Complications — Bring It: Chapter 9

By the time I reached the fieldhouse, Coach Ellis had already called everyone into the largest of the practice rooms. We were having a team meeting. As I stepped through the door, he asked me to join everyone else, sitting on the practice mat.

“Sorry, I’m late.”

“We’re just getting started,” the coach said, then waited for me to take my place among the others before continuing. “First and foremost, I want to thank everyone for last night. Each one of you contributed everything you could and made the school proud. As of this morning, our wrestling program is the subject of a lot of discussion around the state. I think most of you know the sports section of The Springfield Sun has not been kind to us throughout the season, specifically their blatantly biased reports on Brent and Ralph.”

There were some murmurs and whispers behind me that were silenced quickly when the coach cleared his throat.

“The sportswriter named Bill Winters loves writing about wrestling. Ever since the Lake Invitational, he has targeted Brent in particular. It’s clear he has a favorite and his guy is Mark Health. So, I’m not surprised at what he wrote in this morning’s paper about what happened last night.

“I’ll take some of the blame. I should have been clearer that we don’t want anyone talking to the press. None of them were here to report about the matches. They wanted to find a story. I guess they couldn’t find one to suit them, so they made their own, ignoring storylines like guys beating archrivals for the first time, guys continuing winning streaks, one team dominating the meet… Clearly, last night’s outcome was not what Mr. Winters desired. Everyone in this room saw to that in one way or another. As a team, we believed in one another enough to make our own destiny, but that wasn’t newsworthy enough, I guess.

“Anyway, Bill Winters interviewed Brent, but instead of quoting him verbatim he took things out of context and twisted his words to create controversy and attempt to sabotage our team’s unity. We all know Brent’s about this team. Clearly, Mr. Winters intends to cause division between us by writing things to create conflict. So, he attempted to sow seeds of disunity, driving a wedge between Brent and Ralph in particular.

“What’s printed in the paper is utter bullshit, plain and simple. It was intended to do exactly what we can’t allow. Let’s use it as a rallying point. It’s an insult to everyone in this room. Winters does not want Countryside to win the league title or see Brent win the unlimited class championship. But after this article, I think we all know what we got to do.

“If you thought today would be an easy practice since most of us won both matches yesterday, think again. We are all running one extra lap because as a team we lost one match. It’s not Kevin’s fault. It could have happened to Ralph. He nearly missed making weight. He’ll tell you. Gary was close to losing several times. I think every one of you can think back to a time when one of your wins could have gone the other way. And it would have except you refused to give up. We’re running one extra lap as a team because it will make all of us stronger and able to last longer against our opponents.

“Next week, we are going to win the league tournament. The week after that we are going to win the district tournament. We can do that only if we function as a team. It’s going to take hard work and individual sacrifice to get there. Gary and I were planning to stay an hour later each night for practice. Brent and Coach Friske have been working extra to minimize his lack of experience. Last night, all the extra training showed. I’m not requiring anyone to stay over for practice. It’s voluntary. If you think you will benefit from it, you are welcome. From now on we will be practicing together as a team, though.

“Let’s huddle, right here.” He stepped into the middle of the room and every wrestler surrounded him, chanting. “Go Eagles!”

“Okay, let’s dress out and hit the track for twenty-one laps!”

When the normal time came for practice to conclude, no one left. Although the reserve wrestlers would not be participating in the tournament, they stayed as well wanting to become a better part of the team, investing in their future for next season and beyond, providing opponents for the starters to practice against.

When practice ended, the coaches called us together again.

“I think we had a solid practice tonight. And I felt the same thing as last night at the meet. We’re truly a team, guys. We work hard together, and we support one another, always.

“Gary and I will be here tomorrow along with Brent and Coach Friske. We will be practicing all afternoon, from noon until five or six. We’ll work on conditioning and weights. We’ll practice techniques and we’ll wrestle. I know some of you have jobs and can’t make it. Everyone here understands outside obligations. If you can make it, everyone is welcome to attend all or part of the session. Let’s huddle again and then we’ll hit the showers.”

While the others showered, I called Pam from the fieldhouse’s payphone. It seemed she really didn’t want to talk. She told me she’d had a rough day at school, only some of it involved people asking her questions about my other girlfriend. As I was running out of coins to feed the phone, I promised to call her on Saturday afternoon from practice. We left it open whether we’d get together Saturday night, but she didn’t seem enthusiastic about it.

I returned the receiver to the hook. Having overheard some of my conversation, Coach Ellis patted me on the back. “She’s giving you a hard time?”

“She’s not the first to do that.”

He chuckled. “You know, maybe you need to make a date something she can’t refuse.”

“How do I do that?”

“I don’t know, something spontaneous. My wife likes that.”

I smiled.

“If she’s worth it, you’ll do whatever you can to keep her.”

“I just don’t understand why she is acting this way. There is absolutely nothing going on between Annie and me. I told her about the other girls I’d dated, including Annie. I told her she’s still a friend and I talk to her.”

“Maybe there’s something else going on that she isn’t telling you.”

“I guess that’s possible.”

“Look, I don’t have all the answers, but I know you need to settle this before you wrestle again. You can’t have this going on in the background.”

“I know that.”

“You’ll figure it out.” He patted my shoulder.

“Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

“And thanks for what you said to the team. I would never say things like the paper — ”

“I know that. They know it too, it’s just sometimes when you see something printed in black and white, it feels like it’s the truth even when it isn’t.”

“What’s that jerk’s problem?”

“I’m sure he’ll be at the league championships. After we win, I think I’ll ask him.”

I chuckled.

“If you and the other guys can see that opportunity happens, I would love nothing better than to give Mr. Winters a few memorable quotes of my own.”

* * *

Dad was late getting home from the fields. It was supposed to rain on Saturday, so he wanted to finish plowing a large field where he intended to plant corn. As he always did, he came in through the basement entrance at the back of the house so he could leave his dirty work clothes where Mom had a ringer-style washing machine. After he showered downstairs in the basement, he came upstairs wearing his pajamas and a bathrobe.

He saw my light on in my room and my open door. He walked down the hall to see about me. “I allowed you’d be in Tipp City.”

“Pam didn’t feel like going out tonight.”

“Is she sick?”

“No, she’s mad at me.”

“Why?”

“Thanks for not asking what I did wrong.”

“Men are always the blame for something,” Dad said with a chuckle. “You’re just beginning to figure that one out.”

“Annie’s the issue.”

“What does she have to do with anything?”

“Ever since the two of you talked, she has been testing the waters about getting back together.”

“That was not what I intended–”

“I know that Dad, but that’s how she took it. When I beat Mark Heath last night, in front of everyone, including the TV camera, she kissed me. It wasn’t just a friendly peck on the cheek either.”

“I saw it.”

“Did it look like I expected it or even wanted it?”

“You didn’t resist it much,” Dad said. “But no, you didn’t even put your arms around her. I don’t think she should be kissing you on the lips, but…”

“I didn’t see her at school today. Maybe she got sick from what I had.”

“I don’t want to wish sickness on anyone, but if she did, that should teach her a lesson.”

I sighed.

“You’re worried about Pam, I know. If she’s the right one for you, you need to make her understand you didn’t have anything to do with that. From the sound of it, I’m more to blame than you. I put a notion in a silly girl’s head.”

“Annie keeps looking for someone who probably doesn’t exist. I told her to let the guys come to her and take her pick.”

“She a pretty girl. She shouldn’t have any trouble.”

“The guys she picks are bad.”

“Except you.”

“I was wrong for her, too. I think she knows it. But she isn’t seeing anybody and — ”

“That scares her. She thinks something is wrong with her.”

“Probably.”

“What are you going to do about Pam?”

“Coach Ellis told me to do something spontaneous.”

“Maybe you should have run up there anyway, just to see her.”

“I thought about that.”

“You might find out more than you wanted to know.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m not saying it because I think that’s what’s happening, but I don’t know her. She could be making an excuse so she can break up with you for some other guy.”

“I don’t think that’s it, not after what I went through just to date her.”

“Well, we’ll see what happens.”

“When I call her tomorrow from practice, I’ll find out whether she wants to go out tomorrow night.”

“And if she says no?”

“I guess I go there to find out the truth.”

“Her folks wanted to come here for a visit.”

“What do you have in mind?”

“Invite her family here for Sunday afternoon. We can fire up the barbeque on the back deck. It’s supposed to be a little warmer than it’s been.”

“That’s a great idea! I’ll invite all of them to come here directly after church.”

Dad smiled. “If she says she wants a date for tomorrow night, you can take your clothes with you again, stay overnight and show them how to get here.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

“So, what’d Mom fix for dinner?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t feel like eating.”

“What say we both raid the fridge? You can’t go to bed on an empty stomach.”