After Life by Andrew Neiderman Page B

foul, mostly on Lee's team.
     
    By the end of the first quarter, two more of his starting five were on
    the verge of fouling out. Jessie knew enough about the game and Lee's
    philosophy of sports to be sure that he was furious with his players. He
    began making blanket substitutions, and the team's opponents took a
    hefty lead in the second quarter. The crowd began to call for the
    starting players again. Even Henry Young chanted names like Benson,
    Hodes, Gilmore. Finally, with two minutes left in the second quarter,
    Bob put the starters back in, and almost immediately a foul was called
    on Gilmore. It was an obvious foul, Gilmore jabbing a boy in the ribs
    as he went up for a shot. This time Gilmore turned on the ref. Jessie
    was shocked to hear Henry Young booing. A principal, booing the refs?
    Moments later Bob said, Gilmore has been booted out, but he's not
    getting off the court. Lee's going out there.
     
    Benson has just pushed the refIt's becoming bedlam.
     
    The sight of the ball players losing their tempers appeared to rile up
    the crowd even more. Jessie heard spectators jumping off the stands and
    onto the court.
     
    Oh no, Tracy said. What's happening? Jessie cried, and seized her arm.
    A bit of a riot, Bob said casually. Some of the opponent's team members
    are fighting with ours. Lee and a few others are breaking it up.
     
    After what seemed an interminable amount of time, the court was cleared
    again. The refs went into a conference with the two coaches and then an
    announcement was made declaring the game a forfeit. The booing became
    so loud Jessie's ears began to hum. She heard people scrambling madly
    all around her.
     
    Oh boy. What a way to lose your first game, Bob said. I'd better lend
    a hand. He stepped off the bleachers.
     
    Security had to protect the opposing players from the crowd. Where's
    Lee? Jessie asked frantically.
     
    He's going into the locker room with his players, Tracy said, and he
    looks furious.
     
    Jessie could hear Henry Young and Bob just below them, encouraging
    spectators to leave the gymnasium.
     
    Finally people began to make their way toward the exits, grumbling and
    shouting as they departed.
     
    I'll wait for Lee right here, Jessie said. He must be so upset. All
    right, Tracy said. Henry Young' s going into the locker room. I'll get
    him to tell Lee, she said. Don't worry. I'm sure he's okay. Almost
    twenty minutes later, Lee was at her side. The gym had emptied rather
    quickly once people had begun leaving. That's what I would call baptism
    by fire, Bob quipped. I could have done without it. Some of these fans
    were behaving like wild animals, not that I can say my team acted much
    better, Lee replied. I'd say the refs here are vastly underpaid. They
    should get battle-front bonuses. Bob laughed. You want to go someplace
    maybe? Have a drink? he asked them. No, Lee said quickly. I just
    want to go home. Sure. Hey, don't take it badly. Look at it this
    way-things can only get better, Bob joked. Lee didn't respond.
     
    Jessie felt his tension in his hand. Are you all right? she asked
    softly. I will be when I get out of here, he said. What a madhouse, he
    added. I told you those boys were undisciplined, he said when they got
    into their car. I chewed them up and down and in and out, but they
    looked at me as if I'm the one who's undisciplined. Some of them
    actually think they did good. Can you imagine? But the worst part is
    Henry Young didn't help. In fact, he added to it.
     
    What do you mean? He came in there and interrupted my bawling them out
    to tell them he was proud of their aggressiveness, proud of their grit,
    proud they showed what they were made of.. "From now on," he said,
    'you're the team to fear." Can you imagine? He and I are going to have
    a big talk tomorrow. Right now I feel like resigning, he concluded.
    Jessie was silent. She could feel Lee's anxiety, his insides tied into
    a knot. I'm sorry, she said finally. I know how disappointed you