1.
"Hike!"
Jerry gripped the seams of the football, scanned the field, and sensed a linebacker rounding the edge. He stepped forward, and launched the ball skyward.
A receiver streaked down the right side of the field with two defenders close behind.
The ball dipped down.
"C'mon," Jerry whispered to himself.
At the last moment, before it would land in the open hands of the safety, the ball surged forward, as though blown by a powerful wind, right into the hands of his wide receiver, who tumbled to the ground in a pile with the defenders.
It was the final practice before the start of high school football season in Iowa, and Jerry Potter looked poised to take his team back to the state championship game.
"Touchdown!" the coach shouted. "That's the way to do it, Potter."
The coach slapped Jerry's ass as he ran to the sideline and sat down on the bench.
"Ow, coach," Jerry said. "Not on the scar!"
"See him there?" the coach asked, nodding to the bleachers. "That's the assistant from the Hawkeyes. He was asking about you."
Jerry, rubbing his ass, didn't look up.
"You're gonna be a Hawkeye, Jerry," the coach said.
"Great," Jerry mumbled.
A shout came from the field.
"Aarrgghhh, geroffme!"
A whistle blew.
"Oh, Jesus, Jerry," the coach said. "Can't that sister of yours get anything right?"
Sammy was Jerry's sister and a third-string linebacker on the football team. Sammy stood a foot shorter than Jerry. Her family had adopted him when he was a baby. They were the same age and grew up as best friends. She was fiery, wiry, spunky and a bit clumsy. He was aloof, tall and naturally athletic. Coaches always wanted Jerry to play for them, not Sammy. But Jerry would only play if Sammy were on the team.
Now, Sammy, snarling, was being pulled off the back-up quarterback, who lay sprawled on his back.
"It's a walk-through," the coach yelled. "He's wearing a red jersey."
Jerry sat on the bench and laughed.