by Phil Wohl
ELEVEN
Speaking of changes, there were plenty made following the tumultuous, but happily ever after, summer. The town house at 44 Dolphin Drive was rocking every night with activity, but space was definitely becoming an issue.
“So, what are we going to do?” Dave asked Tony, Bianca, and Sarah as they sat around the kitchen table.
It was October and another season was just around the corner. Both Bianca and Sarah had moved in and privacy was definitely becoming an issue. Sarah and Dave were lying in bed one night when Bianca’s repeated, “Give it to me, Tiger” made them look at each other and say, “We need our own place.”
Dave, of course, knew what he and Sarah were going to do, but he wanted to be diplomatic and preserve a critical friendship. Actually, the unedited version that he was scared shitless of Bianca, and he really didn’t want to be on her bad side, was more accurate. He thought about buying a house after his six-figure settlement finally arrived from his old company – the merger had taken a few months to complete and another four months before the two companies could successfully integrate their accounting systems.
“So, Mr. Real Estate Baron, I’m in the market to buy something,” Dave said to Steve Brady.
“Trouble in paradise?” Brady asked.
“No, quite the contrary. Things are going really well, but it’s getting a bit tight over there. I want to buy a place for me and Sarah, and never want to move again.”
Brady thought, “Well, then the only way to go is to buy a house. Your parents’ neighborhood is nice.”
Dave loved his parents but he couldn’t bear the thought of living on top of them. “Yeah, but…” was all he had to say.
Brady continued, “Do you want to stay in Bailey Woods?”
Dave shot Brades a look like, “What do you think?”
‘Yeah, that what I thought. Well, this is your lucky day!” sounding like a door-to-door encyclopedia salesman.
Brady was developing a community on the site where an old grade school used to be, on the border of Bailey Woods and Porters Bridge.
“Sarah will be happier being able to live near her friend Lindsay,” Dave stated.
The community would be complete with a deluxe clubhouse, sports courts, biking and walking trails, and an outdoor pool - a perfect place to raise kids and live a healthier lifestyle. The reasonable purchase price would also leave plenty of room for sizeable equity appreciation.
“It will take about six months to build once you sign on the dotted line,” Steve said.
Dave did the math in his head, “So, with potential weather issues, we’re probably looking at the end of the school years before we can move in?”
“Yeah, that would be about right,” Steve replied.
“Any solutions until then?”
Steve smiled, “Number 40 Dolphin Drive has just become available. It has three bedrooms and a bigger kitchen. I could give it to Tony D for the same price you guys are paying. 44 is yours until you move out.”
“Or until it’s retired next month,” Dave joked.
He hugged his friend and said, “Is there anything I could do for you, my friend?”
Steve smiled again and Dave instantly recognized the look on his face. He had seen that “Someone challenged me and now you’re gonna’ have to take care of business” look hundreds of times when they were growing up.
“What dragon am I going to fight now?” Dave asked.
“Well, it’s the 100th anniversary of Bailey Woods next year, and we wanted to commemorate this prestigious event by staging a few important events in the town’s history,” he explained.
Dave’s mind rolled over, “So, who are we playing?”
“It’s the championship game against central all over again.”
Dave acted surprised, “They agreed to play us?”
Steve knew the reaction his answer would elicit, “They suggested it.”
“What?” the guys yelled while standing and drinking at O’Malley’s.
“I guess they didn’t see us play last summer,” Tom O’Malley stated.
Finnegan chimed in, “I’m in!”
Breslin added, “Yeah, why not. What do we have to lose?”
Tony D said, “Everything.”
“It’s only worth it if you have everything to lose,” Dave said.
“So, you guys are in?” Steve asked.
The five said, “Yeah.”
“Then I’ll go round up the rest of the guys.”
The never-shy Finnegan interjected, “Like that fuckin’ matters! Brades, the only people that ever played, were the five people standing here. Of course, we need you there to give us moral support.”
Breslin added, “Yeah, you don’t suck as much as you used to.”
Tony D kept it going, “I’m not embarrassed to hang with you anymore.”
O’Malley put the finishing touches on the conversation, “You can dress if you keep score.”
The guys cracked up an affectionately pounded on Steve Brady, the most successful guy in business since they graduated. Dave happily gave up that distinction to leave his plastic life to be just one of the guys again.
“I heard you guys are going to play central again,” Sarah said as she opened the fridge.
“Yeah, the excitement is underwhelming.”
She countered, “How can you be so modest and so confident at the same time?”
Dave smiled, “It must be a gift. Hey, speaking of gifts…”
“Did you buy me something?” she excitedly asked. “Don’t tell me and spoil the surprise.”
“Ok, New Yorker. Do you mind if I finish my sentence first…”
“Before I try to blurt out the rest of the sentence?” she laughed.
Pete laughed because love was fresh and everything that Sarah did was cute and spontaneous.
“Ok, little girl, this is adult time. I was talking to Steve Brady this afternoon, and he told me about this property we could buy,” he said as he handed Sarah a folder with details about the community.
Sarah looked through the alluring color brochure and replied, “Wow! This looks like a future for us!”
“That’s what I said!” Dave animatedly agreed. “It’s on the spot of your old elementary school.”
“That’s interesting. Talk about coming full circle.”
He added, “There’s even the strong possibility of building a new grade school on the site.”
She smiled again and replied, “I think we should go for it. When would the house be ready for us to move in?”
“About the time school ends.”
“Can we do it?” she asked.
Dave smiled and hugged his girlfriend, “We can do anything.”
It was late October and Dave decided to open the gym up for something he called “Dolphin Madness.” Basically, the Friday night basketball-fest was part clinic, part open call to assess the talent level in Bailey Woods.
Midway through the event, Principal Doherty walked over to Dave and said, “We’re going to retire your number at halftime of the first home game.”
Dave remained quiet and then pointed at a kid playing on the main court. A 6’2” kid with a slender, yet stocky build was wearing a blue tank top jersey with the number 44 on the back of it.
“Do you notice how all of the action swirls around him,” the older coach said.
“He’s always around the ball,” Dave added.
The kid caught a pass in the right corner and then calmly sank a jumper. Next time down, he stepped into the deep corner and sunk another shot. The ball was mid-way toward the basket and the kid starting walking off and said, “Game.”
“Let’s hold off on that ceremony. This is all not about that, anyway,” Dave stated.
“I hear you,” Doherty agreed. The two men followed the kid to the water fountain in the hallway.
“That’s the spark,” Dave said as he approached the kid.
The kid stood up after getting a few good slurps of water, and nearly walked right into the two men. He immediately showed his age when he blushed and almost banged into the two guys.
“Slow down there, son. You’re gonna’ make me take a charge,” Dave said trying to make light conversation.
The kid smiled, but the words had not yet approached his mouth.
Dave didn’t want to talk in front of other kids, so the three of them walked into the cafeteria adjacent to the hallway.
“I’m… Dave started.
“Dave Abrahams. I mean, Coach Abrahams,” the kid said.
“Have we met?” Dave asked as he looked into the kid’s big brown eyes.
“I got you autograph when I was five,” he said.
Dave quickly scanned through the catalog that was his life.
He turned to Doherty, “Remember the kid that started coming to all of our practices and games?”
Doherty looked at the kid and then Dave replied, “Matthew…” but blanked out on the last name.
Dave found it, “Vaughn Phillips.” The two men silently lip-synched to each other, “MVP.”
The kid smiled, “People usually call me Matt now.”
“Ok, Matt,” Dave said. “You must be in ninth grade now. Right?”
“Yeah.”
“Are you trying out for the j.v. team?” Doherty asked.
“Yes! Do you think I can make it?” Matt asked, showing his age.
Dave put his coach face on, “You have a good shot if you work hard. Coach Dorio is expecting a large turnout.”
The men shook hands with Matt and the walked back into the gym.
“You know, that was the practice jersey I gave him?” Dave said.
“I know he even looks like you when he shoots. It’s a little weird,” Doherty replied.
Dave smiled, “things are turning around, coach.”
“That’s why we brought you back, David.”
