Life in Dillon

Chapter 4

"Ah look who it is" Garrett Matthews greets me in the football changeroom as I enter with my duffle bag in my right hand, "Nine" I greet him referring to his number. I tend to do that a lot, hell you could probably test me on names of the guys from this team and I will probably know six names but I can sure tell by their face what their football number was.

"How you doin, Rigg?" Garrett asks "doing good" I respond not bothering to ask him how he was, "whole town's going crazy about the whole Coach Taylor thing" he says following behind me as I make my way to my locker. "They sure are" I say "what do you think about him? Mac being downgraded and all?" he continues to ask and he starts to get into my nerves, I open my locker and shove my bag into it and take out my football gear "you know, nine, how about we just go out there and see if the new coach actually likes us enough to put in the team alright?" I tell him and he puts his hands up in surrender and starts to back away.

I change out of my casual clothes and as soon as I have all my gear on, I pick up my helmet and walk out to the field. I make eye contact with the coach's and they don't give me any emotion when they see me, "lets see a lap, Riggins" Coach Taylor says to me "that goes for all of you, I wanna see speed, if you ain't got any then get off my damn field, hear that?" he adds "yes sir!" the team says in unison but I stay quiet "I said did you hear that, Tim?" he says low to me "yes sir" I say "I can't hear you!" he says yelling to my face "yes sir!" I yell back. "Let's see one lap under two minutes boys, helmets on, go!" Mac screams and as he says go the team starts to run.

I lead the group and I feel that the rest of the team behind me until Smash laps me, "you ladies got nothing on the Smash" Smash says continuing to run with his hands in the air obnoxiously pointing at himself. I start to pick up my legs and gain more speed to make him shut up but he notices and picks up his speed. I keep trying to catch up to him but before I know it the lap was done and he beat me back to where the coaches were, "what's the matter Rigg? Can't deal with the fact I beat you?" he says panting with a stupid smirk on his face.I don't respond and I walk past him brushing his shoulder.

Practice went by fast and mainly because the coaches made us do a lot of fucking drills over the time span of an hour and a half. "Tim" Coach Taylor's voice comes from behind me I turn around and I see him walk towards me, "coach" I say panting "what's your deal this year? I'm gonna have to know before putting you on the team" he says "football coach" I tell him "you're gonna be fully committed to me this year, not like last year where you dodge Mac around everyday and still start at every game on friday, I'm making you work this year" he explains "yes sir" I say nodding "I'm glad we agree, hit the showers" he orders and I take the order and turn and walk back to the changeroom.

I leave the changeroom and walk towards the teachers parking lot where I left my truck. On the entrance of the field Matt Saracen and Garrett Matthews are stood there, they're looking at the field where there is a tent, camera crew, and the coaches sitting down with some men in suits. It looked like an interview but for what? The new season? We didn't even win State last year and usually they only interview the coaches to the winning team. I'm usually not the type to be curious but I start to walk over where Matt and Garrett are, "seven, nine, what are you two lurking on?" I ask grabbing both their attention making them turn around to face me. "I don't know what's going on, we walk out and that's happening" Garrett says referring to the tents and interview. All of a sudden J.D. walks out still with his football gear on with some man in a suit, looked like his Dad or something. "Are they interviewing J.D.? really?" Matt whines "I honestly thought it was gonna be my year this year with Street leaving and this guy comes along" he adds. It's true J.D. is unreal on the field, "prove em wrong, seven" I say patting him on the chest and I walk away from both of them.

I get to my truck and start it up, the radio turns on and voices start to flow through the speakers. "We're here live at Dillon High School, home of the panthers with some of the coaches of the panthers football team including the infamous Coach Taylor" a voice of a lady booms. Is this what that was about? Coach Taylor being the new coach? I start to drive away from the school and continue to listen to the interviewer. "We're going to take some calls from citizens of Dillon right now to hear what they have to say about Coach Taylor and later stay tuned to what Coach Taylor has to say about his plans for the Dillon Panthers this season" she continues "first caller, Ken Mickelson, how are you sir?" she says asking the caller "hey I hear ya" Ken answers through the phone "what do you think about the change here in Dillon Football? Are you excited to see what Coach Taylor has to offer or not at all?" the interviewer asks "you know Karen, if you want my honest opinion, he just isn't ready, I think he was a great defense coach last year, but head coach of the Dillon Panthers? The whole town is expecting big things from him and the rest of the team and I don't know if he's capable of achieving that" the guy answers. I switch off the radio because I don't care at this point, yeah football is all great and when we do well it's always nice to walk around town and be recognized for the achievement but when we don't win it's like we can't even leave our houses until the next friday.

I pull up in our driveway and I hear a clicking noise in my truck as I pulled the break "shit" I say under my breath, it must be another engine mishap. This truck is about ten years old and it use to be my Dad's and it's the only thing he forgot when he walked out on us, he's asked for it back a couple times but hell like he's ever going to get it back. As I walk out I see a familiar grey honda parked on the side of the road in front of our house, it doesn't take me a second to realize who it is. I walk into the house and there he was sitting on the couch laughing at something with Billy, "six" I greet Jason. "Four years of high school and one year I got to go with you, you don't show up, and now that I'm actually gone you finally go?" he says and I smirk shaking my head "it was just one of those days" I tell him.

"How was practice today, Tim" Billy asks

"It was good" I reply

"How's Coach Taylor? The whole town wont shut up about him" Jason says as he moves to the bar stools on the kitchen counter.

"Yeah they've reached the radio" Billy says

"I was listening on the way home but I had to turn it off" I tell them

"So Timmy, did ya hear?" Jason asks

"The proposal?" I ask

"Yeah it's probably the word of the school, eh? Part from this football stuff" Jason says chuckling

"Yeah it's great, congrats on that" I tell him

I'm proud of the guy but I don't think he was thinking straight, he's going to Ohio State for football this week and for the rest of the year, all he's gonna do is forget about Lyla. "Aren't you going to Ohio State?" I ask "yeah why?" "it's the best football program in the country and you decided to propose to Lyla Garrity? I mean sure you two are great together but isn't that a distraction when you're up there thinking about her down here in Dillon?" I ask "yeah but I love her, plus she's gonna make it to Ohio State as well, she's a smart one and when she goes next year then we'll be together all the time" he explains. I don't necessarily agree but it ain't my life and I'm sure he's got it in control. "I'm happy for you, six, I really am" I say and at the same time I raise my beer at him and this makes him smile, "it's just us Texas boys living large eh Tim?" he says and I can't help but smile at his comment "that's right six, Tex forever" I say "Texas forever" he responds raising his drink as well.