Page 10 - LIfesOuttakes2

The New Football Coach l Our football team was quite subdued that fall, for two of our teammates had drowned the preceding summer. That was why what we did, we did with our hearts, without thought of consequences. Lloyd was long past high school age, but he loved football. He had always wanted to play, but he was mentally challenged and only about five feet tall. If he tipped the scale at a hundred pounds it was because someone else stepped on it behind him. Lloyd was our greatest fan. He not only came an hour early to every game, but he showed up for every practice. Some football players couldn’t even claim that. That year, as he hung around the practices, we hit on an idea. With the permission of the coaches, we all pooled our money and ordered Lloyd a football jersey and a silver whistle. I have never seen anyone as happy with some presents. But that was where our tale began its strange twist, for unknown to us, our coaches had ulterior motives in allowing us to move ahead with our philanthropic endeavors. No sooner had we pulled the new jersey over 5