Chapter 45

“Bob was right. I’ve been asked to move in with Bob in the athletic dorm. I told Coach Marshall that I wanted to talk to you some more before making a final decision.”

Alice grinned. “I’m not living with you now, Jerry, and won’t be then either.”

“Th-that’s not quite what I meant or said.”

“I know but it was fun to watch your face.”

Marilyn and Bob were chuckling. Bob said, “I just hope you’ll let me maintain my innocence.” He and Marilyn laughed a lot then with Alice joining in the fun. I even chuckled ruefully.

I said, “Seriously, Alice, what do you think about that move?”

She smiled. “I think it will work for you and work for us. Some of your concerns about being in the athletic dorm are no longer valid. Things have changed. Also, you will need a new roommate and Bob has done that before so it should work. Jerry, any change is a risk but this one should be minimal.”

“Okay, baring any surprises, that will be the plan.”

When we met the next afternoon for football, I told Coach Marshall that, baring any extra costs, I would move in with Bob. He said that would work well and had been his hope when Bob’s roommate left. He told me to see the departmental admin for details. He said that he hoped I would move in immediately.

I watched film with everyone else and noticed that the Lions were a very good team. Like us, they were also undefeated. It appeared to me that they only threw to one wide receiver and used only one running back. No one else was usually a target nor had they been very successful when someone else tried to catch the ball or run. Coach Edwards said, “Their primary weakness on offense is the lack of diversity in their attack. Defensively, they commit and move quickly but can be fooled. Their defensive moves are based upon the reads from the press box which are passed down as called plays. No one seems to call for changes. I think that, if we line up for offense and then change the play at the last moment, we can catch them leaning the wrong way or expecting the wrong type of play.”

We finished watching the film and were dismissed. I went to the administrative offices for the athletic department. The administrative person there was female and about my age. She began to flirt with me rather overtly. Moments later, Marilyn and Bob came into the office with Alice right behind them. Alice came to me and hugged my waist with an arm. She said, “I hope you’re being helped to move in with Bob. It will be so much convenient for the four of us.”

The young lady said, “Here’s your new meal card, not they’re special any more and a key to your room. Do you need anything else?”

Alice said, “That’s all Jerry needs here. I take care of his other needs.” She grinned. The admin gave her a sickly grin realizing that she now knew why I had been in shock and a bit standoffish. We left for Bob’s room. The key worked.

I said, “Thanks for coming in. I was uncomfortable with her attitude.”

Alice grinned. “She does have a reputation as being ‘forward.’ Jerry, you just haven’t had to dodge passes enough yet so I knew you would appreciate some help.”

“I didn’t want to be hit on. I get enough on that on the field. I have only one focus for a female. I want to keep it that way.”

They all laughed as we headed to the dining hall. I used my new card and it worked, too. We enjoyed a good meal. Alice said, “Let’s get you moved, Jerry. With all of us, it won’t take long.” That was what we did after supper. Alice was right. It didn’t take long. We spent the rest of the evening putting things in their places and generally tidying up my new and Bob’s old room. Alice said, “Tomorrow night, we will clean your old room and you can turn in the key.”

We did that as preparations continued for the game. Final exams were also during that week and the coaches were supportive of our need to study for those. Bob was doing well. He and Marilyn studied together and I think it helped both of them. I know studying with Alice helped me.

By the time exams were over, a game plan was also firmed up. Everyone left except for the football team. I took a day to drive my fair Galadriel and Grace to the farm. I spent the night and then drove home to spend a day with my parents before picking up Bob, who was at Marilyn’s house and heading back to school. We had a week and a half before our final game of the season. We studied football all day every day but Sunday.

On the Tuesday evening before the game, we left for Tampa and the game. We took comfortable buses owned by the school rather than flying. I made it a point to walk around the bus in which I would be riding to be sure there were no obvious issues. We had lost too many people last time. Bob noticed what I was doing. He didn’t think it funny either. He helped. We loaded up and rode through the night to Tampa and the stadium. We were let out at the hotel in which we would stay and given rooms. We all cleaned up and met for an official breakfast attended by both teams and various officials and other persons involved with the game.

After the breakfast, we were ushered into a joint press conference. The head coaches were the only ones interviewed at first. The team members were placed all around the room with, I thought, our backs to the wall. Bob, Tom, and I were seated together. The first question was directed at me.

Our lady sportscaster was here. She said, “Jerry, is your cheering section here for the game?”

“Unfortunately, no. The semester is over and she’s at her home along with most of our friends. After this game, we will be visiting each other.”

“Jerry, have you made special plans for this game?”

“Yes, we’re going to try to win it. However, the Lions are a very able team.”

“Bob, what do you think you’re chances of winning might be?”

He smiled. “The glib answer is fifty-fifty. Realistically, our coaches have prepared us but the Lions are a great team with many juniors and seniors on it. We are mostly a team of freshmen. It will be tough.”

“Tom, do you think the Bobcats can defeat the Lions?”

“I don’t know. We’’ll do our best. We won’t know until the end if that was enough.”

When I could, I listened to the Lions players talk. They were very confident. It was obvious from their words that they believed a victory on their part was a foregone conclusion.

I figured we could use that to work against them and to further get us involved in the game earlier than might be expected. I thought an early score or an early quick stop would be good. When the press conference broke up, I made it a point to introduce myself to members of the Lions. Bob was with me and assisted in that. Neither of us tried to build up our part on the ‘Cats.

I talked with their running back while Bob talked with their quarterback. I was asked about my play. I freely admitted that I was a walk-on and non-scholarship player. I did admit that I played a little quarterback when asked. Bob was listening a bit to me and smirked some. He admitted that he had a scholarship after going to try-outs this summer. He said he was a freshman. The two we were talking to were both seniors and had been on full scholarship for their entire collegiate careers. I pretended to be in awe and Bob played along.

They regally walked away from us. Bob said, “I hope that bears fruit. They did seem to buy your fabric of lies.” He chuckled. “Actually, you didn’t lie but they now have a false view of both of us.”

I smiled. “My dad says I always have to tell the truth but am not responsible for other peoples’ understandings of that truth nor am I responsible for asking the right questions when I am interrogated.”

We had a little free time so Coach Marshall gathered the team together for an informal meeting. He said, “We will be having lunch with the Lions and others. Take a page from Jerry and Bob. Minimize your abilities and parts in our success. The Lions are very confident and that may give them a psychological problem if we can do well.” There were nods.