Eric had a horrible season in the fall. There were a lot of reasons – he was still grieving his mother's death, the new head coach showed no concern for his opinion, and there were a couple of highly overinvolved parents. Eric began to talk about quitting. "Maybe I should just teach next year," he said. The assistant coaching was practically a full-time job, but it wasn't paid as a full-time job.

"Don't give up now," Tami told him. "You've just had one bad season. You love this game. You live this game. I know you, and you're never going to be happy if you walk away from coaching. You're going to be head coach of a high school team one day, sugar. Hell, you're going to be head coach of a college team one day."

He sighed. "I don't know," he said. "I just don't know anymore."

That winter break, Tami encouraged him to volunteer to help coach an indoor, Junior Pee Wee football camp. Eight- to ten-year-old kids would be coming from all over the west Texas region for this special winter camp. Tami thought that maybe working with those little kids, who were just learning to really love the game, would restore his love for coaching.

He got back to Macedonia at 6 PM on New Year's Eve, all on fire for the game, laughing and talking about how these kids didn't even know how to put their shoulder pads on, but they knew how to love football.

He chattered on and on to Tami about one kid in particular - some amazing young kid he'd met at the camp, some kid he was sure was going to be a star quarterback one day, some kid he thought he could personally train up and see all the way to the NFL.

Some kid from Tami's own home town of Dillon, Texas.

Some kid named Jason Street.

[*]

"You ever think of moving back home?" Eric asked Tami one evening over dinner. "I was thinking of trying to get on at Dillon Junior High." Jason Street would be going to that junior high soon.

She'd grown up in North Dillon, which was the next town over from Dillon. He'd lived there for one year in high school, long enough for them to meet and fall for each other. "That area isn't home anymore, sugar. It hasn't been home for a long time. And it was never home for you."

"But it was for you. You grew up there," he reminded her.

"I don't know anyone there anymore."

"I'm sure you do, Tami. Not a lot of people leave. I know for a fact Buddy Garrity's still there. His dealership has taken off. He's got two girls and a boy now."

Her hand froze on her wine glass. "So you've already been putting feelers out, then, have you?"

Julie's eyes ping ponged from her mother to her father as they talked.

"My dad stayed in touch with Buddy and put me in touch with him." Buddy had worked for Mr. Taylor in his early twenties. "He's a huge booster now. I mean…the booster for the Panthers. Which is where Jason Street will end up one day."

"I haven't finished my master's degree, hon. I still have a year left. I don't want to move to Dillon and have to commute over twenty miles to classes."

"I've commuted to Dillon to coach Lucas."

"Not every day. I have classes five days a week."

"You commuted from UH to MWU."

"I didn't have a child. How am I going to be home in time for Julie to get out of school? We'd have to put her in after-school care."

"Tami….you should see this Jason kid. He's got a gift. With the right coach, he's going to break records. And I'm the right coach, babe."

She shook her head. "I should have never sent you to that camp."

"I don't want to move!" Julie whined. "I have friends here!"

Eric glanced at Julie.

"We're not moving today, Jules," Tami said. "Look, Eric, the schools here in Macedonia ISD are K through 2nd and then 3rd through 6th. Julie's going to have to change schools anyway after second grade, and I'll be done with my master's by then. So why can't we just wait one more year to move?"

Eric cleared his throat. "We'll discuss this later," he said.

[July]

Mr. Mize had cut Coach Taylor loose in favor of another private coach for his son Lucas. It looked like Lucas might lead the Dillon Panthers all the way to State next season, but of course Eric wouldn't get any credit. Still, he didn't want to stop coming to Dillon. He proposed to Jason Street's parents that they allow him to coach the young boy.

"We want Jason to do well, of course," Mr. Street said, "but he's only in Pee Wee, and we really don't have the money for private coaching right now."

Eric volunteered to work with Jason for free. While he was in Dillon, he checked out the junior high football team and talked job opportunities with Buddy. In fact, he spent an entire weekend with Buddy at his house in mid-July.

"I can't come to Dillon this season," Eric told him over dinner at the Applebee's that had apparently moved into town two years ago. "My wife's got to finish up her degree and she doesn't want Julie switching schools until after second grade. But I can be here next season."

"Well, there's not going to be a position next season, Eric. Dillon Junior High needs a teacher this school year. They need an assistant coach this school year. You don't take it, they're gonna hire someone else. Tami's just going to have to commute."

Eric shook his head. "I've already signed a contract in Macedonia. I've already promised Tami we'd stay one more year."

"Then I don't know what to tell you, Eric. If you don't strike now, it's not likely you'll find a job in Dillon anytime in the next three to four years."

Eric rubbed his forehead. "Well, I can at least keep driving up to coach Jason privately for now."

Buddy nodded over Eric's shoulder, and Eric turned to see a man in a blue cap. "This is one of the Panther's assistant coaches, Mac McGill," Buddy said. "Mac, I wanted you to meet my friend Eric. He used to work out your boy Lucas Mize."

Mac sat down and took off his cap. "Uh, yeah. I've heard your name a lot. Good to finally meet you in person." He extended his hand and they shook. Mac sized Eric up. "Buddy tells me he thinks you're gonna end up coaching for the Panthers one day. I hope you don't have your eye on the top dog position, though, because that one's got my name written all over it."

[*]

Eric kissed Tami and scooped up his daughter when he walked through the door. "Agh," he said, "You're getting so big."

Julie giggled and kissed each of his cheeks. "I'm going into second grade, Daddy. I'm hardly a baby."

"Hardly?' He chuckled and set her on her feet. "You're still my baby."

"What did you bring me?"

"Well, there are so many tourist shops in Dillon, so it was difficult to choose."

"What did you get?" She dragged his suitcase from the foyer to the living room. He picked it up, set it on the coffee table, and clicked it open. "These are from my friend Buddy. He and I used to work together when I was in high school." Eric handed Julie a small Panthers T-shirt and a Panthers cap. "One day I'm gonna coach the Panthers to State." He winked at her.

"Is that so?" Tami asked, putting a hand on his back. "Does it look like they'll have a job twelve months from now?"

"No. But I can keep coaching Jason privately until a job opens up. And we might discuss moving to Midland when you finish your degree. I've got to get off the Matadors. I can't stand the head coach. There might be an opening at Midland High next year. It's 5A. And it's nineteen miles from Dillon, so I can still coach Jason."

Julie put the cap on her head. It was too big. She dug through the suitcase in search of more gifts. She unearthed a stuffed panther and squeezed it tight. "Too cute!" she said. Then she looked back at the rumpled contents of the suitcase. "Is that all?"

"Monkey Noodle," Eric said. "You got to learn to be content with what you're given. You can't always be looking for something better."

"But I want something better."

He snatched the stuffed panther out of her hand. "Guess you don't want this then."

"Give it back!" She reached for it.

Eric cradled the little black animal tightly to his chest. "But I thought this panther wasn't good enough for you."

"Good Lord," said Tami, shaking her head and leaving the room.

"It is good enough!" Julie insisted. "I want it back!"

"Oh…" Eric loosened his grip on the panther. "Now you want it back. Now that you see someone else wants it."

He let Julie rip the panther from his hands. She cuddled it beneath her chin and squeezed.

"Let that be a lesson to you, Monkey Noodle." He said. "When you've got a good thing, don't take it for granted."