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MITCH SAW CORY AT HIS locker and hurried to catch up to him.
“Hey Cory, you heading over to the gym?”
“Yeah. My guess is that you are too.”
“We all are. The whole team.” Mitch hoisted his backpack onto his shoulder as they hurried down the hallway towards the gymnasium.
“What do you suppose Coach called this meeting for?”
Mitch shrugged. “Wish those of us who are graduating good luck, post his team lineups for next year. The usual, I would guess.”
Most of the football team was in the gym already, gathered on the bleachers at the far corner. Cory and Mitch joined the group. The last few team members arrived, and the football coach stood in front of the group, hands on his hips and scanning the faces before him anxiously. Mitch felt a twinge of alarm as the man who had been their football coach for many years, cleared his throat a couple times before he could speak. Coach Bryson was never at a loss for words.
“Gentlemen, I want you know what a privilege it has been for me to be your coach this year, and every year for the last twenty. It has been an honor to work with you boys, and watch you grow in to outstanding young men. For those of you who are graduating this year, I wish you all the best. You’ve made me very proud over the years.”
He paused and looked at his sneakers and the gathered boys glanced sideways at each other, sharing uneasy glances. This wasn’t the usual end of year speech.
Coach Bryson raised his head, eyes moving between the boys again and sighed. “I, uh, I have an announcement to make. One I never thought I would ever hear myself make.” He paused again and cleared his throat once more, the sound loud in the absolute silence of the large gym. “You boys gathered here are the finest football team I have ever had the joy of working with. Every one of you is a credit to your uniform and I, um...I’m going to miss you all.” His voice cracked on the last word and the boys tensed in fearful silence, listening hard.
“I am...heartbroken...to inform you that you are the last football team this high school will ever see.”
A clamour of voices filled the gym, bouncing off the walls, a sudden outburst of chatter and moans. Coach Bryson held up his hand. “Just give me a few more moments, men. The school board has informed us that all extra-curricular activities, including sports and musical programs are being cut indefinitely. Funding has been pulled from the school - from all the schools in this city - as a cost-saving measure. The, uh, the city just can’t afford us anymore. I’m...um...I’m sorry boys. There won’t be a football team next year. There won’t be any sports. No band, no choir, no art club. There’s nothing we can do about it.”
“What are you going to do, Coach?”
Mitch wasn’t sure who called out the question, but his mind was preoccupied with what he had witnessed with his dad several weeks ago. There was going to be money in this town, but it was all related to the government, somehow. Not enough money to save the football team, though, he thought bitterly.
“Well, I’m going to have to look for work in one of the bigger cities back east. I have some family there, so I’m leaving right after graduation.”
There was silence in the gym for a moment as everyone processed the news.
It was Mitch who spoke up first. “It’s not fair, Coach.”
At everyone’s nods and vocal agreement, the coach held up his hand again. “I know boys, but sometimes life hands you obstacles, and you just have to tuck, protect the ball and weave around them. Do you understand that?” At their nods, he continued. “I want you all to remember that, okay? Remember what you learned on this team, how you worked together, how you trained so hard to move past your weaknesses. Can you do that for me? Can you remember? There is always a way around that linebacker in front of you. Keep pushing, keep working, and keep making me proud of you. You are outstanding young men, and I have been so proud of you. I will always be proud of you. Remember that.”
The team rose to their feet as one, cheering, then gathered around their coach in a show of support and gratitude.
Mitch joined them, but the painful disappointment burning in his chest made it feel more like a funeral than a celebration.
It was so unfair.
***
THE DAY OF MITCH’S high school graduation dawned hot and clear, and he and his family were at the hall early. Lacking funding and on the verge of shut down themselves, the oldest performance theatre in the city had offered their space to the area high school graduations at a severely reduced price. The faded wallpaper and shabby upholstery held echoes of grander times, but the elegant theatre was still spacious and comfortable for the gathered students, friends and family.
Mitch waited in his seat at the front of the theatre with his classmates, feeling a curious mix of pride, joy, grief and anger. He drummed the fingers of his right hand on his knee, as he bounced the heel of his carefully polished shoe nervously on the worn flooring. He glanced over at Cory, where he was seated half a row away. Cory flashed him a grin and a thumbs-up sign. Mitch returned the smile and the gesture, though he didn’t feel as optimistic as he once had. It was the end of an era and his future was still uncertain. His mind kept wandering back to the scene of the warehouse demolition, playing the images over and over in his mind. It wasn’t just his future that was uncertain. It was the city’s future as well. The government had a lot of money to invest, but they weren’t investing in the city. None of it made sense.
More than ever, he determined that he and Kendra needed to get out of town as soon as possible and find their fortunes somewhere else. There was nothing for them here. He could see the back of Kendra’s head and the smooth line of her cheek where she sat, two rows ahead of him and down a bit. He wished she would turn around and look at him; offer him a smile or a wink, or anything. He hadn’t seen much of her lately. When he did see her, she was always busy with something else. He got that. This was a busy time of year for everyone. But still. He just wanted to know that she was okay. They hadn’t talked much about their immediate plans after graduation, and he wanted to get some concrete details in place. There was a lot to think about, and he wanted her input.
He sighed. I’ll find her right after the ceremony, he thought. She was coming to his house for the graduation party later today. He felt a happy, warm rush of feeling at the thought. Maybe he’d ask her to marry him, just for kicks. Maybe not, though. Not yet. The party was going to be fun, and if nothing else, he was looking forward to that. They would have lots of time together after they hit the road. Maybe they would go north, first. The people up north were friendly, he had heard, and the drought wasn’t as bad there. It would be nice to see some forests. His musings lifted him out of his ambivalent feelings for a moment. There was so much to look forward. No sense brooding over the gloomy outlook for this city.
Mitch rose with the other students when prompted, and waited to hear his name, shifting his weight from foot to foot. He caught a glimpse of Coach Bryson, sitting with some of the other teachers, and felt a stab of renewed grief. How many more losses did this city have to endure?
When he heard his name, he crossed the stage, smiling at the principal as he accepted his diploma. Twelve years of school and he was finally done.
But now what?
Harvey had booked time off work to be at Mitch’s graduation, and fatherly pride shone in his eyes as his son walked across the stage to accept his diploma. He took his wife’s hand in his and turned to smile at her briefly. She returned his smile and gave his hand a warm squeeze. Just a few more years on the Force and he would be able to finally retire and be at home with her. Safely, the way she wanted. Maybe they would do some travelling. It was all going to work out well. She had waited for a lot of years for him, and had been so patient. She deserved any vacation she wanted. Harvey dropped her hand and applauded as the last graduate crossed the stage.
This was a good day.