Where We Fall: A Novel by Rochelle B. Weinstein

Author:Rochelle B. Weinstein [Weinstein, Rochelle B.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781612184432
Published: 2016-04-18T16:00:00+00:00

Immersing myself in busyness is what I do best. Confidential meetings with attorneys who have read E.J.’s recent statement leave little time for unnecessary reasoning. I juggle the potential fallout and manage Juliana, all while supervising practices. My little pep talk has steered E.J. in the right direction, and he changes his plea from guilty to innocent, something not done very often in criminal court. The state doesn’t buy E.J.’s turnaround and needs proof that he wasn’t the one who stole the jewelry. Having the property in his possession is enough to find him guilty. We are treading lightly, trying not to point fingers, since the only way E.J. agreed to move forward with the plan was if Devon wasn’t implicated.

We had a tough game on Friday against a formidable team, the Patriots, and my players were uncharacteristically preoccupied. Dropped passes, missed blocks, and miscommunication on the field had me concerned that the boys were being as careless as E.J. was off the field. That one of their own was facing the possibility of jail time stifled their instincts. Instead of sobering them, the entire team was asleep.

We were down three touchdowns at the half. The Patriots’ defense was crawling all over our offense, and the boys were panting, their heads held down in premature defeat. We sat in the locker room, and I did what I do best. I reminded them that they had faced far worse challenges: “We are not giving up. We don’t ever give up. This fight is not about skill or talent. You’ve got all that. This is about which team wants it more. When you want something bad enough, you go after it. You don’t let anything get in the way. Now go out there and win me some football.”

As we stepped back on the field, the energy had shifted. My motivational speech revived them, and my words were a boost. Immediately I was reminded of how football is not only physical. Our boys had the talent. Like any of us, they needed a mental adjustment to steer them on course.

Instantly, our boys scored on an interception of the Patriots’ seasoned quarterback. Braylon Jones ran thirty-two yards down the field, and the momentum changed, like it often does in competitive games. The shift’s nothing tangible—though suddenly the fans are on their feet and energized, feeding off the players on the field. One touchdown is a confidence boost, two is a shot of steroids to the system. At once, the boys were united, confident, and charging the field. The clock read five minutes left in the third quarter, and we were back in the game. Whatever misalignment we saw earlier fueled the boys forward.

On most nights, I hear the crowd without seeing them. I feel the energy ebb and flow in tune with the mishaps or triumphs on the field. Tonight is a packed house. The air is alive, and even the band sounds more cohesive than usual. The clock winds down on the third quarter, and soon we are deep in the fourth.

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