Fourth and Forever

by Bert Carson

  It was nine, an hour after bedtime, when I walked out of Amanda’s room with Flexible beside me. At the nurses’ station, I apologized to Mary for overstaying our allotted time. She smiled and said, “Josh, I could have pointed it out to you at 8:00, but I figured what you were doing was more important than an few extra minutes of sleep.”

  Patty was making arrangements for next week’s visit when Bobby, Janet, Flexible, and I slipped into the service elevator.

  Chapter 22

  The Reno game was a turning point. It instilled the belief in us that we were winners and not just a team on a lucky roll.

  On the field, the players and the coaches forgot that I was forty-four years old. All they were aware of during a game was that I was the quarterback and, at least for the time being, the only quarterback they had. They began to trust me, losing the fear that I might self-destruct. It had been no different with my flight students. Until they trusted me, their ability to learn had been severely limited. Off the field, thanks a great deal to Edward’s Hang Out, I became more than their quarterback. I became their friend, mentor, teacher, and often, I was their substitute father.

  The victories rolled in; we beat Northern Iowa 38 to 10, Idaho 21 to 0, and Boise State 14 to 3. Our 10-0 homecoming win over WeberState put us on the cover of Sports Illustrated. The cover photo and article lifted us to the status of national folk heroes, though minor ones.

  ********

  Wednesday, after the WeberState game, Bobby came charging into the house shouting, “Look at this! Just look at this! Look at this!”

  I looked up from my textbook and said, “Bobby, how can I look at whatever it is while you’re waving it over your head?”

  Bobby stopped, grinned sheepishly and said, “Right.” He walked over and handed the battle scarred Sports Illustrated to me. It was a moment before I realized what I was looking at. On the cover was the official Grizzly team picture with my individual team photo superimposed over it. The caption read, “44-Year Old Quarterback Leads Grizzlies to Seven Straight Wins see page 53.”

  Bobby grabbed the magazine from me and turned to page 53. He shoved the magazine back into my hands. The article, complete with a dozen game photos, outlined our season so far and ended with the statement, “…and this just may be the year of the Grizzly in the Big Sky Conference. Yes, Elizabeth, there is a Santa Claus and there is hope for us ‘old guys’ after all.”

  ********

  MontanaState proved to be toughest opponent we had faced all year. After the game, we were so wiped out it was impossible to tell from the sprawled bodies scattered around the dressing room that we had won. Finally showered and dressed for the trip back to Missoula, we walked out of the locker room. I glanced at the scoreboard, still lit up against the overcast Billings sky and smiled as I read once again, Montana State 7 Montana 10.

  ESPN had televised the game which meant they had been in charge of the kickoff time. Two weeks before the game, they had changed the scheduled 2:00 P.M. start to 11:30 A.M. The game was over at 3:00 P.M. We had opted to drive the 165 miles home without a dinner stop. The buses pulled up in front of the field house in Missoula at 7:30. Everyone was famished but pleased to be home that early after a road trip.

  **********

  Bobby and Janet had dinner at the house and then went to movie. Just after they left, I took Flexible for a long walk. It was close to ten when we got to the house. When I opened the door, the phone was ringing. It must have just started because I managed to answer it before the machine picked up.

  “Hello.”

  “Daddy, I’m glad I caught you. This is Brent. Do you mind if Denby and I come by for a few minutes.”

  “Of course not, Coach. I’ll have a fresh pot of coffee ready when you get here.”

  “Thanks, Daddy,” we’ll be right there.

  I fed Flexible, loaded the coffeemaker and turned it on.

  I overestimated their travel time. They arrived before the coffee was half brewed.

  I took one look at their faces and I knew something serious was going on. After removing their jackets, they followed me into the kitchen where the coffeemaker was just finishing. As we poured our coffee, Brent began. “Daddy, you know that Denby and Jeff are roommates.”

  He looked at me and I nodded.

  Denby and Hunk went to the Red Lion for dinner; Jeff said he didn’t feel like going with them, so he went back to the room. After dinner, Hunk and Denby went back to the dorm. Hunk went to bed and Denby went to his room. When he got there, he found this note from Jeff on his desk.

  He handed the note to me and I read:

  Richard,

  It looks like this season is a bust for me. To top it off, I found a “dear john” message from Carol on my answer machine when I got in. I think I’m going to go home for a while. I’ll be back next week.

  Jeff

  I read it again and asked, “Denby, who is Carol?”

  “I’ve never met her, but I think she is Jeff’s girlfriend from home.”

  “If I remember correctly Jeff is from Albuquerque.”

  Brent said, “That’s right. I recruited him right out from under The University of New Mexico.”

  “Do either of you know how far it is to Albuquerque.”

  Brent answered, “It’s 900 miles. I remember the figure well.”

  I calculated in my head and said, “If he drives straight through, and that’s not likely, it’s going to take him 18 hours to get there. More than likely, he’ll have to stop a few hours for sleep. That means it’ll be tomorrow evening before he arrives.”

  Bent said, “That’s what I figured.”

  I asked, “What does he mean, it looks like the season is a bust?”

  “That’s my fault, Daddy,” Brent said. “The doctor told him that he didn’t have to wear the figure eight sling any longer, so I told him to dress out for today’s game, but I didn’t put him in. He must believe that I’m not going to give him any playing time for the rest of the season. The only reason I didn’t give him a few plays today is I didn’t want to risk him re-injuring himself by coming back too soon. Besides that, we have an open week coming up and that will give him two more weeks to get ready. I should have told him my plans, but I didn’t, and now he’s gone.”

  Brent hesitated, considered and then said, “I called his parents, Greg and Patricia. I’ve gotten to know them well since I recruited him three years ago. They said he called earlier and told them he was on the way home. They tried to talk him out of it, but they said his mind was made up. He told them he’d be home tomorrow evening.”

  When Brent finished talking, there was total silence in the house. Finally, I looked at him and said, “I know you have a plan, what is it?”

  He smiled weakly and said, “He has to be back here for Tuesday’s practice or I’ll be forced to suspend him from the FortLewis game. Daddy you’ve quarterbacked every play for seven straight games and we’ve won them all. I couldn’t ask for any more than that, but frankly, I don’t think my heart can stand another game without a backup quarterback. I believe that I can convince Jeff to come back, but even if his old car is up for another 900 miles, he’ll never be back in time.”

  Brent paused, and I said, “Let me see if I’ve figured out the plan. I’ll fly to Albuquerque and pick him up.”

  Brent’s eyes lit up for the first time since he had arrived, “Yep, that’s the plan.”

  I laughed, “I’ll have to leave here in the morning to arrive there with enough time to get some sleep and make it back here for Tuesday’s practice. You’re not going to know for sure if he’ll come back until you talk to him tomorrow night. Let me check something before we go any further.”

  I got my flight case from beside the desk, opened it and pulled out the sectionals that covered the route from Missoula to Albuquerque. I quickly plotted the route and said, “We’re in luck Coach. Grand Junction is six hundred miles from here and it’s on the way to Albuquerque. I’ll leave in the morning and fly there.
There is a hotel at the airport. I’ll check in there and you can call me and let me know if Jeff’s ready to come back or not.”

  I looked up Albuquerque in my airport guide, made a note on my legal pad, and gave the page to Brent, “If he is ready to come back tell him to meet me at Cutter Aviation at 11:00 A.M. Monday. Here’s Cutter’s address and phone number. We’ll spend Monday night at Grand Junction, and be here Tuesday morning in plenty of time for practice Tuesday afternoon.”

  “Are you sure you don’t mind doing that, Daddy?” Brent asked.

  “Are you kidding? I’d rather fly than go to class anytime. I would appreciate it if you’d call my professors and let them know that I’ve been detained and get the assignments that I miss.”

  “That’s not a problem, just give me their names.”

  We had another cup of coffee and Brent said, “Well, that’s a load off my mind.”

  They got their jackets and started for the door when Brent stopped, turned to me and said, “Daddy, just keep the receipt for the rental and I’ll pay you back.”

  “Do you mean that you will pay me personally or the athletic department will pay me?”

  “You don’t miss much do you? I mean I’ll pay you. This is my mistake and I’m not going to charge it to the department.”

  “Then, I have another condition for going.”

  “What is it?”

  “I’ll split the rental with you. I like to fly Bluebird and it’s worth that to me.”

  “You’re serious aren’t you?”

  “Yep, and it’s not open for further discussion.”

  Brent laughed, “You’re something else, Daddy.”

  As soon as they left, I called Minuteman. Waylon answered. I looked at the clock and noted that it was after 10:00. “Do you ever go home?” I asked.

  He laughed, “Not often, Daddy. Hey, good game today. Now, what can I do for you?”

  I’d like to rent Bluebird for two days. If she’s available, I’ll pick her up tomorrow morning and return Tuesday morning. I’ll be flying to Grand Junction tomorrow, on to Albuquerque Monday, then back to Grand Junction Monday night. Tuesday morning I’ll fly direct from Grand Junction to Missoula.”

  I heard his pencil moving rapidly as he made notes. “Okay, she’ll be ready to go at ten.”

  “That’s perfect, Waylon, thanks. See you in the morning, now go home.”

  He laughed, “It’s too late to go home, Daddy. I think I’ll camp out here.” I knew he did that often and had since his wife had passed away two years earlier.

  “Sleep tight,” I said. “I’ll see you at 10:00.”

  I filled out my flight plan and called it in for a 10:30 A.M. Sunday departure. When Bobby came in, I told him what was going on and asked him to drive me to the airport the following morning. He agreed and said he’d be back to pick to me up Tuesday morning.

  ********

  At 10:35, Missoula tower turned me over to Great Falls. I activated my flight plan and settled down to enjoy the trip. Four hours later, I touched down at Grand Junction. By three, I was in my room at the airport hotel. I called Bobby, gave him my phone number and asked him to call Coach Jenkins and give it to him.

  I didn’t expect Brent to call before eight so I changed into my running gear and went outside. I ran for an hour and a half, returned to the hotel, showered and went to the restaurant.

  I was back in the room before seven. I pulled Round the Bend out of my flight case and lay down on the bed to savor the last fifty pages. An hour later, I read the last paragraph. A paragraph I’d committed to memory years earlier:

  I still think Connie was a human man, a very, very good one – but a man. I have been wrong in my judgments many times before; if now I am ignorant and blind, I’m sorry, but it’s no new thing. If that should be the case, though, it means that I have had the great privileges in my life, perhaps more so than any man alive today. Because it means that on the fields and farms of England, on the airstrips of the desert and the jungle, in the hangars of the Persian Gulf and on the tarmacs of the southern islands, I have walked and talked with God.

  As I reread the last line, the phone rang. Confident that it was Brent, I answered, “Good evening, Coach.”

  I could hear the relief in his voice, “How is everything in Grand Junction, Daddy?

  “It’s quiet, but that’s fine by me. Did you talk to Jeff?”

  “Yes I did,” he said.

  “Well, don’t keep me in suspense.”

  “He’s ready to come back. In fact, he said he realized before he got home that leaving was a mistake. I apologized to him for not making my plans for him clear. He’ll be waiting for you tomorrow morning.”

  We talked for a few more minutes. I asked him to give Bobby a call and let him know what was going on. He asked me to give his best to Jeff’s parents. Then he said, more to himself than to me, “I wonder if I’ll ever learn everything there is to know about this job.”

  I assured him that if that were a real question, the answer was no. Then I told him that if his objective was to know everything, he was wasting his time. However, if his objective was to do the very best he could do, examining and learning from every experience that was something he could do.

  He laughed, the laugh of a relieved man, and we said goodnight.

  At 10:50, Monday morning I taxied up to the Cutter Aviation’s main terminal and shut down. I saw Jeff and a couple that I assumed were his parents standing in the lobby, looking toward the plane. I knew at that distance he couldn’t recognize me. When I got out of the plane I waved and the three of them waved back. I asked the attendant to top the tanks and advised him I’d be leaving in thirty minutes.

  ********

  Jeff greeted me as I walked through the door. He had his hand extended but I ignored it, going instead for a hug. I turned him loose, and asked, “Are you all right.”

  He grinned, “I am now, Daddy.”

  “Good. That’s what I wanted to hear.”

  Jeff introduced me to his parents, and I suggested that we get a bite to eat in the snack bar while they fueled the plane. I passed Brent’s regards on to Greg and Patricia. Greg asked how long it would take to get back to Missoula. I told him that if we flew straight through we could make it in 6 hours, if we weren’t bucking headwinds. Then I told him that was a little longer stretch than I liked to fly at one sitting, so I planned to stop in Grand Junction. I gave him a card from the hotel that I’d picked up when I checked out, and told him that’s where we’d be staying.

  As we were finishing in the restaurant, the flight line attendant came in and told me the plane was ready. I gave him my credit card and told him I’d meet him in the office. I told Jeff that it would take me about fifteen minutes to get the plane ready and suggested he stay with his parents until I was ready to go. I paid for the fuel and went outside to run the preflight checklist.

  Twenty minutes later we cleared Albuquerque airspace heading for Grand Junction. We flew in silence until I pointed out the snowcapped mountains surrounding Taos. Then Jeff asked about the country we were flying over, and Grand Junction, and the plane. That conversation was a lead in for what he really wanted to talk about, finally we got to it.

  “How bad did I blow it, Daddy.”

  “Do you trust me, Jeff?”

  “Of course I trust you.”

  “Then believe me when I tell you this, you didn’t blow it at all. You made a mistake, but we all do that. In your case, nothing bad happened. In fact nothing happened at all that changes anything.”

  “Does everyone know that I ran away?”

  “Nope, and they won’t know unless you decide to tell them. Even if you do tell them, it won’t matter. You’re back and you didn’t miss or upset anything. My advice is, go to practice tomorrow afternoon like nothing ever happened, and then handle things as they need to be handled.”

  “What about Coach Jenkins? Is he mad?”

  “Jeff, he’s only mad at himself for not letting you know
why he held you out of the game. He isn’t upset with you at all.”

  He was looking out of the window when he said, “I didn’t know so many people cared about me.” I knew he didn’t expect a response, so I didn’t offer one.

  We landed at Grand Junction thirty minutes before dark. In my room, I called Brent and let him know that everything was on schedule, and then I called Bobby and told him the time I expected to arrive at Missoula. I got the weather report from Flight Service and filed my flight plan. With those tasks out of the way, I met Jeff in the restaurant. He told me that he had phoned his parents. He was clearly pleased with that call.

  After a light dinner, we retired to our rooms. I had bought a paperback in Albuquerque. It was the latest lawyer novel, and according to the testimonials on the back cover, it was mesmerizing. After an hour, I was convinced that it wasn’t mesmerizing for me, and it wasn’t going to be. I put on my running gear and walked out into the high plateau winter night. There wasn’t a cloud to be seen. The half-moon repainted the world in shades of silver without blocking the view of a trillion stars. Normally I don’t run trails in the darkness, but in the moonlight I couldn’t resist one that snaked away from the airport access road into the emptiness of the plateau. I only intended to run for an hour but ended almost doubling that, finally turning back when the trail petered out in the scrub.

  I’d known since catching sight of Jeff in Albuquerque there was something I had to tell him. I could feel it but I hadn’t been able to wrap it in words. As I ran, the words, as they so often did, fell into place, neatly encapsulating the thought I wanted to share. Later, when I entered the run in my logbook, I wrote one word beside the date, place, and time – magical.

  ********

  After breakfast, we checked out of the hotel and were picked up by a driver from the FBO. I paid the fuel and parking bill and ran the preflight checklist. I taxied to the active runway, switched from the ground control frequency to the tower frequency and announced my readiness for immediate departure. A controller responded, “November 5523 Tango you are cleared for takeoff. Have a good day, sir.”