Chapter 18

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2000


As Kate pulled into a parking lot on the west side of Taylorsville High’s ex-grassy field, Dana Hurley was pulling into a parking space on the east side of the newly snow covered field. Kate was in her Impala while Dana & Aaron were in a non-descript white van.
“So, this is it?” Dana asked as she put the van in park.
“This is the school where the game will be played, yes. I doubt if it will be in the middle of this snowy soccer field, though. If, however, you are asking if this is the existential ‘It’ that everyone always talks about, then I really couldn’t tell you,” Aaron quipped.

Jon took a deep breath and looked over at Kate. “I guess I actually have to do this, now, don’t I?”
Kate had seemed a little reserved this morning in Jon’s opinion; her usual enthusiasm wasn’t there. “Yes, you do. You’ll do fine.” Kate didn’t move.

“What if I screw up?” Dana asked. “I’m on the air and I screw up? I give a wrong stat or I forget someone’s name or number?”
“You’ll fix it,” Aaron reassured her. “You’re good and you have a lot of friends supporting you. They will give you the right information. You won’t be alone.”

“Stan will be there with you, Jon. He won’t allow anything bad to happen to you .He’ll keep a lookout. He wants you to do well. As do we all.”
Jon smiled. “Well, let’s do this.” He opened the car door and got out. Jon pulled his heavy duffel bag from the back seat. His gun as carefully wrapped in a towel and laid on the very top. All he had to do was to make sure that he didn’t grab the wrong towel at the end of the day. He slung the bag over his shoulder and shut the car door.
Kate was staring at the dashboard when she finally made up her mind. She slammed the car in park and, keeping one leg in the car, got out and stood up. “Hey, Jon!”
Jon turned. “Yea?”
The cold, winter wind whipped Kate’s hair around her face. “Thanks.” She paused. “Thanks for-,” she was having trouble finding the right words.
Jon nodded. “It’s cool. Don’t mention it.” He smiled and turned back around to trudge through the virgin snow.

Dana climbed out of the van. “Can you stay here with the van for a second, please? I just need to go inside and take a look around for a few minutes. Is that okay?”
Aaron smiled and nestled back in his seat. “I don’t know, Dana. Is it? You’re the boss.”
She looked at her watch. “We don’t have to be to the other school for another hour. Apparently, it’s just off the freeway. I think we have time.”
Aaron raised his eyebrows at her. “Then go for it.” He paused, not sure if he should push his luck, but he soldiered on, “boss.”
Dana smiled and gave him a quick wave as she shut the door and started sliding her way across to the gym.
As Dana reached the gym door, a student who was obviously a player with his tall and thin physique, was also reaching for the handle.
“Excuse me?” she asked.
Jon turned. “Hi! How can I help you?”
“You’re a player right?”
Jon wasn’t sure what the stranger was getting at. “Excuse me?”
“A player? For the basketball team? The big game on Saturday?”
“Yes. Yes. I am. A player. For the game.” It sounded weird in Jon’s own head to hear his voice say those words.
“I was just wondering if I could come in and take a look around at the gym and the school for a few minutes?” Dana was shivering, even in her puffy purple jacket.
“I’m sorry? I don’t quite get it.” Why would anyone want to take a look at the school? Jon thought.
“The school. The gym. I’m going to be working here for the next few days and I want to stake out the place.”
“Stake out?” Immediately, Jon felt wary around this intruder. “Are you another agent?”
“Agent?” Dana asked.
“Cop?” Jon tried to clarify.
This brought a sense of relief to Dana. She laughed hard. “Cop? Me? No! Never! I’m a sports reporter. I’m covering the game.”
Finally, Jon recognized her. “Dana Hurley?”
“That’s me.” Dana felt a sense of pride that someone actually knew who she was.
Jon repositioned his bag and offered his hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you! My friends and I are huge fans of your show!”
“Thank you.” She shook Jon’s hand vigorously.
“No problem. Sure! Come on in! Can I show you around?” Jon motioned for Dana to enter the gym. She smiled her appreciation and entered.
“So, as you can see,” Jon started the tour, “this is the gym.” He looked around and pointed to both sides. “Those are the seats.” He craned his neck and motioned towards the north end of the gym. “Those are the offices and the locker rooms.” Jon raised his eyebrows and smiled. “There ya go. The grand tour!”
Dana laughed. “Thank you, Mr.-“
“Mmmm,” Jon got stuck on the first letter of his real last name, “Page. Neal Page.”
“Pleased to meet you, Neal Page.” She nodded her greeting. “Will I be seeing you play on Saturday?”
Jon scratched the back of his head. “I think maybe you will.”
“Bench warmer?”
“New guy.”
Coach Malone blew his whistle loudly. “Mr. Page!” he bellowed.
Jon stayed silent. Dana didn’t move a muscle.
Coach stalked over toward the twosome. “Who the hell is this?”
Dana stuck out her hand. “I’m Dana Hurley from SportsTime. I’m the one in charge of broadcasting the game on Saturday night.”
“Don’t screw with my schedule, little miss missy! What the hell are you doing here today? You aren’t supposed to show up until tomorrow!”
Dana took it in stride. “I just figured that since I didn’t have to be to the other school for about an hour, I could come and take a look at the place I was going to be broadcasting from.”
“I don’t want you here! Don’t you get it?”
“I just thought that I could help put your school and your athletics program in a better light if I could see the gym a little early. You know, I could get a mental image of the court, what might be the best angle to get the players coming out of their locker rooms, the regular stuff. I want the country to be as impressed with this place as I am.”
Coach glowered at the visitor a little longer, then pointed in her face. “Don’t get in my way! Don’t get in my players way! Understood?”
“Got it.” Dana’s eyebrows shot up when she looked at Jon as Coach walked away. “Is he always that friendly?”
“In the 24 hours that I have known him, yes.”
“Mr.- -“ Dana paused, “Page? Right?”
Jon nodded. “Yup.”
“Thank you for your hospitality. Now I won’t be afraid that everyone here is as horrible as he is. Thank you, but I should let you get back to your practice.”
“Not a problem. If you need anything, just ask.” Jon shook her hand and Dana headed toward the exit.
Coach blew his whistle. “Get your asses over here!”
Jon turned and started toward the group huddle. He turned back around. “Ms. Hurley!” he shouted. Dana kept walking. “Ms. Hurley!” She had reached the exit. Jon ran to catch up with her and yelled, “Dana!” She stopped and turned. Jon reached her momentarily. “Could you do me a huge favor on Saturday?”
Dana smiled. “What is it? You want to be on camera?”
Jon blushed. “No. My good friend Stan is a huge fan of the show. He is also a player. Could you at least sign an autograph for him or something?”
Dana pursed her lips and nodded. “I could do that.” Coach’s whistle blew again.
“Thanks. See you on Saturday.” Jon turned and ran to the circle in the middle of the court.
Dana watched as Jon ran back. “Mr. Page, you just got yourself an on-camera interview.” Dana pulled out a pad of paper, wrote herself a note and headed out the door.
“Nice of you to join us, Mr. Page,” Coach grumbled.
“Just doing my part to get us free publicity and keep in overall good standing with the media,” Jon replied.
“I have enough to worry about on Saturday. I don’t give a damn what the media thinks.”
“Got it.”
“Good. Roll Call! Adams!”
“Yo!” came the reply.
“Clark!”
“Here!”
The gym door opened on the other side and Stan walked briskly over to the circle.
“Dutton!”
“Right here!”
Jon looked over and noticed Dutton for the first time. Jon hadn’t ever had classes with him, but noticed him when he walked down the hall. Of course, it was difficult to miss a 6’9” guy walking down a high school hallway. His voice was a deep bass and reverberated throughout the gym even when he wasn’t trying. He had jet black eyes and hair, but also, an almost wry smile under his gruffness.
“Ford!”
“Here, coach!”
“Glover!”
“Here!”
“Ingle!”
Stan slid up next to Jon. “Here!”
Jon leaned over. “Running a little late today, are we?”
“Greg just isn’t as sexy of a chauffeur as yours is.”
“Moss!”
“Here!”
“Page!”
It was still a name that Jon didn’t recognize right off the bat. He said nothing.
“Page!”
Still silence.
Coach stared at Jon. “Do you need a golden invitation, Page?”
Stan nudged Jon in the side.
“Here,” Jon finally replied quietly.
Coach walked up and got nose to nose with Jon. “Here?” Coach asked softly. His voice changed to a light, airy sound like that of a girl. “Here, Coach. I’m right here. Come and get me if you want me.” The team stifled a laugh.
Jon’s face went red. “Here!” He said a little more forcefully.
“Come on, Page! Don’t be a wuss. Stand up and say it with power! Be a man!” Coach took a deep breath and let out a booming phrase. “Here, Coach!” Jon noticed Coach wasn’t blinking as he stared him down.
Jon mimicked his instructor. “Here, coach!”
“Here, Coach!” Malone repeated.
“Here, Coach!” Jon repeated.
Malone closed the roll call file and slapped Jon upside the head with it. “Here, Coach!”
Jon’s anger rose. His tongue went into his upper lip as he pursed his lips and took his turn to narrow his eyes and stare down Coach. There was a long silence in the gym as the two eyed each other. “Here, Coach!”
The file rose up again and slapped Jon in the back of the head this time. “Here, Coach!” Malone shouted.
This time, Jon bit his upper lip to keep control. He said nothing.
Malone took a step closer and whispered in Jon’s ear. “I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing, Mr. Mills. Your agent or whoever she is wants you to be called Neal Page for tax purposes. I think it’s a load of horse shit, but I have more things to worry about this week than what name I call you, so I will call you by Neal Page, but you are all mine until Saturday night and I will squash you. Just remember, it’s automatic suspension for hitting a teacher.” He backed up the step. “Here, Coach!”
Jon felt his leg twitching wanting to take a swipe at the Coach. “Here, Coach!” Jon shouted.
Malone smiled. “Good, Page.” He addressed the team. “Mr. Page has given everyone a twenty minute run this morning. I will finish roll call, you can all change, and then get your asses out on the track! Is that understood?”
“Yes, Coach!” The team replied, except for Jon who continued glowering.
“Mr. Page, you can change right now and get an extra minute or two on the track if you wish.” Jon knew by the tone in Coach’s voice that it wasn’t a request. He picked up his duffel bag and headed into the locker room. He noticed that someone fell out of line and followed him, but Jon didn’t pay attention.
Mills found his locker and opened it. He carefully set his bag inside and unzipped it. The towel with the gun wrapped in it was on top. Jon took it out and held it in his hand for a moment pondering all the damage he could do to Coach with it. He smiled to himself and gingerly placed it on the top shelf of the locker. Then, he started pulling out his clean gym clothes.
“You handled yourself nicely out there.”
The voice in the empty locker room made Jon jump. He turned and saw Nicolas Moss standing behind him.
After taking a moment to let his heart slow down, Jon smiled. “Thanks.”
“Don’t let Coach get you too riled. I don’t think he likes anybody. He just likes the power.”
“Big shock there, huh?”
“He may slap you with a file, push you off balance as you run by, kick you in the butt as you bend down for the ball, but he knows he can’t do too much.”
Jon pulled his shirt over his head. “Isn’t that still considered harassment or hazing?”
Moss smiled. “In sports it’s called coaching and training.”
Jon tossed his old shirt in his locker as he pulled out his plain white gym shirt. “Physical education hasn’t really progressed since the 60’s, has it?”
“Other than the weight machines, no, it really hasn’t.”
The two shared a laugh. Moss turned his back, unlocked his own locker, and started changing alongside Jon.
There was just the sound of clothes being taken off and put on for a minute in the locker room. Coach’s bellowing voice flowed in faintly, but Jon ignored that. Finally, as they were both almost ready to start their laps, .Jon broke the silence.
“Thanks for helping out yesterday.”
“No problem.” Moss replied.
“I do appreciate it, really I do, but may I ask you why you helped me out?”
“Believe it or not, not all jocks are assholes.”
Jon smiled. “I know, I’ve been friends with Stan forever. But, why you?”
Nicholas shut his locker and turned and looked at Jon. “I guess I always root for the underdog. When I see the underdog getting the shit beat out of him, I have to step in and lend a hand.”
“Well, thank you. And again, it is appreciated.”
Coach’s voice echoed off the tile in the locker room. “Page! Moss! Why haven’t you started your laps yet?”
“Just gotta shit, Coach!” Moss yelled. “I got a big one brewing here!”
The two heard Coach’s footsteps leave the doorway and the other players start to head down the hallway.
“Thank you for stepping up and taking a spot for a few days. I never knew you were a basketball player.”
“I’m not,” Jon admitted. “I’m doing it as a favor for Stan. You guys are going to be on national TV. I figured, I may as well help out and see what it’s like being a jock instead of a drama geek for a few days.”
“I’ve seen you do several plays and play the piano and dramatic pieces. You’re good.”
“Thank you.”
“How good are you at basketball?”
Jon nodded as he closed his locker, leaving the rolled up gun on the top shelf. “We’re about to see, aren’t we? Good enough, though, I think, good enough.”
“You better be. Coach is going to ride your ass until Saturday night.” Moss shut his locker. “Come on, we’d better get lapping.”
The two new friends jogged past their cohorts as they left the locker room and headed onto the field.