Brian walked outside from the gymnasium. He held the envelope that
had been handed to
him moments ago. He stopped at the bottom of the staircase and pulled out the paper again. It
read: It's been too long. Meet me at the football field at 10:00. Brian checked his watch once
more--9:45. "Oh well, I'll be early," he said to himself, as he started across the parking lot
straight for the dimly lit football field.
The field hadn't changed much in the ten years he had been out of school. Although, it
did seem alot smaller than he remembered it. He stopped at the bleachers and looked around. No
one in sight. He had become very skittish about dark places, ever since his altercation with a
deranged junkie at a homeless shelter. He shook off his fears and climbed the bleachers,
stopping at the top row.
He started to whistle to himself, when another person started to whistle the same song.
Brian looked down at the bottom of the bleachers and saw an old friend's face. He grinned and
stood up. He slowly descended the bleachers, wondering to himself why he had climbed that
high with his limp. He reached the bottom and said, "Alison, it's been a long time."
"Yea, it has," she said nodding. "I see you got an invitation too?"
Brian looked down at her envelope. "Yea, any idea who it's from?"
"No," Alison said, looking around the field. "I guess we wait until ten."
"Well, we'll have time to catch up."
"It's been forever since I last saw you," Alison said, as she sat down on a bleacher seat.
"Too long," Brian said, as he limped and sat down next to her.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. I have to live with this for the rest of my life."
"So Brian, what did you do after graduation? Andrew and I lost touch with you after you
left for Georgetown."
"Georgetown wasn't really for me. I only made it through one semester and I dropped out.
I guess I was burned out on school. My parents weren't very happy about my decision either.
They told me it was college, or they weren't helping me. I chose the last option."
"Oh wow, you should have called us. We would have been there for you."
Brian grinned. "It's nice to hear, but I went a little crazy. Did you know Washington DC
has a lot of good places to get some awesome drugs? I tried them all. Within three years, I was
living on the streets and begging for money to get a hit." Alison gasped in shock. Brian
continued, "but I learned a lot more from that than I could have in a classroom. Although, it did
have its drawbacks. I was a skinny kid on the streets. I was mugged, beaten, and even raped by
other homeless people. That's where the limp is from; I was knifed in an alley. When dealers say
they want their money, they're not joking."
Brian could see by Alison's face that he had completely knocked her off her feet. He tried
to reassure her. "I'm doing good now. I've been clean for two years now and started taking
classes at the junior college. I felt it was time to rebuild my life and my parents have agreed to
help me."
"That is wonderful," Alison said, letting out a sigh. "I never thought when I lost touch
that you were in trouble like that."
"Enough about me, how have you been doing?"
"I'm good." Alison smiled. "I'm working in New York as a teen counselor at the Covenant
House. We take in abused and homeless kids, and helped them get their self esteem back. Being
the way I was in high school, it's a great job to have. A lot of these kids are me ten years ago."
"Sounds like you found your niche."
"I think I have." Alison nodded.
"So where's Andrew?"
Alison's face turned from happiness to sadness. "You didn't hear, did you?" Brian just
shook his head. Alison cleared her throat and started. "We both went to UCLA, Andrew had
gotten a full ride from wrestling. He did real well the first year and trained all summer for the
next season. At his first match, his opponent did an illegal move and snapped his knee. The
doctors said he would never wrestle again. Andrew took it real hard, but I was with him through
it all. Then one night I came home from work and found an empty bottle of Vodka and his pain
pill bottle on the floor. He had downed the whole bottle and died before I came home."
"Oh man," Brian said shaking his head. He looked to the clear night sky. "That should
have been me. You don't know how many times I was on the edge like that."
"But it wasn't you," Alison said, touching his arm. "You knew you could get your life
back, and it looks like you have. Andrew didn't think he could live without wrestling in his life.
Even though I told him many times he could."
"It is such a waste."
"It was, but he did do one good thing. He gave me my daughter, Shelby Adrian."
"You're a mother? That is so great. You heard about Claire, didn't you?"
"Claire, now that's a person I haven't heard from since my graduation party."
"Well, let me fill you in," Brian smiled. "She's been very busy. I got a hold of her when I
returned to Chicago. She has five kids, all from different fathers. And none are Bender's. They
broke up after your party. I guess he had kissed someone, and she saw them or something like
that. Anyways, she went a little wild. Little Miss pure was sleeping with every guy that looked at
her. So now she has these adorable kids ranging in age from nine to six months. I'm actually her
official babysitter on Monday's. That's her night to go to AA. We've sort of leaned on each other
a lot lately. Kind of funny to think about, since we were total opposites in high school."
"It's amazing to see how we've all changed and grown up. But why didn't she come?"
"She couldn't get a babysitter. Although since you're in town, I think she'd love to hear
from you. She doesn't have many friends now. Seems like her old clique dropped her as soon as
she had her first son. I guess motherhood isn't very cool."
"Well, I'll be sure and look her up."
"Don't look too far. She's living in her father's house. He died and left it to her."
"Easy enough. So since you know everything," Alison teased, "how's Bender doing?"
"I don't know. He dropped off the face of the earth after graduation. His parents weren't
even here anymore when I came back."
"Oh wow, I hope he's doing okay. I know he was always wild."
"That's the first thing I thought of when I couldn't find him." Brian shrugged. "But who
knows?"
The large gate clinked open on the opposite side of the field, catching Alison and Brian's
attention. They both stood up as a large white limo pulled through the opening. They looked at
each other in bewilderment and then back at the limo. It stopped in front of them. The driver
stepped out and walked to the passenger door. He slowly opened the door and then stepped back.
A person slowly appeared, his back to Alison and Brian.
Brian looked at the person and smiled broadly. "BENDER!" He yelled.
John turned around quickly and smiled. "Bri. Ali. How the hell are you?" He asked as he
hopped up onto the railing, then leaped over it.
"Nice ride," Brian said, as he hugged John.
"It's not that big of a deal. I get larger ones in Italy." John said shrugging.
"Italy? How did you end up there?" Alison asked.
"Don't laugh, either of you. But I'm a model over there. And I just got into acting."
Brian held his amusement in, but Alison let out a loud burst of laughter. "Modeling?" she
asked, trying to catch her breath. "When did you start modeling?"
"After high school, I went to Europe to discover myself. Instead, I was discovered. I
guess I found my calling. Now I've kept up on everything that's been going on with your lives.
It is good to have money and private investigators. Alison, you'll find a donation in your name to
the Covenant House when you go back."
"Oh my God, that is so nice of you," Alison said, stumbling with her words.
"No big deal," John said. "And Brian, you've cleared up your act. That's a feat in itself.
But I think I can help you out a little more. I know you've been trying to get a job, but with a
criminal record and all, it's too hard."
Brian nodded. "Yeah it is."
"Well it's time to give back to the guy that helped me finish school and actually graduate.
I got you an entry level position with The Ford Agency. So don't screw it up."
"I won't," Brian nodded.
"Now, we're off to get Claire. The nanny should be there by now. It's time to hang out
like we did in high school. Maybe rekindle a flame?" John said, with a smile that was returned
by both Alison and Brian.
him moments ago. He stopped at the bottom of the staircase and pulled out the paper again. It
read: It's been too long. Meet me at the football field at 10:00. Brian checked his watch once
more--9:45. "Oh well, I'll be early," he said to himself, as he started across the parking lot
straight for the dimly lit football field.
The field hadn't changed much in the ten years he had been out of school. Although, it
did seem alot smaller than he remembered it. He stopped at the bleachers and looked around. No
one in sight. He had become very skittish about dark places, ever since his altercation with a
deranged junkie at a homeless shelter. He shook off his fears and climbed the bleachers,
stopping at the top row.
He started to whistle to himself, when another person started to whistle the same song.
Brian looked down at the bottom of the bleachers and saw an old friend's face. He grinned and
stood up. He slowly descended the bleachers, wondering to himself why he had climbed that
high with his limp. He reached the bottom and said, "Alison, it's been a long time."
"Yea, it has," she said nodding. "I see you got an invitation too?"
Brian looked down at her envelope. "Yea, any idea who it's from?"
"No," Alison said, looking around the field. "I guess we wait until ten."
"Well, we'll have time to catch up."
"It's been forever since I last saw you," Alison said, as she sat down on a bleacher seat.
"Too long," Brian said, as he limped and sat down next to her.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. I have to live with this for the rest of my life."
"So Brian, what did you do after graduation? Andrew and I lost touch with you after you
left for Georgetown."
"Georgetown wasn't really for me. I only made it through one semester and I dropped out.
I guess I was burned out on school. My parents weren't very happy about my decision either.
They told me it was college, or they weren't helping me. I chose the last option."
"Oh wow, you should have called us. We would have been there for you."
Brian grinned. "It's nice to hear, but I went a little crazy. Did you know Washington DC
has a lot of good places to get some awesome drugs? I tried them all. Within three years, I was
living on the streets and begging for money to get a hit." Alison gasped in shock. Brian
continued, "but I learned a lot more from that than I could have in a classroom. Although, it did
have its drawbacks. I was a skinny kid on the streets. I was mugged, beaten, and even raped by
other homeless people. That's where the limp is from; I was knifed in an alley. When dealers say
they want their money, they're not joking."
Brian could see by Alison's face that he had completely knocked her off her feet. He tried
to reassure her. "I'm doing good now. I've been clean for two years now and started taking
classes at the junior college. I felt it was time to rebuild my life and my parents have agreed to
help me."
"That is wonderful," Alison said, letting out a sigh. "I never thought when I lost touch
that you were in trouble like that."
"Enough about me, how have you been doing?"
"I'm good." Alison smiled. "I'm working in New York as a teen counselor at the Covenant
House. We take in abused and homeless kids, and helped them get their self esteem back. Being
the way I was in high school, it's a great job to have. A lot of these kids are me ten years ago."
"Sounds like you found your niche."
"I think I have." Alison nodded.
"So where's Andrew?"
Alison's face turned from happiness to sadness. "You didn't hear, did you?" Brian just
shook his head. Alison cleared her throat and started. "We both went to UCLA, Andrew had
gotten a full ride from wrestling. He did real well the first year and trained all summer for the
next season. At his first match, his opponent did an illegal move and snapped his knee. The
doctors said he would never wrestle again. Andrew took it real hard, but I was with him through
it all. Then one night I came home from work and found an empty bottle of Vodka and his pain
pill bottle on the floor. He had downed the whole bottle and died before I came home."
"Oh man," Brian said shaking his head. He looked to the clear night sky. "That should
have been me. You don't know how many times I was on the edge like that."
"But it wasn't you," Alison said, touching his arm. "You knew you could get your life
back, and it looks like you have. Andrew didn't think he could live without wrestling in his life.
Even though I told him many times he could."
"It is such a waste."
"It was, but he did do one good thing. He gave me my daughter, Shelby Adrian."
"You're a mother? That is so great. You heard about Claire, didn't you?"
"Claire, now that's a person I haven't heard from since my graduation party."
"Well, let me fill you in," Brian smiled. "She's been very busy. I got a hold of her when I
returned to Chicago. She has five kids, all from different fathers. And none are Bender's. They
broke up after your party. I guess he had kissed someone, and she saw them or something like
that. Anyways, she went a little wild. Little Miss pure was sleeping with every guy that looked at
her. So now she has these adorable kids ranging in age from nine to six months. I'm actually her
official babysitter on Monday's. That's her night to go to AA. We've sort of leaned on each other
a lot lately. Kind of funny to think about, since we were total opposites in high school."
"It's amazing to see how we've all changed and grown up. But why didn't she come?"
"She couldn't get a babysitter. Although since you're in town, I think she'd love to hear
from you. She doesn't have many friends now. Seems like her old clique dropped her as soon as
she had her first son. I guess motherhood isn't very cool."
"Well, I'll be sure and look her up."
"Don't look too far. She's living in her father's house. He died and left it to her."
"Easy enough. So since you know everything," Alison teased, "how's Bender doing?"
"I don't know. He dropped off the face of the earth after graduation. His parents weren't
even here anymore when I came back."
"Oh wow, I hope he's doing okay. I know he was always wild."
"That's the first thing I thought of when I couldn't find him." Brian shrugged. "But who
knows?"
The large gate clinked open on the opposite side of the field, catching Alison and Brian's
attention. They both stood up as a large white limo pulled through the opening. They looked at
each other in bewilderment and then back at the limo. It stopped in front of them. The driver
stepped out and walked to the passenger door. He slowly opened the door and then stepped back.
A person slowly appeared, his back to Alison and Brian.
Brian looked at the person and smiled broadly. "BENDER!" He yelled.
John turned around quickly and smiled. "Bri. Ali. How the hell are you?" He asked as he
hopped up onto the railing, then leaped over it.
"Nice ride," Brian said, as he hugged John.
"It's not that big of a deal. I get larger ones in Italy." John said shrugging.
"Italy? How did you end up there?" Alison asked.
"Don't laugh, either of you. But I'm a model over there. And I just got into acting."
Brian held his amusement in, but Alison let out a loud burst of laughter. "Modeling?" she
asked, trying to catch her breath. "When did you start modeling?"
"After high school, I went to Europe to discover myself. Instead, I was discovered. I
guess I found my calling. Now I've kept up on everything that's been going on with your lives.
It is good to have money and private investigators. Alison, you'll find a donation in your name to
the Covenant House when you go back."
"Oh my God, that is so nice of you," Alison said, stumbling with her words.
"No big deal," John said. "And Brian, you've cleared up your act. That's a feat in itself.
But I think I can help you out a little more. I know you've been trying to get a job, but with a
criminal record and all, it's too hard."
Brian nodded. "Yeah it is."
"Well it's time to give back to the guy that helped me finish school and actually graduate.
I got you an entry level position with The Ford Agency. So don't screw it up."
"I won't," Brian nodded.
"Now, we're off to get Claire. The nanny should be there by now. It's time to hang out
like we did in high school. Maybe rekindle a flame?" John said, with a smile that was returned
by both Alison and Brian.