Poppy Welton had a rough few years she hoped that Richmonds new season would bring them all some luck. But then her elder sister, Rebecca hired an American Football coach and everything turned upside down again.
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"I want to brainwash you into lo...
"No, no. Dubai Air is owned by a horrible company." Sam corrected. "One that has turned the southern coast of Nigeria, my home, into a hellish, fiery swamp. I can no longer wear their name on my chest." Sam flattened down the black tape on his chest covering the brand. "Never again."
"Give me the tape, bruv."
"Hey, listen. I do not expect you all to do this." Sam assured as his other Nigerians covered their branding. "But I hope you understand why we as Nigerians must."
"Throw me the tape?" Jamie requested.
"What do you think you're doing?" Sam countered.
"We're a team, ain't we?" Jamie countered. "Gotta wear the same kit."
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"You ready for today?" Poppy questioned.
"Yes why?" Rebecca answered.
"You look tense." Poppy answered.
"I wrote a..."
"She's a badass bitch." Nora declared.
"Damn right." Poppy agreed. "What did you do?" Rebecca smirked glancing to Nora.
"It's a secret, aunt Poppy." Nora countered.
"Alright," Poppy agreed. "I like secrets but whatever."
"Tell me!" Birdie jumped up in Rebecca's lap. "Tell me I will keep a secret!"
"Live from the Dogtrack, it's Arlo White here with Chris Powell." the announcers declared. "Today Coventry City take on the home team, AFC Richmond, who remain winless with eight straight draws. Any predictions, Chris?"
" Yeah, I think it's gonna be a draw."
"Makes sense." They had been on a tied streak. "But the story everyone is talking about is the return of Jamie Tartt."
"Chris, will the Richmond faithful welcome him back?"
"Tough to say, Arlo. Supporters are a notoriously fickle bunch."
♪ Jamie Tartt, doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo ♪ ♪ Jamie Tartt, doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo ♪ ♪ Jamie Tartt, doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo ♪ Birdie sung out with the crowd. Poppy laughed out. Birdie sat in her lap, booping her head to the tune of Jamie's little chant.
"If no one's passing to Jamie we can always drop him to midfield." Ted offered.
"So the people not passing to Jamie can be closer to him?" Beard countered.
The cameras went wild as the team unzipped their gear to reveal their covered branding. They stood as one and the media was eating it up.
"Whats going on?" Rebecca questioned.
"Ummm are we against Dubai Air?" Poppy questioned. She searched it quickly, it was trending already.
"What's going on here, Arlo?"
" It appears to be some sort of protest against Richmond's sponsor, Dubai Air. This might become an issue."
"This is... bad." Rebecca decided. "Do you know how much money we are paid for those-"
"There has to be a good reason, they wouldnt do it if Dubai Air was a good company, they must have done something." Poppy remarked as she started scrolling.
"Did you know?" Rebecca demanded.
"No, nonsense, but I do like the black strip better than a brand name." Poppy murmured. "Alright, I found... well fuck Dubai Air. I think this is it." Poppy turned her phone around.
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"Yeah, Ted, did you know the team were gonna do that?"
"No, sir. No, no." Ted answered after the game. "But I think what Sam and the team did today was courageous. I-I've never needed to have that kind of courage. 'Cause, well, honestly when bad things happen to, uh, people like me y'all have a tendency to write about it without being asked. Sam had to go and get y'all's attention, you know?" Ted remarked leaning forward towards all the microphones. "So, if you have any more you wanna know about it, you can ask him. Come on, Sam." Ted gestured him up to the mic and moved to Poppy's side.
"I'm proud of them." Poppy whispered.
"It was all them, I didnt have a clue." Ted assured.
"I know your face when they unzipped their gear is trending too." Poppy whispered kissing his cheek. "I think they are bonding over this, as horrible as it is, it looked like it brought them together. They played well, despite the loss. They worked well together."
"They did." Ted realized.
"Um, hello." Same pointed to a reporter in the crowd. "Um..."
"Thank you. Trent Crimm, The Independent." Trent answered. "Sam, do you think that your protest may have distracted the team tonight and lead to the loss?"
"I'm not here to talk about football." Sam corrected. "I'm here to ask the Nigerian government to put an end to decades of environmental destruction caused by Cerithium Oil. Destruction that the powers that be have turned a blind eye towards for far too long. Do you have any questions about that?" Trent eagerly rose his hand again.
"Yes, I do. Follow-up question, please." Trent requested, Sam nodded. "Thank you. Sam, are you openly accusing the Nigerian government of corruption?"
