The Football Game pt. 4

The Locker Room


"Let's play a game." I said.

They nodded their heads.

We went back in the house and got our shoes, then met by the old, red picnic table.

I tossed my old shoes out on the grass before me, and then slipped one on. I bent down on a knee, and reached for my loosened shoelaces lying on the ground, and then with a quick, high lift, I pulled them tight and fastened with a tie. I felt like a player would in a lockeroom.

I stood up and looked at my brothers. Aaron, who barely ever tied his shoes, had already secured his dangly, knotted laces, and was trying to loosen them out from how awkward they felt on him. And John was sitting, carefully pulling each row snug before wrapping himself a perfect bow.

I can still remember the first day we ever played a game.

"Let's play a game of football," I said.

"How do we do that?" Aaron asked. John quietly listened.

They both were staring and waiting for a response, but I didn't know how we'd go about it either. I just knew people played football, and it sounded like a good idea. So, I went from there.

"Let me see here," I said, before going quiet. And with the attention centered around me, I stood and wondered to myself.

"Hmmm. Somebody's got to be the quarterback..And somebody's got to score... If John's the quarterback, then I would be playing Aaron. I would always win. That wouldn't work. Aaron could be the quarterback, and I could play John. But Aaron wouldn't be able to throw the long ball and we'd be running the same short plays over and over. That wouldn't work either. I'll be the quarterback all the time, that's the only way to do it."

I broke from my silence, eager to share my answer.

"I've got it, I'll be the quarterback and you and John go against each other."