Chapter 1: Medium Man on Campus

Roger La Pine played football at his local college in Idaho. He wasn’t huge or powerful, but he was fast. He could run back punts and kickoffs for touchdowns, and he also played wide receiver.

But other teams learned to swarm him whenever he came off the bench, so his actual statistics became unimpressive. His best sport would be on the pitch playing soccer, but his small college was unable to field a team.

At the end of football season, Roger hung up his cleats and pads, and focused on his studies. He wanted to finish in four years, to minimize his student loan burden.

Other students took little notice of him, he was a little less than six feet tall, average weight, brown hair, brown eyes, and quiet demeanor.

But he had a secret: Roger was losing his sight in his left eye. The Student Health Service had referred him to a specialist MD for treatment.

In Salt Lake City, the senior ophthalmologist had examined and tested Roger thoroughly and pronounced herself stumped. “All I can tell you is you should stop playing football, because you could be blind-sided and injured. We have ruled out glaucoma, retinal detachment, and a dozen more diseases. As long as your right eye is working, I can’t see any reasonable way to heal you. I expect in a few months you’ll be completely monocular.”

There were some unexpected effects from Roger’s condition. His deep-set eyes meant his good eye’s view towards the left was blocked by the bridge of his nose. Driving was difficult, because pedestrians would suddenly appear behind the left roof pillar of his car. Checking his left mirror was very hard, requiring him to twist his head uncomfortably.

“It’s called a ‘blind spot’ for good reason.”

If money were available, he would get a fancy pickup truck with the extended side mirrors (used for pulling trailers). Sadly, his finances were more Top Ramen than Top Gear. And there was little reason to go driving in his small college town.

Soon it was time to break for Christmas. Roger coaxed his elderly car to Rexburg, where his family home and parents and siblings lived. Roger’s parents, Stephanie and Jared, were Mormons (or, more formally, members of the Latter-Day Saints church), quite common in Idaho. Roger had two younger brothers and three younger sisters. As was also common, Roger himself had drifted away from the church in his teens.

Nonetheless, Roger remained part of the family and would attend Sacrament Meetings from time to time. On his way, he had tanked up on hot coffee since there wouldn’t be any for him at home in Rexburg.

At his arrival, the family happily exploded all over him. The boys, Jared (“Junior”), 15, and Joel, 12, demanded he throw the football with them. The girls, Ada, 20, Clara, 17, and Dinah, 9, were no less thrilled to see him. “Hey, you all, give me a chance to kiss my mom and sit down!”

“Roger, how ARE you? Tell me everything.”

“Later, Mom, I have some news, but not for the youngsters. Don’t worry.”

“It’s my JOB to worry, but I’ll wait. Go put your stuff in the boys’ room, And I’ll work up dinner.”

In the boys’ room, Junior and Joel were after him again. “Wait, wait! Guys, it’s 20° [F, -7°C] outside with snow on the ground. That ball will feel like a brick in this weather, so, no. Don’t you have a girlfriend to harass, Junior?”

“No, not yet. I’m way too shy.”

“Well, don’t expect me to help you, girls at the college show no interest in me so far.”

“I thought you were on the football team?”

“Yes, but that counts for nothing among the females. The cheerleaders don’t even know my name.”

When dinner was announced, everyone washed up and took their seats at the big table. As normal, they all folded their arms as their father gave the blessing. After the first surge of eating, conversations resumed. The boys were ebullient, trying to control the conversation, while the girls were more relaxed. Except for Ada, the oldest, who was tense and fidgety. Roger glanced at her with one eyebrow raised, but she briefly shook her head and resumed eating.

After dinner, Ada and Roger were tasked with dish washing and kitchen cleanup. Again, Roger inquired, but Ada whispered, “After breakfast.”

She soon excused herself and took to her bed citing a headache (but mouthing “cramps”) to her mother.

Later on, the rest of the children had retired to bed. Stephanie: “OK, buster, what’s the big secret?”

“Mom, I won’t put you off any longer. I am becoming blind in my left eye. I have seen a specialist in Salt Lake City and there isn’t any treatment available. In a matter of weeks, that eye will be permanently out-of-commission.”

Jared: “Your right eye is and will be, OK?”

“Yes, Dad, as far as the specialist can tell.”

“And what about sports?”

“I will quite literally have a ‘blind side’ and so I have to quit the football team.”

Stephanie was silently weeping.

“It’s OK, Mom, don’t worry. Football isn’t that crucial to me. I can still drive, obviously. And I will still graduate and get a job.”