he remembers something and reaches into his shoulder bag. Pulling out a copy of the about to be released Victoria’s Secret Summer Catalogue with a discount card attached Lyn hands it over while saying, “You may like to read this and use the discount voucher attached.”

She smiles while she takes the booklet as she asks, “Got a few more for the other staff here?”

Lyn pulls out a handful and hands them over with, “Don’t forget to give some to the male staff to give to their wives or girlfriends.”

The lady grins and nods when she accepts them. She asks, “I noticed we got the New Year catalogue spread across the campus before they were officially released, was that your doing?” He nods yes. “How come you do this for them? Do you own the local franchise?”

“No. But I do a lot of shopping there and I know the staff well. Their income is derived more from sales commissions than wages, so I help to get the sales up to improve their income for them.” The lady just nods while she turns to put the booklets down on the desk behind her. He turns to leave, and he spots a few staff glancing at the pile of catalogues and smile when they realise what they are. When he glances back just before leaving the office Lyn notices the pile is reduced in height.

Over the next few days five students contact Lyn and Nancy to set up study times to help them review for the exams. They all turn out to be very good choices for them, and they’re happy for the work and pay.

The tutoring system works by having those being tutored signing off on time sheets for the people tutoring them. The ASC pays them and bills the student being tutored. It’s done this way because most hours billed are for students on athletic scholarships, thus the charges are to the Athletics Department as a part of the scholarship support. The ASC asks other students to sign authorities for the ASC to deduct the money from their college account and thus minimise the cash handling by them.

Both Nancy and Lyn do well in the final exams. They credit the tutor help as being responsible for them being in the top five percent of the year for the tutored subjects. The trial exams had them in the ten to fifteen percentile group. So they’re happy the effort paid off. So happy Lyn gives their tutors a bonus of fifty dollars each, which they love.

Knowing their summer classes will be very intensive Lyn visits the ASC to organise for tutors to help them with all of their subjects for the semester. Most of the tutors they get are locals who can’t afford to go anywhere for the summer, so they appreciate the opportunity to work.

The Gun Club

Due to a number of outside pressures, mostly football related, Lyn and Nancy don’t get much chance to spend time in Stockbridge until May. Most of the time from January to April they visit for a few hours on Sunday afternoon. They spend time with the Holt family, and they sort out the furniture and things in the apartment to get it how they want.

However, during May they start to stay in the Stockbridge house for the weekend. They stay from late Friday night to Sunday evening.

On the first Saturday in May Lyn takes Nancy to the gun club and introduces her to Gunny Kowalski, “Nancy, this is Gunny Kowalski, all anyone ever calls him is Gunny. He’s the key contact here at the club. I’m not sure of what his official position is at any one time, but he’s the ‘go to’ person if you ever want anything done here.” Gunny grins at them.

Lyn turns to Gunny and says, “Gunny, this is Nancy Danes, my alter ego. There may be times she’ll be contacting you on my behalf, please do as she asks.” Gunny nods yes and shakes Nancy’s hand. Lyn adds, “I’ve a few things that need to be done today. First, I need someone who can teach Nancy how to shoot both pistol and rifle...”

Nancy interrupts with, “Lyn, I don’t want to learn how to shoot.”

He turns to her, “Dorei, this you must do!” She gulps, and Gunny’s eyebrows go up. “It’s not legal for me to have a gun with me when not here. Once you’re trained and licensed we can keep a few at the house for protection and you can carry one when we’re out and about. This way you can save both our lives. If we’re attacked you don’t have to fire back if you don’t feel like it, but I can and I will. Which I can’t do if you’re not legally carrying a gun I can borrow to use. Understand?”

She nods while saying, “Yes, Sensei. Now I understand what you want and why I’ll study hard and I’ll learn this well.”

Lyn goes to speak again but he’s interrupted by Gunny shouting out, “Marsha! I’ve got some work for you!” A very fit woman limps over and he adds, “This girl needs to become proficient with pistol and rifle but she hasn’t touched a weapon before. Usual rates! Feel up to it?”

Marsha nods while asking, “What weapons does she have?”

Gunny leads the way to Lyn’s gun safe locker and he unlocks the top lock before stepping aside to let Lyn unlock the bottom lock. Lyn opens the door and Gunny says, “Take your pick.”

Marsha’s eyes go wide at the wide range of quality pistols and rifles in the safe. She reaches in to pick up a Glock 10 mm while saying, “This may be best to start her with.” Lyn lifts the lock bar holding the lower door shut and Marsha reaches for a box of 10 mm cartridges from the big stack of ammunition stored on the lower shelves. Turning to Nancy she says, “Right, Miss, follow me and I’ll get you started with the safety and legal stuff while I strip and check this weapon. I’ll also show you how to do that at the same time.”

Lyn grins, “Right, first task started. Second, the gun shop here sells top quality cases, doesn’t it?” Gunny nods yes. “Good. I want you to select suitable cases as presentation style cases to put a few weapons in.” Lyn reaches in and he uses a key to unlock an inner cupboard. He opens it to show two rifles, a pistol, and several framed documents. Taking care in the way he handles them he passes the documents and weapons out to Gunny while saying, “Match the documents to the weapons and put them together in a case in a way the case can be opened to show the gun and the documents at once. I want a nice display set up, please. I’ve a man coming to look at them later today.” Gunny nods yes while he slips the rifle slings on his arm and waves for staff to help him with the gear. One takes the pistol and two take the documents, each taking great care with their loads. Lyn gets out some ammunition for each weapon, the spare magazines, and he follows them after locking the safe. Catching up to them he adds, “I want them tested, certified, and valued, please.” He gets a nod in reply while Gunny gives orders to the men with him.

On reaching the gun-shop everything is placed on the counter and Lyn leaves them to do that for him. Back at his locker he asks one of the range officers to help him take a few weapons to the range for him to practice with. For the next half hour he’s busy shooting holes in paper targets while he practices with over a dozen different pistols and rifles.

Lyn is sitting at the cleaning station cleaning the weapons he used when Gunny returns with three fairly fancy gun-cases. He puts them down on the next table and opens them. Each case is made of a hard cover with foam rubber inserts. The foam in the bottom half of each one has cut-outs for the weapon and magazines to sit in. The case lid has the framed documents nestled into foam inserted into it in a way they can be read but not fall out. Sitting on the foam is a small certificate signed by two qualified people which state the condition and value of the weapon. It’s also obvious they’ve been used and cleaned since he got them out of the locker as the fresh oil shines. Lyn finishes his cleaning before he goes to examine the three cases. He likes what Gunny has done and smiles while he nods to him. Picking up the valuation certificates he’s shocked at the figures he sees on them. He takes out his phone to call Jason to tell him the values as he arranges to pay Gunny for the cases and work.

For the next half hour Lyn watches Nancy and Marsha on the range. While he’s watching Gunny walks up and says, “I’m glad to have some paid work for Marsha since she’s a casual. Money’s a bit tight at the moment because there’s a stuff up with the payment for the prosthetic she needs to get around. The basic one they gave her before discharge has a fit issue, but the base tech says it’s perfect. So she’s had to get one made to fit at a local store. The damned pen-pushers are refusing to pay for what they see as an extra and she can’t get it until it’s paid for.”

Lyn turns to Gunny and asks, “Know where it’s being made?” A nod yes is his reply. He hands over Jason’s card, “Call Jase and give him the details to organise a payment today. Then have someone collect it for her. Even I can see how much pain she’s in just standing there!”

Gunny gives him a half frown, but he does as told then he hands him the phone when Jason asks to speak to Lyn to confirm he’s to pay it. Gunny organises for another member to go collect the prosthetic before returning to ask Lyn, “How come you’re doing this, Lyn?”

He glances at Gunny before saying, “In this situation what would the Colonel do? And why wouldn’t I do the same?” Gunny gives him a long look before slowly nodding then walking off to check on a few things.

Twenty minutes later Marsha and Nancy are sitting at the cleaning station putting the cleaned Glock Model 20 back together when Gunny walks over to dump the lower leg, ankle, and foot prosthetic on the table while he says, “Here, clean this and put it to use.”

Marsha’s eyes go wide because she recognises it. She looks up and asks, “Where did this come from?”

Gunny grins when he replies, “A Fairy Godmother dropped it as she flew by while shouting semper fi. The pen-pushers may be mugs but the Fairy Godmothers still remember us from time to time. It happens to be your turn this time.”

With tearful eyes she looks up and says, “Thanks, Gunny. And thank whoever it was that paid for this for me.” She’s quick to fit it.

When Marsha stands to return the Glock to the gun safe it’s obvious to all she walks better with it because most of the limp is gone. All there are watching her and smiling. Gunny walks past Lyn and half whispers, “Oorah, Marine.” Lyn is both embarrassed but very pleased by it.

About an hour after Lyn’s call to Jason he walks into the club with two other men. Gunny walks over to one and holds his hand out to Sergeant Major ‘Muddy’ Waters and says, “Hello, Muddy, what brings you here?”

Waters replies, “I got a call to come out and see a Lyn Davies. I’m not sure what about as I wasn’t told why. I even had to bring my runner with me,” he waves at the third person, First Sergeant ‘Dusty’ Rhodes, before making the introductions because they hadn’t met before.

Lyn joins them while saying, “Right, Gunny, time to look at the rifles in the office.” Gunny turns to give Lyn a long stare before leading them to his office where the two rifles and pistol are sitting on his desk in their new cases. On entering the room Lyn goes to the rifle cases and he opens them, he moves the pistol case to the side table without opening it.

The two Army men examine the rifles and paperwork before picking up the weapons to check the serial numbers match the papers. Dusty turns to Lyn and Gunny while saying, “Thanks for letting us look at these lovely weapons, but why are we here?”

Lyn smiles as he says, “Both these rifles are mine. I inherited them, but there are legal reasons stopping me from putting them on display or selling them. All I can do with them is to lock them in a gun safe or give them away. They’re valuable items of military history with proud combat records. The documentary evidence of both is there and verified. Both have been tested and verified today as well. The valuations are there.”

Muddy nods and says, “Yeah, I saw them. I think they’re very low.”

While waving at some documents he just finished setting out Jason says, “Here are the papers for you to accept these two weapons at the values stated on the valuations as donations for your fund raising auction next month. Promote them well and you’ll do good out of it.”

Muddy glances from Jason to Lyn, back again, and asks, “You sure about this? That’s nearly two hundred thousand bucks of gear!”

Lyn smiles, “Yes, I’m sure. If well promoted I think you can get close to three hundred thousand for them at the auction. You can help a lot of people with that amount of money. Also, these mean more to you and others who’ve actually fought than they do to me. I know they meant a lot to my grandfather, but the good you can do for the troops you assist with the money you’ll get from them means a lot more to me.”

Dusty nods yes and says, “The Disabled American Veterans thanks you for this donation. We’ll see we get the best out of it for them.” The next few minutes is a quiet time while the men read and sign the papers on the transfer of ownership of the weapons as a donation of one hundred and eighty-five thousand dollars of equipment.

When Jason puts the signed papers back in his briefcase Martin and Rhodes place their copies in the cases and close them up before picking them up to leave the office after shaking hands with everyone.

Gunny turns to leave, but he notices Jason is laying more papers out while Lyn gets the case with the historic M1911.45 calibre pistol. The weapon was one of the first to be issued to National Rifle Association members back in late 1912. Its owner carried and used it on service in France during World War 1, his son did the same in the Pacific during the Second World War, and a third generation used it in Vietnam, all in combat and two of them were awarded the Silver Star. Since then its fourth generation owner had it serviced and ‘tuned up’ by a gunsmith to make it a high quality Match Pistol. He won two national titles with it before a car accident put a stop to his competition shooting. Lyn doesn’t know why he gave it to his grandfather, but he did give it to him with a letter saying it was a gift. This pistol is as perfect as you’ll get with a M1911 and it has a record of combat service as well as match shooting.

Placing the case on the desk Lyn says, “I’m donating this to the club so they can have a good weapon for the members to compete with in the future. I’d rather see this being used than gathering dust in the safe. So you take it and see it’s put to good use, please.”

Gunny has a hard time talking when he calls in the other club officials to witness and sign all of the paperwork to accept this eighty thousand dollar equipment donation for use by the club members. When they finish with the paperwork Lyn adds, “We better get the last of the forty-five ammo out of the safe because I don’t need it now.” A few minutes later that’s done.

Lyn is happy to see the last of the historically significant weapons in the collection are now being put to a better use than being locked away. They also act as good tax write-offs, but that’s a minor aspect when compared to what good the Disabled American Veterans will do with the money they raise from their sale at auction.