their eight boys. They'd like to see
all of them go to college.'
Theo nodded. He wasn't sure what more he was supposed to say.
'Now, Elliott has a four point in school. He's going to try to get an academic scholarship, but those are hard to come by,'
Conrad said. 'He's a hard worker and a very smart boy.'
'Thank you, Conrad,' Daryl said, as though he and not his son had just been given the compliment.
'We're thinking Elliott could maybe get a full scholarship… with your help.'
'And how can I help?' Theo asked, bewildered.
'By getting him a football scholarship.'
Theo blinked. 'Excuse me?'
'Elliott has what it takes to make the cut,' Conrad said. 'He could be good, real good, with the proper… guidance.'
Everyone started talking at once then. 'The St. Claire team was undefeated last year,' Cherry told Theo just as Daryl remarked, 'It sounds like an impossible goal, but you could do it. Big Daddy Jake spoke so highly of you.'
'And your connections,' Conrad supplied.
Theo turned to Michelle. 'Why did I know your dad was behind this?'
She shrugged, then smiled. 'Daddy likes you.'
'Big Daddy was thinking that if they could see our boy shine on that field, well then, they'd make him an offer and pay his
college expenses,' Daryl explained.
Theo put a hand up. 'Hold on a minute…'
They ignored his protest. 'They're always looking for good linebackers,' Conrad said.
'That's right, they are,' Daryl agreed. 'But Big Daddy thinks that because Elliott is so fast, he could maybe run with the ball too.'
Michelle nudged Theo to get his attention. 'The scouts do go to the St. Claire games to see the talent.'
Then Conrad nudged him to get him to turn to him. 'Why don't we get started?'
'Started?' Theo asked as he rubbed his temples. He was developing one hell of a headache. 'Doing what?'
Conrad pulled out some folded papers from his back pocket and put them on the table. Then he reached into his shirt pocket, pulled out a smaller piece of paper and a stubby yellow pencil, and looked expectantly at Theo.
'Where did you attend college?'
'Excuse me?'
Conrad patiently repeated the question.
'Michigan,' Theo answered. 'Why do you want to know…'
'That's a big school, isn't it?' Cherry asked.
'Yes,' Conrad answered.
'I imagine it's a fine school too,' Daryl remarked.
Theo glanced around the table and noticed the others, including the children, were staring at him. Everyone seemed to know
what was going on. Everyone but him.
'Did Big Daddy suggest that you talk to me about schools?' he asked. Good God, now he was calling the old man Daddy.
No one answered his question. Then Conrad asked, 'And you played football, didn't you?'
'Yeah, I did.'
'And then you went on to law school.'
It was a statement, not a question, but Theo still responded. 'That's right.'
'Did you stay on in Michigan to get the law degree?'
What in thunder was going on? 'No,' he answered. 'I got my MBA and law back east.'
'What's an MBA?' Cherry asked.
Michelle answered. 'A master's in business administration,' she said.
'And law too. Don't that beat all.' Daryl sounded in awe.
'Yeah, well, lots of people get-'
Conrad interrupted him. 'Where exactly did you get these degrees?'
'Yale.'
'Oh, my, that's a fine school,' Cherry said.
Conrad nodded. 'I imagine your grades were impressive. I'm right, aren't I?' he asked as he furiously wrote on his paper.
It all clicked, and Theo couldn't figure out why he'd been so slow on the uptake. The guy was interviewing him for a position
at the high school.
Theo decided he was going to have to have a little talk with Jake as soon as possible. Set him straight.
'I bet you've still got your old playbooks too, don't you?' Conrad asked him then.
''Playbooks'?'
'Football playbooks,' Michelle explained.
She was smiling sweetly, and she was thoroughly enjoying his discomfort and confusion. He decided he needed to have a
private talk with her too.
'Okay, this has gone far enough.' His voice held a firm, no-nonsense tone. 'There's been a misunderstanding that I need to
clear up right now. You see, I stopped for gas on my way to Bowen. And this kid-'
It was as far as he got. Michelle wouldn't let him continue. She put her hand on top of his and said, 'You did keep your old playbooks, didn't you?'
'Why would you think that?'
'It's a guy thing.'
'Yeah, well, as a matter of fact I did keep a couple of them. But,' he hastily added, 'they're packed away with all my other junk
in the attic.'
'Couldn't you have one of your brothers send them to you? You could ask him to overnight them.'
'And then what?'
'You could go to the next practice with me and look the team over.'
Elliott pressed forward. 'We sure would appreciate it.'
Everyone started talking again about the team, everyone but little John Patrick. The boy was trying to get to Theo's gun. He
kept pushing the kid's hand away. He felt as though he'd just been dropped into the middle of a foreign land where no one understood a word he said.
'I'm not a football coach!' he yelled. When everyone quieted down, he nodded emphatically. 'That's right. You heard me. I'm
not a football coach.'
He'd finally taken control, and he felt inordinately pleased with himself as he sat back in his chair and waited for the truth to s
ink in.
The announcement didn't faze them. 'These boys are mighty eager to learn,' Conrad pressed. 'But I'm not going to pressure
you, Theo. No, sir, I'm not. We don't do things like that in Bowen. Do we, Daryl? We're laid back.'
'Yes, we're laid back,' he agreed.
Conrad tore off a piece of paper, bent over the table, and wrote something down. Then he folded the paper
