Rounding Third (22 page)

    
Hudson was the last out of the room. “Come,” he said, and Rob did, walking with
the sinking feeling that he was on his way to a lethal injection. He didn’t
know what, if anything, he should tell the coach, or what, if anything, the
coach already knew. As skilled as Rob was at lying to everyone, Hudson always
seemed to see through the lie even if he never called Rob on it.

    
A few heads turned, and Rob thought he heard someone murmur “Wardell” as he
walked through the locker room with the coach. Hudson unlocked the office,
switched on the light and moved some books and shirts off a chair to give Rob a
place to sit. He closed the blinds.

    
To Rob’s surprise, Hudson didn’t take the seat behind the desk but instead
cleared off the other hard metal chair to sit next to Rob. 

    
“Okay, Bobby, tell me what’s going on.”

The coach rarely called him--or as far as Rob
knew--anyone else by a first name and that further impressed upon the young man
the gravity of the situation.

    
Rob could think of no better way to stall than to say, “About what?”

    
Hudson took a deep breath. “Bobby, sometimes it amazes us teachers to have you
kids think we are all as stupid as y’all seem to think we are. We have eyes and
we have ears and we know a lot more than we let on most of the time. I
appreciate that we’re the enemy and there are things that you’re not supposed
to tell us. But some things are too important for those games. So let’s take
this one step at a time. Where’s Josh?”

    
“I don’t...I mean, I...”

    
“Don’t tell me you don’t know. That kid hasn’t farted since he’s been in this
school without you knowing about it.”

    
The blunt statement acknowledging that the coach knew of Rob’s infatuation cut
through his defenses like an armor-piercing bullet. The dam holding his tears
in was rapidly crumbling. His head started swimming. He had never fainted
before and wondered if this was what it felt like just before one did. If the
coach knew, did everyone know? If so...

    
Before he could even begin to sort this out, he felt the coach’s hand on his
knee. “Bobby, I’m not mad at you. Or at Josh. You’re not in any trouble that I
know of. So, please, be honest with me. I’m concerned about you, and I’m
concerned about Josh. Tell me what’s going on. Maybe I can help.” Rob was still
too overwhelmed to answer. “Okay, let’s start with an easy one. Is Josh okay?”

    
Rob nodded, then said with less conviction, “I guess.”

    
“What happened? How bad is he?”

    
“He should be able to pitch by spring.”

    
“Dammit, Bobby, this isn’t about baseball. What happened to Josh?”

    
Rob, his last defenses broken down, started to cry. The coach moved his hand
from Rob’s knee to his shoulder. “Take it easy. I’m sorry. I don’t mean to yell
at you. What happened? Please tell me everything. I’ve heard the rumors, I’d
like to hear the truth and I think you know that.” Rob looked at the coach.
“Let me help. Josh got beat up after football practice. Taylor, Brickman,
Poulan, Semianski, Rivera. Probably others. How bad was he hurt?”

     Rob inventoried
Josh’s injuries then paused for breath. “Oh God, Coach, you wouldn’t recognize
him.”

    
The coach held Rob for a few minutes until Rob got hold of himself.

“And the rest?” the Coach asked even more
gently. Rob formed the question with his eyes. “The pills? He tried to
overdose?” Rob could only nod. “And the why?” Rob just stared through
tear-streaked eyes. “So it’s true?” Rob could still only stare. 

    
“God,” The coach said and rose from his chair. Rob saw Hudson form a fist and
for a moment thought the man was going to hit him. Instead he delivered a sharp
jab to the metal file cabinet, the sound of which echoed in the small office.
The coach sat back down; the file cabinet was still rocking and a large dent
remained. “Where’s Josh?”

    
“My house.”

    
“So it’s true his parents don’t want him back?” Rob nodded harder, spilling
teardrops onto his lap. “Is Josh going to press charges?”

    
Rob shook his head. “He’s afraid to. They told him while they were beating him
that if he ever told anyone who did it that they’d kill him. They hurt him bad,
Coach. He believes them.” 

    
Hudson stood and paced back and forth in the small space before turning and
viciously attacking the file cabinet again, leaving another dent. The sound and
fury frightened Rob. “They’re not going to get away with this,” the coach
hissed. 

    
Hudson tapped his front teeth, thinking. “I’m guessing it’s a lie that Schlagel
came on to Taylor. Grabbed him in the shower is what supposedly started this.”
Rob shook his head. “I didn’t think so. So what did start it?”

    
“I know you’re trying to help, but...”

    
“Okay, okay, I won’t go there. But what I think keeps you and DeLallo and a few
others about whom there are rumors safe is that you keep a low profile and fly
below the radar. I suggest you keep doing that. I have to figure out how best
to handle this.” 

    
Rob was stunned. “There are rumors?”

    
“Only guilt by association because of Josh. Everyone knows about DeLallo and a
few others. I don’t have to tell you who.”

Rob didn’t have a clue who else might like
guys and he didn’t really appreciate being lumped in with someone as feminine
as Edward DeLallo. 

“Do you know what Schlagel did that made
Taylor go after him...you don’t have to tell me why, but do you know?” Rob
nodded. “Is it something you can avoid doing?”  

Again
Rob nodded. “Tell Josh when he comes back to school to come and see me first
thing.”

    
“It’ll be a while before he comes back,” Rob said. “He’s afraid to. And says he
has no reason to.”

    
“I want to talk to Josh. Would it be okay if I visited him?”

    
“Not today. He’s still pretty out of it.”

    
“I understand.” The coach looked at him again. “Are you okay, Bobby?” Rob shrugged.
“Anytime you need me, call and leave a message at the office. Use this number.
And I’m putting my cell on here as well. Please don’t give it to anyone.” The
coach grabbed a scrap of paper from the desk and scribbled the number.

    
Rob started to leave then turned. “Thanks, Coach.”

    
“I wish I knew what to do, but I’ll do anything I can to help.”

    
As Rob walked back to class, he looked at the scrap of paper on which Hudson
had written the phone numbers. It was a line-up card from last season bearing
the names of Acosta, Poulan, Taylor, Beechler and Schlagel as the top of the
order.

                       
29
      

As Rob went to his locker the next morning he
realized the new route he had taken was not a good one. Brickman and Poulan
were coming towards him. He glanced behind him for a possible path of retreat,
but Danny Taylor was there. It didn’t look or feel like a set up, just poor
planning on Rob’s part.

Rob tensed. He thought he had a better chance
escaping Taylor alone than trying to get past the two guys in front of him. He
did a U-turn as casually as possible, but someone grabbed him from behind. He
was spun around into a locker and Brickman’s fist slammed into his face.
Taylor’s voice demanded, “Where’s your boyfriend?”

Poulan grabbed the longer, spiked-up hair
above Rob’s forehead and smashed Rob’s head into the locker. “Since he’s not
around these days, maybe you can take his place. Do you like it up the ass as
much as he does?”

“What’s going on here?” For the first time in
Rob’s high school career he was grateful for the sound of Mr. Welke’s voice.
The history teacher strode into the crowd.

He turned to Rob. “You get to your homeroom.
The rest of you...” he hesitated, “Clear out of here.”

Homeroom was
almost over and Rob was still staring out the window ignoring the morning
announcements when Edward DeLallo came in. Mr. Hacker looked at the pass and
said, “Wardell, the principal’s office.” 

Rob wondered
what the problem was now. Europe was going to run out of history by the time he
got there. In the hall, Edward said, “They can’t keep doing this shit to us.”

Rob was again a
little disturbed by being included in an
us
with Edward, but lacking any
other allies, he nodded. Edward went on, “I’m so sorry to hear about Joshua. I
had no idea about you guys.”

Rob wasn’t sure
what the appropriate response to that was so he just nodded again. They got to
the office just as Coach Hudson did. He stopped to look at the bruise on Rob’s
face. Hudson ushered him into the office. The secretary looked up and seemed
surprised by the trio.

Hudson said, “We
need to see Mr. Frost. Now.”

“He’s on the
phone...”

“This is more
urgent. Interrupt his call.”

“I...”

Hudson walked past
her and opened the inner office door. There was quick, quiet conversation that
Rob couldn’t quite hear then Hudson motioned for Rob to come. Rob went into the
office and Hudson pointed him to a chair. Rob had never been in the principal’s
office before and expected it to be imposing to somehow make up for the small
man who occupied it, but Mr. Frost was more threatening than his surroundings.

Hudson was
saying to Frost, “...and this is the student who was assaulted. There were
witnesses.”

“Assaulted?”
Frost questioned. “I wouldn’t use that word. There are bound to be...”

“...Assaults? I
don’t think so. This school has a zero tolerance policy on bullying and
fighting. It’s about time you enforce it. I want all of the boys involved in
this suspended.”

“Mr. Hudson, I
don’t think you understand…”

“I understand
perfectly. You may be willing to sit back and watch your students being
attacked, but I’m not.”

“Mr. Hudson...”

There was half a
knock then the door opened and the secretary stuck her head in. “Mr. Frost,
sorry to interrupt, but the police are here.”

Frost stood up
and turned to Hudson, “You called the police?”

“I didn’t,”
Hudson said. “But I’m glad someone did.”

“I did,” a small
voice said from the doorway.

They all turned
to see Edward DeLallo standing there. “I saw the attack. I called the police
before I went and told Mr. Hudson.”

Edward stepped
aside to let the police enter. Edward followed them in and closed the door
behind him. He turned to the police officers, “I saw Daniel Taylor, Corey
Brickman and Shane Poulan attack this student.” He pointed at Rob. “Mr. Welke
was also a witness and could testify against them.”

“Testify?” Mr.
Frost almost shouted. “We’re talking about a little high school fight, not a
criminal proceeding.”

Hudson turned to
the policemen. “Officers, if I punched Mr. Frost here in the mouth, what would
you do?”

“Place you under
arrest.”

“So as far as
you know there’s nothing in the law that excuses assault if it occurs on school
grounds?”

“No, sir.”

Hudson walked to
the door and said to the secretary, “Pull the schedules of Corey Brickman,
Shane Poulan, and Daniel Taylor. Find out where they are this period.” He
closed the door and turned back to the police. “I want them arrested and taken
out in handcuffs.”

“What?” Frost
demanded. “We’re talking about a little school matter.”

“We are talking
about crimes being committed.”

 The two
men stared at each other until there was another half knock at the door and the
secretary entered carrying a piece of paper.

One cop looked
nervously at the other. “Uh, we only have two sets of cuffs. We’d have to go to
the car and get more.”

“Then do it,”
Hudson demanded.

The cop looked
at the list. “Isn’t Danny Taylor the quarterback?”

“Yeah, even
quarterbacks commit crimes. Let’s go.” Hudson opened the door to leave.

Frost tripped on
the corner of his desk hurrying to get around it. “You can’t.” But it sounded
like less of an order than a plea.

“Why not?”
Hudson demanded looking as though he might make good on his threat to hit the principal.
“Officers?” he said, prompting them to leave.

One of the
policemen turned to Edward. “You say a teacher witnessed this?”

“Yes. Mr.
Welke.”

“We’d like to
talk to him.”

*                     
*                     
*                     
*                     
*
   

Hudson spoke to
Rob and Edward outside the principal’s office while Frost made frantic phone
calls inside. “When they come back to school, if they come back, I’m going to
have a talk with each one of them and tell them that if anything happens to
you, they will each answer to me. Not as a teacher, but as one pissed-off
sonuvabitch. Both of you, watch yourselves. Don’t be alone at any time and stay
away from Taylor and those bastards. If any of them comes near you, you come to
me. Find me. I don’t care where, when, the middle of class, doesn’t matter.
Find me.”