food in ya, stud. PBJ sandwich?”
Bobby laughed. “I suppose that’s fine.”
Odis chuckled as he walked to the kitchen area. “I hate to cook, if ya hadn’t noticed.”
“I did sorta notice that.”
“So,” Odis said as he started the coffee maker, “you should prob’ly head back today, then.”
“You’re kicking me out again?” Bobby tried to sound teasing. “I don’t have to be there until Thursday.”
Odis looked hurt, and then glared at him as he put the bread in the toaster and gathered up sandwich supplies. “Please stop saying that. I’m not ‘kicking you out’, and ya should know that. But you’ll need time to get your corn in a row a’fore you go in that meetin’.”
“What corn?” Bobby chuckled at the strange expression.
“Get your own lawyer and shit, is what I mean. Those people on the phone aren’t on your side. You go in there without your own lawyer, they’ll eat ya alive.”
Bobby watched Odis make the sandwiches. “But what if I just wanna take the settlement and get this all over with?” Bobby followed as Odis took the plates of sandwiches to the patio table.
“Well, that is one way to go….”
They sat and bit their sandwiches. “What would you do?”
“First off, kinda depends on exactly what the offer is. I’m guessing, though, they’ll just throw a lot of money at ya, maybe even add some kind of gag order so it’ll all quietly go away.”
“Okay. If I don’t take it, though, what would be the point?”
“You mean, what are you fighting for? A public apology? Maybe. Reinstatement? But I know that doesn’t mean much since you wanted to retire anyway….”
They ate in silence until the coffeemaker beeped. Bobby got up and filled the mugs Odis had already set aside, and brought back the two coffees. “I can’t see any real point to that, though. It’ll just stir up the circus again.”
“That it would. But it would show ’em that the gays have teeth. Maybe make ’em think twice about pullin’ this kinda shit again.”
Bobby just nodded as they ate.
“Not that my advice is worth much, but since you’re askin’… I’d say, unless it’s something completely insulting, take their offer, but throw in a condition that they name something after Nathan. You know, like the Nathan Price Memorial Stadium or something, just so they’ll see his name every day and be reminded.”
Bobby chuckled. “I kinda like that. Who knew you were such a vindictive bitch?”
Odis curled the corner of his lip up. “Never been called a bitch before. Don’t know as I like it….”
“It’s a compliment, trust me.”
“Okay, stud,” Odis said with a wink, then laughed.
They sat and gazed at each other over the empty plates, trying to ignore the impending good-bye.
Odis cleared his throat and broke the silence. “Something I’ve been wondering about,” he dangled in the air.
“Oh? What?”
“Why’d you get on a plane and come out here in the first place? You coulda just used the phone and shit, ya know.”
“Well….” Bobby clutched at his coffee mug. “It’s Nate’s fault.”
Odis got up and filled his mug, then brought the carafe over and topped off Bobby’s. “How?” he asked when he got back from returning the carafe to the warmer.
Bobby took in a deep breath. “It all started when I got a postcard in the mail. From Nate.”
“When was this?”
“About two weeks ago. Surprised the fuck out of me at first, but it was sort of his thing. I was always at spring training during my birthday every year, so Nate would send me little notes and cards, kinda hinting about my present, so he could give it to me in person when training broke and I came home. He liked being there when I opened it, thought it was too impersonal just to ship something down.”
“Okay, sounds like a fun guy.” Odis waited but had to prompt Bobby again. “What did the postcard say?”
“To pull out the silverware drawer in the kitchen and check underneath. I did and found a key taped
Bobby laughed. “I suppose that’s fine.”
Odis chuckled as he walked to the kitchen area. “I hate to cook, if ya hadn’t noticed.”
“I did sorta notice that.”
“So,” Odis said as he started the coffee maker, “you should prob’ly head back today, then.”
“You’re kicking me out again?” Bobby tried to sound teasing. “I don’t have to be there until Thursday.”
Odis looked hurt, and then glared at him as he put the bread in the toaster and gathered up sandwich supplies. “Please stop saying that. I’m not ‘kicking you out’, and ya should know that. But you’ll need time to get your corn in a row a’fore you go in that meetin’.”
“What corn?” Bobby chuckled at the strange expression.
“Get your own lawyer and shit, is what I mean. Those people on the phone aren’t on your side. You go in there without your own lawyer, they’ll eat ya alive.”
Bobby watched Odis make the sandwiches. “But what if I just wanna take the settlement and get this all over with?” Bobby followed as Odis took the plates of sandwiches to the patio table.
“Well, that is one way to go….”
They sat and bit their sandwiches. “What would you do?”
“First off, kinda depends on exactly what the offer is. I’m guessing, though, they’ll just throw a lot of money at ya, maybe even add some kind of gag order so it’ll all quietly go away.”
“Okay. If I don’t take it, though, what would be the point?”
“You mean, what are you fighting for? A public apology? Maybe. Reinstatement? But I know that doesn’t mean much since you wanted to retire anyway….”
They ate in silence until the coffeemaker beeped. Bobby got up and filled the mugs Odis had already set aside, and brought back the two coffees. “I can’t see any real point to that, though. It’ll just stir up the circus again.”
“That it would. But it would show ’em that the gays have teeth. Maybe make ’em think twice about pullin’ this kinda shit again.”
Bobby just nodded as they ate.
“Not that my advice is worth much, but since you’re askin’… I’d say, unless it’s something completely insulting, take their offer, but throw in a condition that they name something after Nathan. You know, like the Nathan Price Memorial Stadium or something, just so they’ll see his name every day and be reminded.”
Bobby chuckled. “I kinda like that. Who knew you were such a vindictive bitch?”
Odis curled the corner of his lip up. “Never been called a bitch before. Don’t know as I like it….”
“It’s a compliment, trust me.”
“Okay, stud,” Odis said with a wink, then laughed.
They sat and gazed at each other over the empty plates, trying to ignore the impending good-bye.
Odis cleared his throat and broke the silence. “Something I’ve been wondering about,” he dangled in the air.
“Oh? What?”
“Why’d you get on a plane and come out here in the first place? You coulda just used the phone and shit, ya know.”
“Well….” Bobby clutched at his coffee mug. “It’s Nate’s fault.”
Odis got up and filled his mug, then brought the carafe over and topped off Bobby’s. “How?” he asked when he got back from returning the carafe to the warmer.
Bobby took in a deep breath. “It all started when I got a postcard in the mail. From Nate.”
“When was this?”
“About two weeks ago. Surprised the fuck out of me at first, but it was sort of his thing. I was always at spring training during my birthday every year, so Nate would send me little notes and cards, kinda hinting about my present, so he could give it to me in person when training broke and I came home. He liked being there when I opened it, thought it was too impersonal just to ship something down.”
“Okay, sounds like a fun guy.” Odis waited but had to prompt Bobby again. “What did the postcard say?”
“To pull out the silverware drawer in the kitchen and check underneath. I did and found a key taped
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