Rip-Off On The Field!


Towards the end of the school year, they have an annual tradition. Students play a game of basketball against a team of teachers.

The teachers were selected randomly from volunteers, the students are usually members of the student council.

We only had one practice before Chip was looking for a replacement for me. I TOLD him sports is not my thing, he just gave me an encouraging smile and a slug on the shoulder. “The important thing is to have fun,” he said.

Evidently another important thing was not to clock the class president on the back of the knees from three feet away with a basketball.

Chrissy offered to play in my place. Mr. Bower said he’d allow it but only if I wore Tracie’s cheerleader outfit and cheered from the sidelines.

I’ve never been sure if he did or did not remember the Uhura mini-skirt costume I wore to run for Student Communicator. He looked surprised on the night of the game, but he may have been mugging it. Mrs. Reed laughed until she fell down. My kinda reception.

Electra had coached me on some cheers. Of course, I had made sure she was okay with my doing this. She was, as long as I made one thing clear.

So before rip-off or tip-over or whatever starts the ball game, I grabbed the announcer’s microphone. I held Electra in the other hand and said “Friends, Tigers, Classmates…. I come not to mock cheerleading, but to avoid inflicting a disabling injury out on the field.”

“COURT!” Electra shouted. “Basketball COURT!” The crowd laughed.

“Sports is not my thing,” I muttered, then handed the mike back.

Electra had helped me with the joke. I told her the tone I wanted, she reminded me of a Shakespeare play and I wrote lines for both of us.

Now I went over to where my parents waited, gave Electra to Mom and took the pom-poms from Dad.

“Sometimes,” Dad said, looking me over, “I wonder where we went wrong.”

“What’s this we shit, Wade?” Mom asked. “I have the daughter I’ve always wanted.”

Electra’s head snapped around. “Do mean me or…?”

“It works both ways,” I said. I went out to cheer my team to a touchdown.

It was a close game, but the students won. Mr. Bower took the mike to congratulate the winners and to compliment my bravery.

He also mentioned that he’d made it possible for Electra to graduate, and she’d met the requirements. She’d be crossing the stage with the rest of us.

I went to retrieve her while the crowd cheered. When the principal held the mike out to her, she thanked him.

“And I couldn’t have done it without the help of Chip, Chrissy and, of course, my owner, Conrad.”

There were more cheers.

Mr. Bower took the mike back and said, “Well, at least we can be sure Conrad didn’t do your homework for you…”

“Nope,” I agreed. “It’s the other way around.” The crowd laughed. Electra hugged my thumb.



-----
Index

54. Psychisylph

56. Interesting Conflicts