Jeremy gradually settled into a new routine in Grinnell. He liked his new school. He liked his teachers and his fellow students. His teachers praised his schoolwork. It did not take them long to figure out he had escaped from Virginia. Jeremy wondered if word of his whereabouts could leak back to Virginia. At least everything seemed safe for now.
He enjoyed meeting up with Vincent Black again the following Sunday. He seemed a little bit happier than he had been at the compound, admitting that the standard of living was much better in the RSNA than it was in Virginia. He still did not like having been forced out of Virginia and thereby forced away from his family. Jeremy completely empathized with Vincent. He, too, had been forced out of Virginia by circumstance, albeit he left Virginia on his own initiative. Both had attained a better standard of living but been separated from their families in the process.
Vincent informed Jeremy that the bullies in Virginia told the authorities that he himself had cut a hole in the fence, then escaped. That became the accepted version of Vincent’s escape among Virginia authorities. Vincent was a wanted criminal in Virginia, just like Jeremy was.
Another news item came out of North Carolina. Virginia was building walls to replace its fences along the shared border between the two states. General Krakowski could barely afford to feed his own people, yet he was spending so much money to strengthen his position of power. It sounded just like something he would do.
Jeremy got together with the Lanes and Vincent Black rather frequently. Vincent Black gradually began to get over his shyness. Jeremy began to think of him like a second younger brother. Jeremy loved to help Vincent Black feel better and get used to his new environment. He did agree that his standard of living was much better than it had been in Virginia, but he still longed to be with his own family. Jeremy empathized. Vincent Black also was glad to be around so many people who cared about him.
Whenever he was with Vincent Black, Jeremy could not help but think about Vincent Blake. He wondered how awful his life must be. But Jeremy also knew he could not help Vincent Blake now. Instead, he could help Vincent Black. He would also readily help other people, wanting to help make situations better as best he could.
Like many people hired to help with the Christmas rush, Jeremy lost his job shortly after Christmas. No longer able to bring in his own income, he mainly worked helping his grandparents with household chores. He was always glad to help his grandmother around the kitchen. Whenever it snowed, Jeremy willingly went outside to shovel it.
Jeremy quickly made friends at both the school and at the church. Bruce Lane was obviously among the most active members of the church. Whenever there were any activities at the church, the Lanes, including Vincent Black, were there. For socializing, Jeremy liked to attend activities at both the school and the church. Church activities typically consisted of game nights and potlucks. Athletic events were the main activities at school. Jeremy particularly enjoyed the basketball games.
Naturally, Jeremy often thought about Alicia. He and Alicia started a letter correspondence right after he arrived in Grinnell. They kept each other abreast of what was going on in each other’s lives, all the while expressing how much they wanted to see each other.
Grandpa told Jeremy that before the dissolution, people would drive cars round trips of that length while hardly thinking about it. While most families, such as his, had cars after the dissolution, gasoline had become too scarce. The James Oil Company was working hard to increase the gasoline supply, but its resources were still limited. Most of the oil products that James Oil Company produced served trains, buses, farms, and government functions. Now hardly any cars utilized the nation’s extensive network of streets and highways.
Grandpa then told Jeremy about how before the dissolution, Detroit had been a declining city. It was rescued by Secretary Fields. His successful monetary policy had helped build Detroit into a major financial center. The collapse of the automobile industry was a serious setback. But the resurgent railroad industry provided a new opportunity for the city’s industries. With railroads once again the kings of transportation, Detroit began producing railroad engines, railroad cars, and other equipment to support the railroad industry. The city was thriving again.
As bad as the dissolution was, it had some beneficial side effects. With fewer cars being driven, the world’s air had become significantly less polluted. That helped reduce health problems.
Another side effect involved international relations. When the United States dissolved, standards of living around the world dropped precipitously. Russia and China both suffered significantly. Both nations were cooperating the with RSNA’s effort to reunite the country. Two countries that the United States had stressful relations with were now friends. President Adair advanced the concept of a cooperation pact between the United States, Russia, and China in which the three nations would work together to maintain world peace.
The United Nations, which was created to promote peaceful cooperation among the world’s nations, was crippled by the dissolution. It became a much smaller organization, functioning as best it could from temporary headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland. There was much talk about creating a new headquarters building. The original UN building in New York was still standing, but it was much less viable because of neglect since the dissolution. Restoring it would be a prohibitively expensive endeavor. The consensus was to build a new building.
Many cities had been proposed for the new headquarters. China put forth three of its cities, Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong. Russia had suggested Moscow. Some Europeans suggested Zurich because of its location in historically neutral Switzerland. Much sentiment centered on allowing the United States to retain the UN headquarters. The original location in New York was a popular idea in many countries. Detroit was also suggested. Big Bill Woodring pushed to build it in Chicago. Several other cities were mentioned. This issue seemed to dominate the discussions at the UN.
Another popular topic was the RSNA’s monetary system. Secretary Fields’s successful establishment of the Michigan dollar as a sound, viable currency had benefited the entire RSNA, plus some other states that were using the currency. One condition for joining the RSNA was to accept the Michigan dollar as legal tender. That brought up another of Big Bill’s complaints about joining the RSNA. He did not feel that his state should be forced to use some other state’s money.
Meanwhile, Iowa banking regulators announced that as of March 31, Iowa money would no longer be legal tender. Anyone holding Iowa money needed to take it to a bank by then to have it converted to Michigan dollars. After that, any remaining Iowa money would be worthless. Not that it would make a huge difference. All bank accounts in Iowa banks were already denominated in Michigan dollars. All of Jeremy’s paychecks had been written in Michigan dollars. Almost the entire commerce of the state was being transacted in Michigan dollars anyway. The state might as well make it official.
Talk among the national leaders in Des Moines echoed Governor Woodring’s sentiment. One state should not control the currency for the entire nation, especially now that the RSNA was becoming a viable replacement for the United States. Secretary Fields was diligently working with his old Michigan colleagues so the RSNA could acquire Michigan’s hoard of precious metals, thereby enabling the RSNA to assume control of the reuniting nation’s money. Secretary Fields announced that plans were already underway to transfer precious metals being held in Detroit and Lansing to the federal gold depository in Fort Knox.
Late in January, a riot broke out in San Angelo, Texas. Many people were injured, with one fatality. People commented that it was like a second Texas Revolution. When Jeremy questioned what was meant by “second” revolution, he was informed that Texas had once been a part of Mexico. Texas rebelled and, for a short time, was an independent nation before it became a part of the United States. Mr. Curry had not taught him that Texas had rebelled against Mexico, nor that it was once a sovereign nation.
After Jeremey related what he had just learned to his grandparents, Grandpa Voorhies volunteered to teach him more about American history. He filled in many events that Mr. Curry had not told him about. Grandpa told him how many of the migrants coming from Europe founded colonies because they wanted religious freedom. He also learned that New York had been claimed by the Dutch, but the British acquired the claim. He also found out that Georgia had been started as a penal colony. Thus the talks went on, with Grandpa filling in the spaces in American history that Jeremy had not learned in his classes.
In late January, General Krakowski made his official statement regarding Arkansas joining the RSNA. Arkansas was the first former Confederate state to join the RSNA. This seemed to disprove his claim that the RNSA was an attempt to subject the South to the North’s tyranny. He firmly stated that Arkansas was coerced into joining under threat of invasion. While President Adair remained silent about the misstatement, Governor Jacobs provided a succinct reply: “I don’t think General Krakowski ever learned the difference between the truth and a lie in his life.”
Soon, another special day rolled around that was completely ignored in Virginia. It was Valentine’s Day. When Jeremy found out about the Valentine’s Day tradition, he quickly bought a Valentine for Alicia and sent it right away. Alicia promptly responded by sending him one. Jeremy also got two other Valentines. One was from Kim Mullen. The other was from a girl named Lisa Plummer, whom Jeremy knew nothing about.
At school, Jeremy asked his friends about Lisa Plummer. They told him that Lisa was good-looking but not very well-liked because of her nasty temper. They explained that she probably was trying to get his interest because none of the boys who knew her wanted her. Jeremy decided not to get involved with her. When one of his friends pointed her out to him, he knew which person to avoid.
Valentine’s Day made Jeremy long to see Alicia even more. If he could get interest from girls here, she could certainly get interest from boys back in Des Moines. He checked with the railroad to find out how much a round trip train ticket to Des Moines would cost. It was a little bit more than what he had saved up. On top of that, he would have to pay the round-trip fares on Des Moines’s commuter rail system to get to the station closest to Alicia’s house and back to the main Des Moines railroad station.
Jeremy told his grandparents about his desire to visit Alicia, then about his inability to afford it. His grandparents empathized, saying they would see what they could do. Meanwhile, Jeremy started looking for work to try to raise the money. He also wrote a letter to Alicia to tell her about his plan and why he could not make it right away.
The following Sunday, Jeremy noticed his grandfather talking with Bruce Lane after church. He could not tell what they were saying, but it seemed like Bruce was acknowledging something his grandfather had said. When they finished, Bruce put his hand on Grandpa’s shoulder like he was assuring him about something.
Back at school, talk was beginning to shift to the approaching baseball season. Jeremy expressed his interest in baseball to Mr. Clausen. He suggested that Jeremy talk with Mr. Mason, his chemistry teacher.
Jeremy flagged Mr. Mason down after chemistry class that day. He was glad that Jeremy was interested in trying out for the baseball team. Jeremy told him how he had played third base in Virginia. Mr. Mason offered to work out with Jeremy after school. Jeremy readily accepted. Mr. Mason told Jeremy to meet him in the back parking lot after school.
Jeremy called his grandmother after his last class to tell her he would not be coming home right away. When she asked why, he told her he had baseball practice. Grandma was OK with it. She just had not known he liked to play baseball.
Except for his practices with the boys at Lincoln High, Jeremy had not played any baseball since leaving Virginia. His play was rusty at first. But he soon gained his rhythm, performing about as well as he had before. At first, they generally played catch. Then Mr. Mason started throwing hard. After a few more throws, he started throwing erratically. While Jeremy had difficulty with some of the wilder throws, he felt like he did well.
After about an hour of throwing, Mr. Mason agreed. He told Jeremy that if he practiced more, he could probably make the team. He said that baseball practice would start in earnest when basketball season ended. In the meantime, he should work out with other players who wanted to try out for the baseball team. They met in the weight training room for an hour after school each weekday. These makeshift practices were led by a senior named Dean Fisher. When Jeremy got there, he was to ask to speak with Dean, and he would let Jeremy join their practice.
Dean was glad when Jeremy arrived at practice the next day. Jeremy was impressed by Dean’s large, athletic stature. This man must be a super athlete. Jeremy could see why the other boys would look to him as a leader. Dean next led the group through calisthenics; then they performed movements pertaining to baseball fielding. Finally, they went through a round of weight lifting. Not surprisingly, Dean outperformed everyone else there in weight lifting.
When practice was over, Jeremy could tell he had been through a vigorous workout. Dripping with sweat, Jeremy and the other boys made their way to the showers. Jeremy felt nervous about showering with those other boys but knew his hygiene was more important. He could tell the boys all noticed his whipped behind, but they did not say anything. At least the boys were not giving him a hard time about it. Jeremy began attending baseball practice after school on every school day.
That Friday, Jeremy got a very pleasing present. It was a letter from Alicia. Inside was enough money to pay for the round trip to Des Moines. She and her parents had chipped in so he could afford to make the trip. He quickly wrote back and asked if he could visit the following weekend.
Jeremy’s mood soared on Sunday morning after church. Doug Lane handed him an envelope. It contained more money, enough for another trip to Des Moines. Now he could go visit Alicia twice!
Jeremy felt elated during school the next week. He readily told people about it when they asked. His friends and teachers were happy for him. Kim Mullen, though not happy with Jeremy’s choice, was nonetheless willing to accept it and continue being friends. Jeremy did not interact with Lisa Plummer enough to know how she felt.
One day, after baseball practice, Dean Fisher took Jeremy aside. “We all have seen those scars on your butt,” he began. Jeremy simply nodded in acknowledgment. “We all believe that something terrible must have happened to you in Virginia,” he continued.
“That’s right,” Jeremy admitted.
“We have all agreed not to tell anybody,” Dean assured Jeremy. “We are all ready to help you if need it.”
“That’s appreciated,” Jeremy replied. “When I was in Des Moines, they told me there have been no reports of Virginia spy activity in Iowa. But any help will be appreciated.” Jeremy also thought that in case of trouble, Dean Fisher would make the perfect bodyguard.
When Jeremy woke up on Saturday morning, he could hardly wait to go to the train depot. He scarfed down the breakfast his grandmother had prepared for him and scurried off. His grandparents looked after him when he left, wondering how serious he might be with Alicia. They were glad that Jeremy had a girl that made him so happy but felt some concern that he might be getting too serious at his young age.
Even though the depot was about a mile from home, Jeremy easily covered that distance on foot. When he arrived at the depot, it was about forty-five minutes before his departure time.
Those forty-five minutes ticked away slowly as Jeremy tried to keep himself occupied. After what seemed like eternity, his train pulled up to the station. Within minutes, the exiting passengers disembarked. Then Jeremy, along with a few more departing passengers, boarded the train. Jeremy handed a conductor his ticket and promptly took a seat. Soon the train zipped out of the depot.
The train stopped at every community on its way to Des Moines, just in reverse order of when he rode with his grandparents to Grinnell. At least it did not stop long at the smaller communities. Its longest stop was in Newton, the largest city on the route.
When the train stopped in Des Moines, Jeremy readily disembarked, going straight to the commuter rail station headed southbound. He bought a ticket to the station nearest Alicia’s house. After about a fifteen-minute wait, a train pulled up. Jeremy promptly boarded.
The commuter train whisked Jeremy down to Alicia’s station. Jeremy eagerly got off the train and briskly walked the several blocks to Alicia’s house. Alicia opened the door almost right away after Jeremy rang the bell. She greeted him with a big smile and a big hug. Jeremy was equally as happy to see Alicia.
Quickly, Jeremy exchanged hellos with Alicia’s parents and sisters. They were glad to see Jeremy too. They were also happy for Alicia. Then Jeremy and Alicia sat down on the couch and started talking. They talked about how their schools’ basketball teams were doing. Both teams were having winning seasons, though neither team was among the state’s best. The state tournament would be coming up soon. Both agreed it would be interesting to watch.
When Jeremy told Alicia that he was trying out for Grinnell’s baseball team, Alicia pointed out that Grinnell and Des Moines, Lincoln would face each other in a baseball game this season. They politely agreed to be on opposite sides for that game but to be good sports about it.
During the afternoon, Jeremy and Alicia walked around the neighborhood, eventually settling in a park. They sat on a bench and watched the animals in the park. Trees and bushes were budding. It simply made for a nice place to sit and relax peacefully.
Soon they started talking about the past and how long it would take to recover from the dissolution. Alicia talked about how much she had enjoyed things before the dissolution. People thought nothing of driving their cars to places they wanted to go. People just took it for granted that things would continue being that way. She particularly liked the occasional drive out to North Platte, Nebraska, to visit her Grandma and Grandpa Shelby. Now they had to go by train, and they did it much less frequently.
Jeremy noted that cars were more prevalent in Des Moines than in Grinnell. They both agreed it had something to do with the fact that Des Moines was so much bigger. Des Moines probably got more gas per person from the James Oil Company. How long would it be before they could drive cars as much as they used to? Both were old enough to have driver’s licenses, but it was not practical to get one. Neither could afford to buy a car, let alone purchase the gas.
Alicia pointed out that her parents used to own two cars. They sold off the older one, keeping the other. But they did not use it often. It still ran well, so if gasoline became more available, perhaps driving to Grinnell would be more feasible. Jeremy replied that his grandparents did not have a car, so driving to Des Moines was not possible at that time.
Alicia talked about her plans to attend Iowa State after her graduation. She planned on studying so she could start a career in urban planning. Jeremy replied that he wanted to go into the military. He wanted to get an appointment to the RSNA military academy in New Salem, North Dakota, but had been told he would probably not be able to get in because he had escaped from Virginia. He was hoping to get into another college’s ROTC program.
Alicia was impressed by Jeremy’s ambition. It would take particularly hard work to go through an ROTC program. Also to be willing to risk his life to serve the RSNA.
“I have to admire anybody so willing to join the military. Is there a particular reason why you want to do that?” she asked.
“Because I want to help liberate my family and friends in Virginia. There is so much misery there because of General Krakowski,” replied Jeremy.
“I understand,” acknowledged Alicia. “That is a noble thing that you want to do.”
Jeremy proceeded to tell Alicia how he had been a top military performer in Virginia. He had been one of only eleven boys in his school selected to visit Virginia Military Institute during the week after his escapade into Washington, DC. Naturally, that escapade got him put in jail, preventing him from participating in that trip. After Jeremy told her that, Alicia agreed that he would probably do well in ROTC.
The talk made Jeremy think about his family, friends, and relatives back in Virginia. His parents probably realized that there was something terribly wrong in Virginia, but fear of punishment kept them from saying anything about it. His younger siblings might not have realized the problem they were up against, but his disappearance probably tipped them off that something was wrong. His relatives, also believing that he was dead, would be saddened by the loss, also figuring that the problems with Virginia had something to do with it.
Soon, the talk switched over to the revitalized RSNA-wide baseball league, with its first season about to start. In order to minimize fuel usage, the eight participating teams would be split into Eastern and Western divisions. Baltimore, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland would play in the East. Detroit, Cincinnati, St. Louis, and Kansas City would play in the West. The teams would play twenty games against each opponent in their own division and ten games against the teams in the opposite division, for a total of one hundred games.
Alicia said she would cheer for Kansas City. She asked which team Jeremy would like. Jeremy replied that he had not put much thought to it, but he figured he might favor Baltimore, the team closest to his home. Alicia said she could understand.
They walked back to Alicia’s house for dinner. As they walked, Alicia told him that Lincoln High’s tournament game that night would be televised locally. She asked Jeremy if he would like to watch it.
Lincoln’s opponent that night was a suburban school called Johnston. The game was being played at a neutral school in Des Moines called Hoover. At the start of the broadcast, they announced that they would broadcast updates on the other tournament games being played in the state. That would include Grinnell’s bout with Newton. Because there were no high schools between Grinnell and Newton, they would play at Marshalltown’s neutral court.
After dinner, they all gathered around the television to watch the game. Lincoln led most of the way, with Johnston remaining within striking distance until late in the game. Lincoln won by seven points. As they heard the updates on the other games, it became clear that Grinnell was no match for Newton. Newton won by sixteen points. Afterward, Alicia told Jeremy that at Lincoln, they wanted Grinnell to win that game because then Lincoln would have to play Newton in the next round.
Jeremy slept on the Shelbys’ sofa that night. The next morning, Alicia awoke him with a kiss. They sat on the couch and chatted while Alicia’s mother fixed breakfast. Jeremy and his five hosts enjoyed talking over breakfast. He tried to get in as much quality time with Alicia as he could before he had to leave. Once the time came, he and Alicia walked together to the commuter train stop. They exchanged a big kiss as the train pulled up. Jeremy boarded the train, taking a window seat where could look out at Alicia. They blew each other kisses and waved at each other until the train turned a bend. At least Alicia and Jeremy were both delighted to know that Jeremy would be coming back in two weeks.
Upon arriving at school the next day, Jeremy saw something he liked. There was a new RSNA flag flying beneath the national flag. It had fourteen stars on it. Jeremy wanted to keep watching that flag as it added more stars, signifying that the nation was getting closer to being reunited.
The end of basketball season meant the start of baseball practice. The head coach, a senior math instructor named Larry Krause, called for practice after school on Monday. Mr. Mason was the assistant coach.
The first practice mostly consisted of throwing, hitting, and fielding drills. Jeremy recognized some basketball players who were trying out for the baseball team. He wondered how much it would have affected the baseball team if the basketball team had made it farther into the tournament.
Jeremy was most impressed by Dean Fisher. He rifled a ball from right field to third base, straight on the mark. He blasted a ball well past the left-center field fence. He could field even the quirkiest ground balls. It was no wonder that he was the team leader.
Newton defeated Des Moines, Lincoln in basketball on Tuesday night. Many basketball fans in Grinnell opined that Newton had the best high school basketball team in the state. While the Grinnell residents followed with some interest, that interest was greatly reduced now that Grinnell was out. The basketball coach commented that his team went 12–9 for the season, by no means a bad season.
By the end of the week, Coach Krause began to take an interest in Jeremy. He sat down to talk with Jeremy during the Friday practice. “I notice you are pretty good at fielding and throwing baseballs,” he began. “It looks like we could use you for an infielder. Is there a position where you would like to play?”
“I would best like to play third base,” replied Jeremy.
“We are already pretty strong at third base right now,” reasoned Coach Krause. “Could I interest you in shortstop?”
“Sure,” replied Jeremy.
“OK,” continued Coach Krause. “We are having a scrimmage tomorrow at one o’clock. I will put you at shortstop on one of the teams.”
“I’ll be here,” promised Jeremy.
Jeremy arrived at the field a little early. Some of the boys were already there. Dean challenged Jeremy to try to hit his fast pitch. Knowing what he was getting himself into, he accepted Dean’s challenge.
Sure enough, Dean’s fastballs zoomed across home plate, not giving Jeremy much chance to react. He did not even swing at any of Dean’s pitches until the fourth pitch. Even then, he missed several pitches before finally nicking a foul ball. After about a dozen pitches, Jeremy finally hit a sharp ground ball that might have achieved a hit.
After the drill, Jeremy thanked Dean for the workout. Trying to hit pitches like those was good practice. By then, enough players had arrived to start the scrimmage. Coach Krause announced which players would be on each team and their positions. Jeremy was assigned to play shortstop with one of the teams. He noticed Dean playing right field for the other team.
Coach Krause substituted liberally during the scrimmage, giving each tryout a chance to show their skills. Jeremy played three innings. He got one hit and made several fielding plays. He felt like he played well. The other team won the game, 11–7. But this game did not count. The important thing was that he had impressed Coach Krause.
That night, the junior class held a party at the school gym. Jeremy danced with several different girls but with Kim Mullen more than anyone. He even gave Lisa Plummer two dances, figuring there would be no harm in making her feel a little better.
Late in the party, an announcement came out. Newton had just defeated Ames to advance to the state tournament. The juniors considered that good news, feeling that Newton’s success would make Grinnell look better.
When the party was over, Jeremy walked with Kim back to his house. Kim just lived a couple of blocks further. Jeremy could not escape the feeling that they were being watched. Jeremy put his arm around Kim. When they parted ways at Jeremy’s front door, they gave each other a brief kiss. Then Kim headed on toward home.
It rained for much of the following week. Whenever it rained, baseball practice was held in the weight lifting room. The track team would practice in the gym. Jeremy reckoned that Dean had something to do with it. But the shot-putters and discus throwers were invited to practice in the weightlifting room.
Jeremy did not mind walking home in the rain after practice. He did not have to walk far. But his grandmother had issues with it. She would make him lie down and bundle up when he got home. Then she would feed him chicken broth.
At least it was sunny and reasonably warm on Saturday. Once again, he eagerly got dressed and briskly walked to the train station. But he also once again had an uneasy feeling that he was being watched. Just as he had two weeks ago, he got to the train station early.
At least once the train pulled away from the station, the feeling of being watched left him. He enjoyed his ride to Des Moines, knowing what awaited him.
Just as she had two weeks before, Alicia greeted Jeremy at the front door with a smile, a big embrace, and a big kiss. Then he walked inside and greeted Alicia’s family. Then he and Alicia sat on the sofa and talked, listening to some music.
After lunch, Jeremy got a surprise. John Humpert drove a car into the Shelby’s driveway. Randy Flagler was in the passenger seat. Glad to see his old friends for the first time in months, Jeremy briskly walked out to greet them. They exchanged high fives and talked a little. John’s parents had given him permission to use the family car. John had just recently received his driver’s license.
Naturally, Jeremy was glad to see John and Randy again. They caught up on several things. When they talked about baseball, Randy said that Lincoln would probably have beaten Grinnell last year, until Dean Fisher smashed a three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh. Both Randy and John agreed that Dean was very muscular.
Shortly, John said that he would like to treat them to a movie that afternoon. Randy, Alicia, and Jeremy readily agreed. John drove them to a nearby theater. Jeremy particularly enjoyed the plush seats, where the people who worked for the concession stand would bring them food. Nothing like this took place in Virginia. Jeremy took a seat next to Alicia, whom he snuggled with during the entire movie.
After the movie, John drove the foursome to his house. They shared some snacks, chatted, and listened to more music. John, Randy, and John’s parents were all glad to see Jeremy and Alicia so happy together.
It was past dinnertime when John drove Jeremy and Alicia back to her place. Alicia’s parents were glad to see them return before it got too late. Alicia’s mother had saved some dinner for them, which they quietly ate at the kitchen table.
Like last time, Jeremy slept that night on the living room sofa. The next morning, Alicia awakened him with a kiss. Only this time, she was wearing a nightgown. Two weeks ago, she had come out fully dressed. While they were talking and snuggling, Jeremy felt a temptation to make out with her. But he restrained himself, concerned that if her parents caught them, they would not be as willing to let him visit.
Jeremy’s concerns were confirmed when Alicia’s mother walked into the room. She motioned to Alicia to come to her. They had a quiet talk that ended with Alicia going to her bedroom. When she came back, she was fully dressed.
On his train ride back to Grinnell, Jeremy thought about fornication, adultery, and prostitution in Virginia. He had no doubt that they all took place there, even though nobody dared talk about it. Those could all be serious crimes in Virginia. At least he did not have to worry about those types of punishments in Iowa. Granted, prostitution would be a crime in Iowa, but the punishment would be less severe than it would be in Virginia.
Another week at school meant another week of baseball practice. Playing shortstop instead of third base took some getting used to. It mainly meant more fielding and making plays at second and not as much trying to make outs. But he still played effectively at shortstop, confident that he could make the first team. Besides, he realized that the third baseman, Harry Dayton, was also proficient at that position. The team needed to maximize its talent.
One thing that puzzled Jeremy was that Dean Fisher usually played right field. Jeremy reasoned that with such a strong arm, Dean should be pitching. Jeremy asked Dean about it. Dean replied that it takes a lot out of a high schooler to pitch that hard through an entire game. Coach Krause did not want him to overstrain himself. Besides, the team needed his hitting in the lineup. But sometimes he might get called in from right field, late in a game, to pitch in a jam. Jeremy understood.
Jeremy then told Dean that he had heard about the game-winning home run he’d hit against Lincoln last year. Dean smiled in acknowledgement. “That was a good win for us” was Dean’s only comment.
Later in the week, Jeremy again felt like he was being watched. He was walking home from baseball practice, sensing that whoever was watching him was watching from behind. Jeremy turned around and saw Lisa Plummer following him at a distance. Jeremy stopped walking, then motioned for Lisa to come on over.
Lisa practically jogged up to Jeremy. Jeremy realized that Lisa must have been very attracted to him. At least Jeremy felt good that a girl found him so desirable.
“What’s wrong, Lisa?” Jeremy asked. “Why do you keep following me around and watching me?”
Lisa did not even bother to answer Jeremy’s questions. “Why did you dance with Kim Mullen more than me at the junior party?” Lisa shot back.
“Questions like that don’t help any,” replied Jeremy, taken aback by Lisa’s bluntness.
“I have never asked you that question before!” retorted Lisa.
“You have now,” Jeremy pointed out. “If you really want to get to know me better, just be nice. I’ll be nice to you. Calm down.”
Jeremy could tell by looking at Lisa’s red face that he was not getting through to her. “Just be nice,” Jeremy repeated. “I’ll be nice to you. If you make a good enough impression with me, I’ll consider asking you out.”
Lisa still did not seem satisfied. When they got to Jeremy’s house, Jeremy smiled, waved, and said goodbye to Lisa. Lisa just continued on her way home. Jeremy was now convinced that Lisa was not someone he wanted to get involved with.
When Jeremy got inside, his grandmother asked who that girl was. “Her name is Lisa Plummer,” replied Jeremy. “I know that she is interested in me. But I don’t think she and I are compatible.”
“It’s up to you,” replied Grandma.
The state basketball tournament started on Thursday. Newton won its opening-round game, then won again in the second round on Friday. They would face Davenport, West, in the state championship game on Saturday night. The Lanes invited Jeremy and his grandparents to watch that game.
By the end of the week, the baseball team started planning strategy for their first opponent, Knoxville. Coach Krause began telling the team about the Knoxville players, how they played, and how to best play against them.
The highlight of Saturday was getting to see Vincent Black. Jeremy felt kind of like a big brother to Vincent Black. Undoubtedly, having a name so much like Vincent Blake had something to do with it. Jeremy was glad to see that Vincent Black was feeling better. He was starting to make friends at school. His teachers were happy with his performance. But he still sorely missed his family.
Jeremy empathized with Vincent Black. He pointed out how much he missed his family too. He also pointed out that they were living a much better lifestyle in the RSNA and how they no longer had to worry about severe punishment for minor violations against an oppressive government. Jeremy also wondered how his friend Vincent Blake was doing. He was sure his old best friend had it much worse than either he or Vincent Black.
The Lanes, the Voorhies, and Vincent Black all wanted Newton to win the game. But Bruce Lane pointed out that Davenport schools had a long tradition of excellent basketball. This would be Newton’s biggest challenge of the season.
Just as Bruce feared, Davenport, West, prevailed by a score of 73–61. Newton had a fine team, but not good enough defeat Davenport, West.
While most of the students at Grinnell High School wanted Newton to win that game, the mood was still high. After all, it was not their team that came so close yet so far. The focus now turned to the spring sports. Jeremy’s baseball team eagerly anticipated its opening match with Knoxville.
As the weather turned warmer, Jeremy noticed that more people were riding bicycles. With so few cars, they had become an alternative mode of transportation. Jeremy thought he might like to have a bicycle. But he realized he would have to pay for it himself.
At dinner one night, Jeremy asked his grandparents if they had ever had cars or bicycles. Grandpa explained that neither one had any bicycles in many years. They owned a car before the dissolution. But when the dissolution happened, their savings were rendered worthless. Their main source of income, a government pension called Social Security, vanished. Without gasoline, they could not drive their car anyway. They sold their car. They had used other forms of transportation since then.
“Do you think you will ever get a car again?” asked Jeremy.
“Probably not,” replied Grandpa. “We can’t afford one.”
“How about getting a bicycle?” Jeremy continued.
“We are too old to ride bicycles,” Grandpa stated. “It might be a good idea for you, though.”
Jeremy realized two things. First, if he wanted a bicycle, he would have to earn to money to buy it himself. Second, he should help with the household expenses. Perhaps more work would be available during the summer.
Practice intensified as the opening game with Knoxville approached. Jeremy watched with amazement as Dean Fisher gunned throws from right field to Harry Dayton, who was always right in the perfect spot to take the throw to put out a runner. Jeremy then understood why Coach Krause wanted Harry Dayton at third base. He and Dean Fisher were a perfect team at their positions. Jeremy was glad to be starting at shortstop.
Jeremy was glad to see so many people attend the game. His grandparents were there, in addition to many students. When he saw Kim Mullen, she smiled and waved at him. He also saw Lisa Plummer. But she was not smiling. In fact, she seemed a bit unhappy.
Jeremy played a flawless game at shortstop. His only misplay was a slightly errant throw to first base that the first baseman easily compensated for. His highlight was in the fourth inning, when he stroked a single that batted in Dean Fisher. Dean hit a two-run double in the sixth inning that put Grinnell ahead for good, sealing a 7–5 victory.
The Grinnell players all congratulated each other after the win. Coach Krause gathered the team together. He was glad the team had won. He also said that he had seen some things the team could work on. But overall, he felt the team played well, considering it was the first game.
Jeremy was happy when he talked with his grandparents and Kim Mullen after the game. No sign of Lisa Plummer. Then Jeremy went home to his grandparents.
Jeremy began to feel more cheerful as the weather warmed up. He enjoyed having impromptu practices with the other baseball players and spending more time outdoors. The baseball team won some games, lost some. One game got rained out.
The game that Jeremy most anticipated was the game at Des Moines, Lincoln. A bus drove the team, coaches, and managers to the local train station. They all boarded the train. Upon arrival in Des Moines, a Des Moines school bus took them to Lincoln High.
Right away, Jeremy noticed John Humpert and Randy Flagler doing pregame drills with their team. Looking in the bleachers, he soon saw Alicia, who smiled at him and blew him a kiss.
The game started off well when Dean Fisher batted in a run in the first inning. Jeremy hit a leadoff single in the second but did not score. Over the first five innings, Lincoln grinded out three runs, while Grinnell did not score any more.
In the bottom of the sixth, Lincoln got two runners on with nobody out. Coach Krause called for Dean Fisher to pitch, placing a sub in right field.
Dean’s fast pitch proved more than the Lincoln hitters could handle. He retired the next three batters to get Grinnell out of the jam.
But Grinnell still needed two runs in the seventh to have a chance to win. The team had one base runner with two out when Dean Fisher came up to bat. He swung hard at the first pitch but missed. Obviously, he was trying to tie the game with one hit. He fouled the second pitch down the left-field foul line. Third pitch, a swing and a miss. Mighty Fisher had struck out.
Both teams were good sports about the outcome. Players shook hands with their opponents. Both coaches had good chats after the game. Jeremy exchanged high fives with several Lincoln players, including John and Randy. Alicia was polite about the game too. She took Jeremy back behind a building, where they exchanged some kisses, both hoping to see each other soon.
Before Jeremy boarded the bus back to the train station, John and Randy took him aside. They told Jeremy that they had found jobs in Lamoni for the summer, helping construct government buildings. They asked if he would like to consider. Jeremy said it sounded like a good idea, saying that he could earn some money for himself while also helping his grandparents. Then Jeremy boarded the team bus, on his way back home.
On the way back, some of Jeremy’s teammates teased him about being in love with a Lincoln girl. He replied that it could happen during the time he attended Lincoln, then pointed out that she was good catch. His teammates all agreed with him on that one.