Trouble On Exeter Street Read online

  “Hi guys. Coach said I was going to be running on the relay team with you.”

  “Man it’s about time. We have been second and third at every meet. We need someone with some real speed if we are going to win.”

  Whoa. That caught me totally off guard. I was expecting resentment and they were actually glad for the change.

  “We have been talking. We think you should run either the first or last leg of the race. What do you think?”

  “Heck, whatever you guys think is good with me.”

  “See here is the thing. If you are first or last you only have to make one exchange. In the middle you have to make two. Since you have never done this before it makes sense for you to start or finish.”

  “I think he should run the anchor leg,” one of the others said.

  “That puts a lot of pressure on him.”

  “Hey, that’s okay. I like running people down,” I assured them.

  “Then let’s give it a try.”

  They spent the next twenty minutes just walking me through it and running at half speed. Once we had that down they tried it at full speed. I was lousy at getting the exchange just right and staying in the passing zone. After five or six tries I was starting to get it down.

  “Coach. We want to try one for time,” the leadoff man said.

  “Okay. Get into position and I’ll have the timing clock set.”

  Everyone got into place. The Coach held up his gun and the next thing I knew I heard it fire. I tried to follow the first guy but lost him for a second on the first exchange. I knew I needed to be ready. Suddenly I saw the third man streaking toward me. I started off running slowly at first but as he got closer, I took off. I felt the baton slap in my hand and I ran like the devil was chasing me. My legs were pumping a mile a minute as I reached across the finish line.

  When I finally stopped and looked back at the coach, the others were gathered around yelling and shouting. I jogged back to where they stood and they started patting me on the back. Even the coach was smiling.

  “Man Flash,” the coach said, “That was a new school record. You just blistered the track with that last hundred.”

  Talk about feeling ten foot high. This was the coolest day of my life.

  **

  Both our relay team and I went undefeated the rest of the school year. Next up was the State Regionals. This would be a real test because we would be up against all the other teams in our area.

  It was pretty neat because for the first time we had a real crowd to cheer us on. Even my dad took off from work and came with mom.

  I was so pumped I was like a super ball bouncing around the house the night before the meet. It was all I could do to get through the night. The next day at school was a blur. Kids I never knew came up and wished me luck. Geez, for the first time in my life, I was popular.

  “Hey Tommy, you coming to the meet tonight?”

  “Yeah I guess.”

  “You guess?”

  “If it’s okay with his Royal Majesty,” he said.

  “Hey man, that’s not cool. You are the one that talked me into this.”

  “Do you know how many times you have been to my house since you started track?” he said.

  “Well gee Tommy. I have track practice and then the meets on the weekends. By Sunday I’m wiped out.”

  “You can’t call or text?”

  “Ah man, that is so lame. Your cell works as well as mine.”

  “Say what you want but you could have at least called,” he said and walked off.

  Man what was with him? I mean it isn’t like I had changed or anything. I was the same ole War. The same Flash. It wasn’t me that had changed. I think maybe he was just jealous because I was going to be famous. That had to be it. I mean, after all I haven’t changed all that much, have I? Nah, I don’t think I have.

  **

  The relay team breezed through the Regionals and State Semi-Finals. I was undefeated still and feeling pretty cocky. I was the fastest thing on legs. Flash was certainly the right name for me. FLASH VICTORIOUS. I could almost see the headlines in the paper. FLASH RUNS TO VICTORY. FLASH ANNIHILATES ALL OTHERS AT STATE MEET.

  “War, you are in the first heat. Now listen to me. I want you to run hard but don’t try to kill yourself. All you have to do is be one of the six fastest. If you win right off the bat they will know what they are up against. Some of the faster runners will sandbag so you do the same. Just finish second or third and you will be in the finals.”

  Man what was he talking about? Not win? That made no sense to me. I thought I was here to win every race and now he was telling me to take it easy? Finally I shrugged it off. I would just go and run my own race and see what happened.

  TEN

  HERO TO HEEL

  I was pretty nervous waiting for my heat to start. Finally I was in the starting blocks and my jitters had settled down. I looked down the track.

  What should I really do? Go all out or do like the coach said.

  “Runners take your mark.”

  Bang.

  I leapt out of the starting blocks, leaned slightly forward and accelerated as fast as I could. The track seemed to be jumping up and down as my cheeks bounced but I was focused on the finish line. I leaned forward and knew I had finished first.

  I could hear the crowd cheering as I jogged back to the bench where we kept our warm-up clothes. I looked up and saw my dad give me a big thumbs up and my mom clapping. Even Susie seemed excited and was jumping up and down.

  “What a great performance! That was a new school record for War,” came the voice over the loudspeaker.

  I turned around and looked at my parents and could see the confusion on their faces. Finally Susie leaned over and said something to them but they still looked puzzled. Oh dear. This would take some explaining.

  “Well I hope that doesn’t cost you the championship,” was all the coach said as he walked by.

  What was he talking about? I am the Flash. No one can beat War, the King of the hundred yard dash.

  **

  Have you ever had one of those days when you got up and the world was right in the palm of your hand? You knew it was going to be your day. That was certainly the way I was feeling.

  The relay was the next event and we were all jumping around and giving each other the high-five. This was in the bag.

  “You guys ready?” the coach asked.

  “Oh yeah.”

  “More than ready.”

  “Okay. Just be careful on the exchanges,” were his last words.

  By now we were pros at exchanges. This was going to be a piece of cake. We all took our places and I heard the start gun. The crowd was screaming and yelling and then the first exchange took place. I was pumped up. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on that baton.

  I saw the third guy take the hand off. He was slightly in the lead. He was running as fast as he could. I put my hand back and started slowly running, watching as he got closer. I took off just as the baton hit my hand. I made it about two feet before it slipped out of my hand and went bouncing to the track floor. Everyone raced by me and I just stood there looking like I had been shot. It was impossible. I heard a huge groan from the crowd. I slowly walked over and picked up the baton and walked with my head down to the bench.

  The other guys came over and sat down, no one said a word. Man I had never felt so low. I had let the whole team down. I didn’t turn around; I didn’t want to look up at my parents. I just sat there.

  The coach came by and patted me on the shoulder.

  “It happens,” was all he said and went and talked to the other guys.

  Yeah, it happens but why now? Why to me? I’m the Flash. Fortunately I didn’t have time to think about it too much. The finals for the hundred yard dash were getting ready to be run. I jogged around, trying to shake off the dropped baton.

  “Remember, explode out of the blocks, keep your head down for the first ten yards and then turn on the boosters,” the coach
said.

  “Okay coach.”

  “Runners take your mark. BANG.”

  I shot out of the blocks and started running down the track. I could see people on either side of me and knew it was close but I was pulling ahead slightly. I was going to do it. I could just feel it. Suddenly I felt a sharp pain in my calf and then I was tumbling to the track. One other guy on my right was laying on the track as well. Somehow he had managed to cross over into my lane and his spike went into the back of my leg. Of course he was disqualified but that didn’t do me any good.

  There would be no FLASH CONQUERS THE WORLD headlines. It was over and done with. The coach came up and helped me back to the bench. A doctor came and looked me over and they helped me to the locker room where he decided I wouldn’t need stitches, just some Band-Aids to hold it together.

  So my big day turned into a rotten one. Instead of being a big hero, I was more of a heel. I mean the hundred wasn’t my fault or anything but still it sure felt pretty bad at the moment.

  Dad came up to me when I came out of the locker room.

  “You okay sport?” he asked.

  “Yeah,” I said with my head down.

  “Hey, why the long face?”

  “Aw dad, I messed everything up. I dropped the baton. I didn’t even finish the hundred.”

  “Warren, you are missing the bigger picture. This was a State Finals Meet. As a sixth grader you made it this far. You set a new school record in the qualifying. You should be proud of what you accomplished instead of being ashamed of what you didn’t do. Do you know how many sixth graders were in the State Finals?”

  “No.”

  “One and you are that one. That’s what you should be thinking about,” he said putting his arm around my shoulder as we headed to the car.

  Normally I would have died if he had done that but somehow it felt pretty good right at this moment.

  ELEVEN

  LOST FRIENDS

  I still don’t know exactly what happened after the end of track season. Tommy sort of started hanging with other guys and Eric was always studying or too busy to do anything.

  I had other guys who were mostly jocks that talked to me but it wasn’t the same. All they talked about was sports. It was basketball, football, and even girls. Boy was I out of it.

  Then something even more devastating happened. Tommy was moving. I found out from mom one morning when she was making breakfast.

  “You want to go to the Lemmings’ moving sale?” she asked dad.

  “Moving sale?” I said coming out of my usual morning trance.

  “Yes. Didn’t Tommy tell you? His parents are moving to Dallas, Texas.”

  “No way. Tommy?”

  “That’s what your mother said Warren,” my dad said looking over his newspaper.

  Tommy? How could that be? He never even mentioned it to me. He was supposed to be my friend and here he goes and moves away and doesn’t even tell me. Man that really stinks.

  “When does the yard sale start,” I asked.

  “It started at 8:00 a.m.” mom told me.

  “Can I run over and see Tommy. I really need to talk to him.”

  “You need to finish your breakfast.”

  “Oh mom.”

  “Eat,” dad said.

  I shoveled my cereal down in record time.

  “Can I go now?”

  “Yes. Just be careful. There will be lots of cars,” mom shouted as I ran for the door.

  I grabbed my bike and tore off down the street. Cars were parked everywhere. Man, they must be selling everything. I found Mr. Lemmings talking to a man about a couch.

  “Mr. Lemmings. Where is Tommy?”

  “What? Oh, hi Warren. It isn’t polite to interrupt adults you know.”

  “Sorry but I just have to find him.”

  “Alright,” he sighed, “He is up in his room.”

  “Can I go see him?’

  “Yes, yes. Just go,” he said pointing.

  I ran up the porch stairs and almost clobbered Mrs. Lemmings as she was coming out the door.

  “Whoa. Where are you going in such a hurry?”

  “Oh. Hi Mrs. Lemmings. I was going to see Tommy.”

  “Oh. He is up in his room.”

  “Can I go see him?”

  “Sure. Just watch your step. We have lots of stuff lying around.”

  “Yes ma’am.”

  I raced up the stairs and slid to a stop at the door to Tommy’s room. KEEP OUT and KNOCK FIRST were plastered on the door.

  I knocked.

  “Who is it?”

  “Hey Tommy. It’s me War.”

  “Go away.”

  “Come on Tommy, I want to talk to you.”

  It was silent for a few seconds then he finally said, “Okay, I guess you can come in.”

  I went in and it was dark. The blinds were down and he didn’t have any lights on.

  “Hey dude, what’s happening?”

  “Like you can’t figure that out? We are moving to Texas.”

  “Why?”

  “Why? Why? Because my mom and dad said so. Why else would I move?”

  “Do you want to go?”

  “Heck no. I don’t know anyone in Texas and I will have to start all over at a new school. I hate it.”

  “Why are they making you move?”

  “Dad got a new job. I guess it is a better one. So they just decided to up and move. They didn’t even ask me. They just told me we were going.”

  “Man that really stinks. I mean big time.”

  “Tell me about it.”

  “When do you go?”

  “Next week the movers come. Dad is driving one car and mom the other. I don’t want to ride with either of them.”

  “Tommy I’m really sorry you have to go.”

  “Why? You were too busy for me anyway.”

  “Ah come on Tommy. It was just the sports thing. I mean I’m really the same.”

  “No you aren’t. You are the mighty War. The Flash. You don’t have time for me or Eric. Even Susie says you are different.”

  “But that’s not true.”

  “Well you could have fooled us,” he said.

  **

  I watched as the last box was put in the big moving truck. They closed the tailgate. I stood there as it took off down the street. Tommy got in one car with his mother and his dad got in the other. I waved but he was looking straight ahead. He didn’t even bother to look over. I stayed and watched until they turned the corner and were gone.

  I walked slowly back to my house and saw Susie across the street.

  “Hey.”

  “Hey yourself,” she said.

  “Did you see Tommy leaving?”

  “Yeah. It won’t be the same without him around here,” she replied.

  “Yeah, I’m going to miss him too.”

  “Did you tell him that?”

  “What? No. I mean, he knew that already.”

  “Really?”

  “Well he should. I did go to see him.”

  “That’s not the same thing. Friends always tell friends how they feel even if they feel silly.”

  “Oh you’re a girl, what do you know about boys?”

  “More than you think Mr. Flash,” she said and walked off.

  TWELVE

  SMACK DOWN

  The rest of the school year went by fairly smoothly. The usual ups and downs occurred but for the most part it was okay. My grades were better once track season was over. I even got a couple A’s. Eat your heart out Susie.

  Actually, I doubt she cared. She was on the honor roll every time. Girls. They just don’t have enough to do. I mean how hard could it be to spend all day in front of a mirror?

  By the last week we were pretty much just cruising along. The teachers seemed like all they wanted was get us out of their hair. Especially the Grammar Nazi when we all got together and decided to talk like Cajun hillbillies.

  “Howdy Ms. Eller, ya is sure looking fine today, yes s
ir,” one of the kids said when she came into the room.

  “She be right decked out ta-day doncha’ think?”

  “Fur-sur, Fur-sur,” another added.

  It went on like that all class. She looked like she was going to have a stroke by the time the period was over. I’ll bet we are one class she won’t be sorry to see go.

  The day before the end of the school season, we cleaned out our lockers and were told to get everything out or it would go in the lost and found. I had so much junk in my backpack I could hardly lift it.

  When the bell rang we all dragged our backpacks out to the bus rather than carry them. It took a lot of effort just to get on the bus.

  Only one more day and then summer. Man I was waiting for that. I was sure going to miss Tommy but at least Eric would be around and maybe Peter if we could get him out of the house and away from his games long enough to play.

  When we got to our stop I dropped down out of the bus and started dragging my backpack. That’s when it happened. A hand grabbed me and spun me around. The next thing I knew I was seeing stars. I was on the ground and felt a kick in my stomach.

  What in the world was going on? I could hear shouting but nothing made sense to me.

  “You like kicking dogs?” the voice above me said and kicked at me again.

  I just had time to roll out of the way and jumped up. Of course it was Neil. I couldn’t believe it. All this time and now he wanted to pound me? It was totally stupid. Why now?

  “Neil. That was a long time ago. Your dog bit Susie. I had to do something to help her,” I said.

  He took another swing at me but I managed to duck just in time.”

  “It don’t matter when it happened. It was just a dog, you didn’t have to kick it so hard.”

  “Then why didn’t you stop it?”

  He took another swing and it glanced off my shoulder and caught my ear. It stung like heck. Now what was I going to do. If I started fighting I would be the same as him. If I just let him beat me up I would be a total looser. I made the decision to fight.

  I put up my fists and got ready. I could see he was going to charge at me and I was going to block him with my knee. I figured that since he was a lot bigger I had just one chance of stopping him.