The Loudest Yard.
Lincoln was laying in bed remembering what took place this afternoon.
Lincoln could remember his teammates shouting angrily as they charged towards him. It took just thirty seconds of the angry ten and eleven year old boys kicking and using him as a punching bag until the coach blew his whistle. They were angry at Lincoln because he accidentally scored a point for the other team, thereby his team lost the football match.
"All right boys, that's enough," the coach shouted at the angry boys who were still seething with rage. "You moron!' one of the boys shouted, as they left the field.
In a daze, Lincoln saw his parents rush towards him. As they looked upon their only son, his mother said, "Lincoln you shouldn't have tricked us." His parents followed the paramedics as they took him away on a stretcher.
Rita came into his bedroom with a tray with dinner for Lincoln. "I'd just like to say I'm sorry for making you play football. You understand I just wanted you to get some exercise," she explained.
"I understand mom," Lincoln replied, then hesitated for two seconds, "So what's my punishment for making Lynn play instead of me."
"We're not going to punish you. We think being pummeled by your teammates is punishment enough," Rita replied. "Thanks mom," he replied.
Before she left Rita told him. "Your dad and I decided you can stay home on Monday. That might give your teammates who attend your school time to forget about what happened."
That night in the parents' bedroom, Rita was already in bed when Lynn Sr. walked in. Lynn Sr. released a small sigh while getting under the covers on his side of the bed.
"Something the matter dear?" Rita asked in concern. Her husband stayed silent for a few seconds before answering his wife.
"I am just disappointed it wasn't Lincoln playing in that game. You know I'd always dreamed for him to become a football or baseball star ever since he came into the world," Lynn Sr. admitted.
"Yes I remember you buying a baby football helmet for him when he was a few months old but I think making a mobile with little footballs and a little football jersey to put over his crib was pushing it a little," Rita remembered.
"Yes I remember you made me take it down and you placed the old one back up," Lynn Sr. told Rita.
Lynn Sr. could remember looking down at his newborn son in his arms and picturing Lincoln wearing a football uniform and holding a football in his hands. But while Lincoln was growing up Lynn Sr. noticed the boy's interest were on other things. He also knew his wife wouldn't allow him to push or force Lincoln into playing a sport, so he decided to just accept what Lincoln liked.
"Remember the time I tried teaching him when he was six to play catch?" Lynn Sr. said.
"Yes dear I remember," Rita replied. That wasn't a success. Every ball he threw at Lincoln, the boy missed catching the ball. Finally the last ball Lynn Sr. threw ended up hitting Lincoln on the side of his head, causing the kid to start howling loud enough to wake the dead. Rita had rushed outside within seconds, scolded her husband and rushed Lincoln inside to tend to his injury. That was the only attempt Lynn Sr. made to teach his son a sport.
"He couldn't catch one ball even when I went easy on him," Lynn Sr. said.
"Dear you'll just have to accept that Lincoln interests are in other areas," Rita replied.
"But I was so excited to see his name in that newspaper headline," Lynn Sr. said, then sighed again.
"I just have to deal with the fact he'll never be an athlete."
"Well we have Lynn Jr. filling that role," Rita told her husband, then she yawned.
"Well I have to get up early. Good night dear," Rita said, then turned off her light after giving Lynn Sr. a kiss on his cheek.