“I understand that in addition to your job as a guidance counselor you’re also coaching the high school football team?”
“That’s right. I love a challenge and I understand the Warriors haven’t had a winning season in fifteen years.”
“Something like that.” She chuckled, then grew serious. “How do you plan to change that?”
He leaned forward and fixed his eyes on hers. “Drills, drills, drills. I believe conditioning and preparation are the keys to winning. In sports and in life. That’s why I’m hoping to introduce an ambitious new career exploration program that will give students an opportunity to explore the world of work and the opportunities it affords. I’m going to set up mini-internships, job-shadowing, get the kids out of the classroom and into the workplace. And we’re going to bring the workplace into the school, too, with career days and speakers. Let them hear from a veterinarian or a newspaper reporter or a realtor what their job is all about. Let them ask questions.”
“Those all sound like terrific ideas,” said Lucy, softening him up for the big question. “To get back to the football team, I’ve heard some rumors about hazing during training. Is that part of conditioning?”
The question didn’t faze Buck in the least. “Absolutely not. That’s the sort of thing I simply will not tolerate. Who’s making these allegations?”
“We don’t know. They’re anonymous letters.”
Buck gave her a condescending smile. “I know you reporters are always after a juicy story, but don’t you think you should be ashamed of yourself? I mean, anonymous letters?”
“The sender might have been afraid of repercussions.”
“Now, that’s just ridiculous. If one of my players has a problem, I expect him to come to me and we’ll solve it together. That’s how my team operates. Teamwork. And that’s what we’re going to be doing in the guidance department, too. We’re going to develop teams that give the kids an opportunity to discuss issues like bullying, peer pressure, even drugs and alcohol. Open forums where the kids can discuss these things in a supportive atmosphere and learn how they can get help if they need it.”
Lucy was scribbling busily, trying to get it all down. “Are these programs that you’re importing from Lawrence? Were they successful there?”
“I think you could say that. Very successful, but I don’t want to blow my own horn.”
“And where did you work before Lawrence? And where did you go to college?”
“Boston University. A great sports school. I mean, I always loved football but when I got to BU I learned to love football.”
“Did you play?”
“Sadly, no. Just pick-up games with guys from the dorm.”
“I’m not clear on this. Don’t coaches need some sort of certification?”
“Not really. It’s the kind of thing you learn to do by doing. I started out helping out…oh, that was years ago. I’ve been coaching football for twenty years or more.” He looked at his watch. “Oops, sorry, but I’ve got a meeting with the principal and I’m late.”
Lucy got to her feet. “I don’t want you to get in trouble, not when you’re just starting a new job.” She extended her hand. “Thanks for your time.”
“No problem,” he said. “It was a pleasure. Let me see you out.”
Lucy still had a million questions to ask, but there was no opportunity in the short walk from the guidance office to the front hall. All she really had time for was a quick request that he remember her to Bonnie before they parted at the main office. She hurried back to the Pennysaver office, wondering if Ted was still mellow from the brownies.
He wasn’t. “Lucy, I’ve got a hole on page one and I need that story.”
“I’m right on it,” said Lucy, tapping her head. “It’s all up here. I just have to type it up.”
Lucy sat at her desk and booted up her computer, taking a moment to organize her thoughts. Then she was off and running, flipping through her notes and writing up Coach Buck’s ambitious plans. But when she looked for information about his previous experience all she was able to find was the fact that he’d attended Boston University. She was trying to make a follow-up phone call when Ted spoke up.
“Are you done yet?”
“It’s coming, it’s coming,” said Lucy, who was getting a busy signal. She put the phone down and dashed off the final paragraph of the story.
“Great. Now I just need the Fin Com story.”
“Nothing much happened. They just went through the Highway Department budget and didn’t change a thing.”
“Make it short and sweet then.”
Lucy smiled. “Aye, aye, sir.”
Deadline was noon, which meant that Lucy got out of work earlier than usual on Wednesdays. She ran some errands and picked up some groceries, but she was still a half hour early when she drove over to the high school. She was surprised to discover practice was already over and Sara and Sassie were sitting on the ground, passing a water bottle between them, waiting for her.
“So, girls, what do the players think about Coach Burkhart?” she asked, once they were buckled in and on the road. “I just interviewed him for the paper.”
“He’s okay,” said Sassie.
“Is he tough on the boys?”
“What do you mean?” asked Sara.
“Well, he seems to put a lot of emphasis on conditioning. That means drills and stuff, doesn’t it?”
“I guess.”
“They haven’t complained?”
“Nah.”
This was going nowhere, thought Lucy, and she knew from experience that it wasn’t going to get better. When teenagers didn’t want to talk, they didn’t. You could ask questions until you were red in the face but it didn’t do any good. They’d only open up when they were ready. She snorted. Good luck to Coach Buck with his open forums. She’d be amazed if he got anywhere with them. And even if they did seem to open up, chances were they’d just be putting him on, telling him what he wanted to hear.
“So, what do you think of Brad and Angelina?” she asked. “Will their relationship last?”
“I bet he really misses Jen,” said Sara.
“Yeah. Angelina drags him all around Africa and makes him visit all those slums and refugee camps.” Sassie sighed. “That couldn’t be much fun.”
Now this was a subject they had opinions about, thought Lucy, listening to the girls hash over the latest Hollywood gossip. They were still at it when she turned onto Prudence Path and into the Westwoods’ driveway. Willie must have been keeping an eye out for her because she popped out of the house as soon as Lucy braked.
“Got a minute?” she asked.
“Sure,” said Lucy, wondering what was up.
“Girls, go on inside. There’s some Fuji water in the fridge.”
The girls looked at each other, shrugged, and disappeared inside.
“I didn’t want to talk about this in front of them,” said Willie, whispering.
“Right,” said Lucy.
“But I just wanted to let you know that Renee LaChance is spending an awful lot of unsupervised time with that kid with the motorcycle.”
“Preston.”
Willie nodded. “I see him coming out of her house all the time when Frankie isn’t home.”
“Have you told Frankie about this?”
“No, and I’m not going to. I mind my own business,” said Willie. “Besides, that’s not the point. The point is that once this sort of thing starts it spreads like wildfire. I’m worried about Sassie and Sara.”
Lucy was beginning to think Willie was out of her mind. “It’s hardly catching, like measles.”
“Trust me on this, it’s worse. Once one starts they all want to do it. Frankly, I’m worried about those bus rides with the football team. Things could get out of hand.”
“I really don’t think you have to worry,” said Lucy, patting her hand. “I just interviewed Coach Burkhart and he seems to have things well in hand. I’m sure he won’t let things get out of control.”
“I hope so. You have to watch them every minute, you know. They’re sly. I just saw a Doctor Phil show about it.”
Lucy was relieved to see Sara coming out of the house, water bottle in hand. “Well, thanks for the warning. I’ve got to get my meatloaf in the oven.”
“Oh, I almost forgot. How did the doggie biscuits come out?”
“Great,” said Lucy, lying through her teeth. “Fabulous. Thanks for the recipe.” Sara hopped in the car and Lucy backed out of the driveway. “Are Sassie and her mom close?” she asked as she accelerated down the street.
“I dunno.”
Why did she even try? wondered Lucy, braking and turning into her own driveway.
CHAPTER 5
With the beginning of the school year looming on the horizon, the last weeks of summer seemed to speed up. It was something Lucy noticed every year. July crawled by, filled with long, lazy days. Then you turned the calendar page to August, the back-to-school ads began to appear in the paper and before you knew where it went the summer was almost gone. This year, with the bake sale scheduled for Labor Day weekend, it seemed worse than usual and all too soon she found herself readying the house for the taste-testing meeting. She kept telling herself that nobody was going to examine her housekeeping, and since her assignment was dog treats it was unlikely anybody would actually taste them. She had a free pass, so to speak, so why was she practically trembling when she opened the door and saw Chris standing there?
“Everything ready, Lucy?” asked Chris, lugging in a case of bottled water.
“The coffee pot is ready to go,” said Lucy, annoyed to find herself practically standing at attention.
“No coffee, tonight, I think. We don’t want to confuse our taste buds. That’s why I brought water.”
“Oh, good idea,” said Lucy, with a noticeable lack of enthusiasm. Sure, it was decaf, but she could sometimes fool herself into thinking it was real coffee with an actual caffeine boost.