�I think Heath, Mark, and Billy will play, they are on second shift right now at Cramer's,� explain Josh.
�I seriously think we need to ask Brian to quarterback the team. If we just ask him to coach...� K.C. begins.
�But, you�re the quarterback, K.C.,� interrupts Michael.
�And I suck at it more and more every year. Didn't Brian always want to play quarterback not running back. If we ask him to be our team caption and to be the quarterback, he might just agree to play.�
There is general disagreement among them.
K.C. continues, �I�m just saying, if we really want to persuade Brian to play for us, we should let him be the quarterback. He wouldn�t feel he would have to run as much, and he could call all the plays right there on the field. Who has more experience than Brian?�
�This Brian guy was before my time, but I saw him on t.v. It would be great to have a quarterback that moves and can run,� Blake says.
K.C. pretends to be deeply wounded and some of the men laugh.
�Like I said, I suck,� states K.C. �We�ve lost every game for the last eleven years for Christ sake.�
�But it�s all for a good cause,� Michael reminds him.
�But isn�t Brian�s one knee total history?� asks Danny.
�Brian, with just one leg to stand on would still be twice the player of any of us... maybe even combined,� explains Stephen.
The men voice their agreement or disagreement.
�Brian could always the football, I mean the bomb!� Michael says.
�And run the forty in four point four,� adds Stephen, �but he�s never said he would play, has he? I mean here we are at the first meeting, and where�s Brian Kinney?�
�Over at the tavern,� answers Michael. �He�s been work�en all the time down there, since he drove back up here from Texas.�
The men begin again to disagreement over Brian coming back.
�So, how are you guys planning to get Brian to play?� Danny asks.
�Maybe we should let him know that the money we raise is for building materials to help the Emmett Honeycutt�s rebuild their house,� answers Blake.
�I still can�t believe they didn�t have any insurance,� exclaims Michael.
�Not everybody can afford insurance...� explains K.C. �You know Brian is a carpenter. He works for a builder part of the time in Fort Worth.�
�How would you know that?� questions Michael.
�We talk, and I saw his union card. It had his picture on it.�
�Super Bowl champion Brian Kinney works part-time as a carpenter?� Matt says in shock.
�Life goes on, Matt.�
�You talk like you and Brian Kinney are now the best of friends,� Michael hisses.
�Brian was never your friend.� adds Stephen. �You were a freshman when he was a senior.�
�Now fella�s,� Josh says.
�What the hell does that have to do with anything? I even went over to Claire�s the other day and saw their new furniture. Peter was so proud of it. It wouldn�t kill you go over there occasionally.�
�Yeah, but Emily might kill him!� laughs Michael.
�Just shut up, Mickey, you don�t know what you�re talking about?�
�Don�t I?�
K.C. steps in between Stephen and Michael.
�Come on, guys, for Christ sake!�
�We don�t even have enough players to make up a team this year, has anybody thought about that?� Danny says trying to get the meeting back on track.
�If we can get Brian, we�ll get more players.�
�So, should I ask Brian if he�ll play?� asks K.C.
�Hell, get a beautiful man to do it.� Michael utters out loud. All the men stare back at him. It�s clear that most of the men didn�t know Brian was gay. �Then Brian wouldn�t stand a chance of saying no.�
�I guess that means Lindsay Peterson is out of the question. No wonder, she strip naked on his front lawn, and he still wouldn�t go to prom with her,� Josh says.
�That story is true!� Blake gasps.
�There�s nothing bad about Lindsay�s body believe you me!� remarks K.C.
�Well, who are we going to get to do it?�
�What about Em?�
�He�s seeing George. Plus he really isn�t he�s type.�
�What about Todd?�
�He�s gone a business trip won�t be until after the game.�
�What about you, Blake?�
�Don�t look at me. I�m with Ted.�
�So who the hell are we going to get to do it?� Stephen asks.
�I�ll do it.� Justin has entered the service are unnoticed and has been there for sometime.
�You do what?�
�I�ll beg this Brian Kinney to play. How hard can it be?�
Josh makes a motion with his two hands indicate that �it� would be about ten inches when hard. Matt, Danny, and Stephen laugh. K.C. shakes his head, and Michael gets furious.
�Just what makes you think he�ll do it for you?� Michael steams.
�Look I�m young, blonde, and have a great ass. I�ll pour on the charm, and if that doesn�t work, I�ll cry.�
�Sounds like a plan to me, Mickey,� exclaims K.C.
***
The tavern's walls have been stripped of all the Brian Kinney's sport memorabilia, and most of the memorabilia is sitting in open boxes on a table near the pool tables that been shoved againist one wall.
Brian, dresssed in a sleeveless t-shirt, has worked up quite a sweat wrestling the booths that were against the front windows. He is trying to dismantle the booths in order to remove them. He doesn't notice Justin Taylor entering.
The strength and tone of the muscles in Brian's arms and back are displayed. The bench gives way and slides where Brian pulls it. Brian stops to catch his breath.
Justin is dressed to seduce wearing his tightest pair of jeans and shirt.
Realizes he is not alone and makes eye contact with Justin.
"So... you made it back to town."
"Can I help you with something, J..."
"Justin. It's Justin. Yes, I, well, I guess... I'm here to work my charm on you."
"What?"
"I'm here to beg you to play flag football for the Rotary's Hillcrest alumni team. I'm one of the cheerleaders... they want you to play quarterback."
"Did they tell you to dressed like that?"
"Well, no..."
"Alright. Now whose idea was it for you to come here?"
"Mine."
Brian arches an eyebrow. "Are you sure?"
"Well, I sort of volunteered." Justin is so nervous that his arms lock at his sides. "And I am going to be one of the cheerleaders at the game, and I am already a volunteer for the Habitat for Humanity, and the game raises money for the building materials..." He gasps for air. "And if you play we could maybe sell a lot of tickets, and K.C. said you were a good carpenter, and you could maybe even help us build the Honeycutt's house."
"Well, then... it seems I need to do some talking to K.C."
"Oh, please don't say no, so soon. I mean... Please, I don't want be another Lindsay Peterson!"
"You're not naked."
"No, but I feel completely foolish. I should just go." Justin folds his arms in front of his chest.
"How old are you?"
"Eighteen," he sighs, "but I'll be nineteen next month."
"Shouldn't you be in college right now?"
"Well, my dad want me to go to business school, and I want art school. So, he cut me off. I'm having to work and save up money."
Brian sits down on the bench that he had just pulled away from the window. "Look honestly, I haven't touched a football in years... I have a better chance of making a complete fool out of myself than I do of..."
"But you're like a football god around here or at the very least a hero."
"There's no hero here. Only a coward and a fool."
"I'm sorry. I don't understand."
"I was about your age. Nineteen, I think. " He holds up his wrists for Justin to see. "The guys, the ECU seniors used bailing wire to tie me down to a table and gaged me... Later some smart ass had the idea to put me out in the parking lot still tied to the table with my pants pulled down."
Justin takes a seat next to Brian.
"I don't know if I passed out or fell asleep like that, but I do know it was her screaming that woke me up. I could see them. They had her on one of the picnic tables... I watched as one by one they hit her and..." Tears creep in the edges of his eyes "I tried to scream and almost chocked to death on the gag they had put over my mouth. My wrists were bleeding... There was nothing I could do." Brian looks at Justin and gets up. "I'm no hero."
"But that doesn't make you a coward, Brian."
"Yes, it does."
"It wasn't your fault."
"It's my fault that she is dead. I was the only witness, and I didn't saying anything. She commited suicide soon after. So, it is my fault."
Justin does know what to say. A part of him is in a state of shock. "I didn't know," he finally utters.
"I think it's time for you to go." Brian can't believe he just told the boy all of that.
Justin doesn't move.
"When is this game being played?" he sighs.
"One week from Saturday... Does this mean you'll do it, you'll play? You don't have to."
"I thought it was for a good cause."
"It is."
"Then I will play. I hope to hell there's going to be some practicing involved."
"Oh, they practice some, but they haven't won a game in like forever."
"Great, it will be like playing for the Bengals again."
"I don't understand what that means."
"It doesn't mean anything. You go tell the boys I'll play. But do us both a favor, and change your clothes before they see you. I don't need the grief."
"Okay, no problem. Well then... See you later."
"Yeah, see you later."
Brian watches Justin leave the tavern. Then he stares up at the ceiling.