After a moment of silence, a gruff voice came on the line.
“Officer Williams, this is Commander Crowder with the First Response Team. What’s the situation and why are you there?”
“I’m here on a fiftieth class reunion tour. The gunman is holding one student at gunpoint and there are another twenty students in the class. No shots have been fired yet and, so far, no injuries or fatalities.”
“Are there external windows into the classroom?”
I peeked into the room again.
“Yes, sir. A bank of windows on the front of the building facing south.”
“We’re still at least ten minutes away. Are you carrying your off-duty weapon?”
Much to the chagrin of my partner and my captain, I had never felt comfortable packing heat when I wasn’t actually on duty.
“No sir, I’m not.”
“Fantastic! I certainly hope the gunman doesn’t start firing before we arrive. This is exactly why officers carry off-duty weapons!”
“Yes, sir.”
It was probably just as well that I was not armed. I wasn’t sure that I could have shot a young boy.
“Keep your eyes on the situation and let me know if anything changes.”
I crept back to the door and peeked in. Nothing had changed but it was obvious that the gunman was struggling with his emotions.
A few minutes later, I saw the First Response Team pull up in into the school parking lot. Officers surrounded the school and snipers set up opposite the bank of windows.
The gunman had seen the police arrive and that seemed to agitate him even more. He turned and glanced at the door and I saw his face for the first time.
It was Warren, the pizza-faced kid from Games Galore, and the boy on his knees was the kid that had been heckling him at the store.
Commander Crowder’s voice crackled over my cell phone.
“Williams, are you still there? What’s the situation?”
“Pretty much the same, Commander, except the boy became quite agitated when he saw your men deploy.”
“We have him in our crosshairs. The negotiating team will arrive shortly. I just hope he doesn’t start shooting before they arrive. If he pulls that trigger, we’ll drop him before he can fire a second round.”
I could imagine an armor-piercing shell shattering the window and Warren’s head exploding like a ripe melon.
“Commander, I know that boy. He’s not crazy or deranged. He’s just a confused kid. I’d like to talk to him.”
“Not a chance! You have no hostage negotiating training. You might just set him off.”
“That could be, but a friendly face from someone he knows might just calm him down.”
“Williams! ---”
I knew I was fighting a losing battle with the Commander and in most situations, he was probably right, but I couldn’t just stand by and let the kid get shot.
I snapped my phone shut before he could order me to stand down.
I crept back to the door and gently tapped.
Warren whirled and pointed the gun at the door.
“G-G-Go away! I’ll shoot!”
“Warren, it’s me, Walt Williams. I met you a couple of weeks ago at Games Galore. I came in with your friend, Jerry, and you showed us some new Wii games. Remember?”
I could see him trying to remember.
“W-W-What do you want. What are you d- d-doing here?”
“Actually, I’m here on a school tour. I guess you’re kind of a detour. Can we talk?”
He thought for a moment. “N-N-Nothing to talk about. G-G-Go away!”
“Warren, I think we do have something to talk about. You see, I know exactly how you’re feeling right now.”
He looked confused. “How c-c-could you know how I feel?”
“Because I was a nerd in high school too. I know how it feels for the jocks and the cool guys to pick on you. Am I right?”
He didn’t answer.
“Warren, I’m coming in now so that we can talk more. I’m not armed. There are no cops with me. I just want to talk --- you and me.”
He didn’t object, so I slowly pushed the door open.
He backed away when I entered, but I could tell that he recognized me.
“Warren, I’m here because it’s my fiftieth class reunion.”
“S-S-So what? What’s that got to d- d-do with me?”
“It’s what I’ve learned after being away from this place for fifty years. When I was here, I was at the mercy of the jocks, just like you. I was Beta Club president and we planted a tree right out there in the courtyard where the Computer Science building is now. You know what the idiots did? They cut it down.
“They were always putting us down because we were different from them. They got the dates with all the hot girls and they got away with stuff because they were football heroes. It just wasn’t fair!”
“Y-Y-You got that right. It’s n-n-not fair and I’m n-n-not going to t-t-take it anymore.”
“I totally understand, but what I’ve learned over fifty years is that none of this stuff really matters. Once you’re away from here, everything changes. Oh, sure, there are always going to be jerks out there, but you have all of your life to make a difference and do whatever it is that you want to do. But if you do this today, you’ll never get that chance.”
“B-B-But they have to pay!”
“Not like this,”
I turned to the kid that was on his knees shaking like a leaf. I noticed that the front of his pants were wet.
“I was in the store that day when you were embarrassing Warren. Are you beginning to see the bigger picture here?”
He nodded his head.
“Is there anything you’d like to say to Warren?”
He nodded. “I’m so sorry, man. I just never thought --- I never realized how much we were hurting you. Please don’t ---!”
I could see that Warren was wavering. He looked around the room at the horrified faces of his classmates.
“Let’s end this, Warren. If you pull that trigger, your life will be over in an instant, but if you give me the gun, we can get you some help. Don’t let a tragedy be the last thing your classmates remember about you. Let’s work through this so that you can come back fifty years from now and show everyone what you’ve accomplished.”
A girl’s small voice spoke from the back of the room.
“Warren, we’re so sorry. You’ve taught all of us a lesson. We don’t want to see you hurt.”
I saw his shoulders slump and his arm drop.
I put my arm around him and took the gun from his shaking hand.
At that moment, the door burst open and the First Response Team flooded the room.
“Don’t hurt him. He’s a good kid,” I said as they led Warren away.
I turned and was face to face with Commander Crowder.
“Officer Williams, you disobeyed a direct order. I don’t know whether you’re a hero or a fool --- maybe both. Either way, your Captain will be hearing about this in my report.”
He turned and stomped away.
I was sure that the Captain would be thrilled.
I was riding an adrenalin high as I met my classmates coming out of the hall bathrooms.
Maggie rushed to my side.
“Walt, are you all right?”
“I’m fine.”
Eddie Delaney was right behind her.
“Well, well, looks like little Walt is quite the hero!”
Suddenly, all of the frustration that I had bottled up during those high school years boiled to the surface. I spun his pudgy torso around, grabbed the back of his under shorts and lifted until he was on his tiptoes.
“That’s for Warren and all of us just like him, you asshole!”
I took Maggie by the arm.
“Let’s get out of here!”
CHAPTER 15
After the tour, we stopped for a sandwich and by the time we arrived at the apartment, I had a few hours to practice my Elvis routine. I had to
be back to the Polk football stadium at six o’clock to meet the other unfortunate souls that were members of the Powder Puff Cheerleading Squad.
Wanda and her reunion committee had turned the Friday night football game into a real three-ring circus.
After the Polk High varsity squad takes the field, Eddie Delaney and the other surviving members of the football team from my class will be introduced along with the girls that played in the infamous Powder Puff Game. My companions and I will join the varsity cheerleaders to whip the fans in the stadium into a football feeding frenzy.
What could possibly go wrong with all of that?
It had been a couple of years since I did my Elvis routine, but I had practiced it so much at that time, it had been hardwired into my brain, kind of like my ballroom dance steps with Maggie. It may be months between our dancing nights out, but when the music starts, the muscle memory takes over and the intricate steps of the cha-cha and rumba are always there.
I had decided to use the same set that I had used in my undercover performance at the Sprint Center. The music was already burned on a disk and I really didn’t have the time to work up anything new.
I always get goose bumps when I hear Also Sprach Zarathustra, the theme from the movie 2001 A Space Odyssey, which Elvis used to open his live performances in his later years.
I can see Elvis backstage, a superstar and veteran performer, anxiously awaiting the moment that he would stride onstage to a standing ovation of his fans.
I open with that, which leads right into Si Si Rider. I follow that rousing number with the mellower Blue Hawaii. That is the number where I will initiate Ox’s plan to smoke out the New Theatre Restaurant shooter. The set ends with Jailhouse Rock and Heartbreak Hotel.
Fortunately, I was able to rent the same white jumpsuit that I had used earlier. I had purchased the wig, because thankfully, they don’t rent those out. I dug around in the closet and found it wadded up with the elf suit that I had used in another undercover gig. To my dismay, it looked more like a rat’s nest than Elvis’ famous pompadour. I must have tucked it away before all the perspiration had dried, giving it the distinct odor of old gym socks. Maggie came to the rescue with a can of Febreze, a brush and some hairspray.
Maggie had also sewn Ox’s little surprise into the lining of one of the red silk scarves that I would be draping around the necks of my adoring fans while crooning Blue Hawaii.
After running through the set several times and grabbing a quick bite to eat, I headed to the locker room of the Polk High School football stadium to meet up with Don, Loren, Gary and Kenny, my cohorts in the Powder Puff Cheering Squad.
Eddie Delaney and five other jocks were already there. They had been given varsity pads and uniforms to wear when they took the field with the football squad. They were checking out the pads, helmets and other accoutrements that the gridiron gladiators wear.
Our squad had also been given uniforms --- Pep Club sweaters that had obviously belonged to some of the more robust members. If we had been making a movie, the title would probably have been Grumpy Old Men in Tights.
Naturally, Eddie couldn’t resist the opportunity to give his usual ration of grief to the less athletically inclined.
“Hey! It’s the Powder Puff girls --- ooops --- I mean boys. Cheer pretty for us tonight!”
He did a high-five with his buddy, Duane, and the six of them had a good laugh.
“We’d better get going,” Eddie said, looking at his watch. He turned to us with a smirk, “The newspaper wants to interview the members of our class football team --- you know, the real heroes, not the Poop Club, so hold down the fort. We’ll be back to dress out in about fifteen minutes.”
When he passed by me, he whispered, “I’ll get you for that wedgie this morning.”
Kenny, who had been on the school tour, overheard his comment. “You got the jerk really well. You should have seen him waddling into the men’s room to extract his shorts from his crack.”
Don just shook his head. “Some things just don’t change --- even after fifty years!”
I was still burning from my morning’s experience with Warren. The poor guy had been driven over the edge by insensitive oafs like Eddie Delaney. Fortunately, my friends and I had enough positive things going for us in our lives that we were able to ignore their crap and get on with our lives, but others, not so fortunate, had been pushed to unspeakable acts by the bullying of these Neanderthals.
An unspeakable act of my own popped into my mind. “How would you guys like to even the score?”
“I’ve been waiting fifty years,” Loren replied. “What’s the plan?”
I had noticed a medicine cabinet on the wall. I opened it and looked over the various bottles and jars until I spotted what I was looking for, Analgesic Balm.
Any athlete that has ever had a sore or strained muscle is well acquainted with the greasy salve, that when applied to the aching muscle, immediately generates intense heat that penetrates deep into the muscle tissue. Once the initial scalding sensation subsides, relief is usually forthcoming, but the first jolt can be quite a shocker.
I held up the jar. “Jock straps, anyone?”
I passed the jar around and we each massaged a liberal coating of the fiery balm into the nut sack of our nemesis’ jock straps.
We had just finished, when our guys and the varsity squad burst into the locker room following their interview.
It was close to game time, so they wasted no time donning their football apparel.
The coach entered, gave a brief pep talk and the team headed for the field.
The varsity cheerleaders were already there, holding a big paper banner on which was emblazoned, ‘Polk High Wildcats’.
The team, lead by the captain, burst through the banner followed by Eddie and his cronies. The Powder Puff Girls from my class came next, and we, of course, were last.
Everyone lined up on the sidelines facing a packed stadium of fans that were chanting, “POLECATS! POLECATS! POLECATS!”
The announcer’s voice came over the intercom.
“Ladies and gentlemen. Before our National Anthem and the start of our game, I’d like to introduce some special guests we have with us tonight.”
I noticed that Eddie and his buddies were having a difficult time standing still. They were fidgeting around, hopping up and down and giving one another questioning looks.
The announcer continued, “The fiftieth reunion of the 1962 graduating class of Polk High School is tomorrow evening and we are honored to have with us tonight, members of the varsity squad from 1962. I’d like to introduce them now.”
Before he could announce the first name, Eddie grabbed his crotch, screamed and made a beeline for the locker room followed by his five buddies, each clutching their privates.
The timing couldn’t have been more perfect.
This certainly wasn’t in the announcer’s script, but after a brief pause, he bravely continued. “Also with us are the members of the Girl’s Powder Puff Team and their cheerleaders. Please take a bow.”
We all did our thing and the game got underway.
The varsity cheerleaders, all young, lithe and nimble, led the stadium with intricate lifts, tumbles and flips.
The Powder Puff girls had been given honorary places on the bench. After a few impressive cheers by the varsity girls, one of our gals bellowed. “POWDER PUFF! POWDER PUFF! POWDER PUFF!” **
See photo, page # 231
The leader of the varsity girls motioned for us to take the field.
I looked at my friends. “You guys ready for this?”
“No fool like an old fool,” Don replied. “Let’s do this!”
We fell in line and barked out our basic cheer.
Two bits, four bits, six bits a dollar.
All for the Polecats, stand up and holler!
Immediately, the crowd jumped to their feet, waving their arms and screaming.
Buoyed by our success, Loren whispered, “Let’s do the
knees.”
“I don’t know if we should.”
“So what are they going to do, suspend us?”
He had a point.
We lined up again.
Rah, rah ree
Kick ‘em in the knee.
Rah, rah, rass
Kick ‘em in the other knee!
I looked into the stands. As promised, Ox was there, laughing his ass off. Maggie was sitting beside him. Her head was bowed and she was slumped down, covering her eyes. I think she was trying to be inconspicuous, hoping no one would remember that the old guy making a fool of himself on the field was her husband.
After the last cheer, the Pep Club sponsor had given us a dirty look. I figured we were probably through cheering when one of the gals on the bench yelled, “DO NORFOLK!”
I shook my head, but the rest of the girls joined in, “DO NORFOLK!”
I looked at the guys and they just shrugged a ‘why not’, so we lined up again.
We’re from Norfolk, couldn’t be prouder.
If you can’t hear us now, we’ll yell a little louder.
We don’t smoke!
We don’t drink!
Noooooooor Folk!
As soon as the cheer was over, I saw the Pep Club sponsor heading our way. She wasn’t a happy camper.
At that same moment, Eddie and the bruisers were coming back on the field from the locker room. I could see the fire in their eyes from fifty feet away.
“Looks like it might be time to wrap this up,” I said.
“Good thinking,” Don replied.
“Exit, stage left?” Kenny suggested.
We all nodded and took off for the parking lot with six angry giants waddling after us, shaking their fists.
I turned out to be a pretty good evening after all.
Our team had won the game and the Powder Puff Cheerleaders had struck a blow for nerds everywhere!
CHAPTER 16
At last the big day had arrived.
I had spent the afternoon running through my program and limbering up the old bones for the hip swivels and gyrations that I had copied from the King.
[Lady Justice 12] - Lady Justice and the Class Reunion Page 13
