FINISHING UP... the year (Part 124b)
Elle had finally caught up with Pat (the PTA lady) and gotten the Sans Soucie catalogs back. They were waiting for me at my place at the table when I got home. Elle felt that the details of her meeting with her could wait until after we’d eaten. What was did discuss was that Celia had called to find out if I’d given the keys to her house to Vic, the real estate agent. I had but hadn’t followed up with him to know the status, if any, on the listing. My first thought was that she, Celia, should be talking to Vic, not me. However, from a curiosity standpoint the thing I was interested in was who the new neighbors might be and I knew it was far too early to be contemplating that. That subject did generate some dinner conversation though. Naturally, I wanted a young couple to buy the place... and you know the reason(s) why. Elle said she’d like an older couple that would just be quiet neighbors.
The story with Pat was that she wasn’t interested in starting an account with the Sans Soucie company. She had left some markers in the catalogs on some things she might be interested in along with a note that if I could elicit samples of them she’d be interested in looking at them. That left me in an awkward position because I didn’t want to ”tread“ on the friendship I had with Willie. I knew that any request I made at this point would be considered a purchase. First off, I (Elle) had no use for some of the items Pat had selected. In fact, the only things Elle could or would use were slips and panties. She still had a few unused slips from when Willie was running the Evette lingerie company and even though the panties Pat had selected were all ”fancy panties“ (three different styles with six pair in each box) I/we didn’t need an additional 15 pair (which would be what was left over after giving Pat a single pair from each). At that point I gave up on that idea. I’d had about enough of Pat anyway.
Johnnie’s first game with his junior varsity players was the following Tuesday and I told him that I’d be there. Because it was a school night and the varsity had a game to follow it was scheduled for 6pm. That meant I wouldn't get there until right before tip off and wouldn’t have any idea what skills, if any, the kids had. And, it meant that I wouldn’t get any supper. When I walked in there were only about 20 people in attendance. I saw Sandy because she was standing in the row right behind the team bench. I also saw Jonesie, the carpenter/handyman who’d done some work for me and who was one of the members of the now defunct town basketball team that Johnnie had attempted to start. He was exhorting the kids who were on the bench to cheer their teammates on. There were only ten of them on the team and I could see from their size that Johnnie had a big job ahead of him.
I made my way to a row behind Sandy and just as I was about to say ”Hi“ I heard a little squeal from behind me. I turned to see Elle and my two older girls walking down the aisle. Sandy had convinced Elle to come and to bring the girls and Elle had been thoughtful enough to fix me a sandwich. I missed the tip off while trying to get the girls settled. I really didn’t miss anything. They were only playing ten minute quarters (that’s the way they played back then) and I think it was almost to that point before Johnnie’s team scored their first points. What was funny though was watching Sandy every time one of Johnnie’s players had the ball. She would jump up off her seat and when they attempted a shot she was like a wild woman.
The truth of the matter was that the players were basically inept. Of course it didn’t help that the tallest player was about 5’9” and there was only one of him. The one positive thing that I did note was that, on defense, Johnnie had all the players keep their hands up and in the faces of their opponents. I’d not seen that tactic used before and it was quite effective. I don’t remember the half time score but neither team had 10 points.
In the second half the opposing players became frustrated with hands constantly in their faces and started to foul. The problem for Johnnie’s team was that they couldn’t make their foul shots with one kid not even able to hit the rim from the foul line. However, just before the end of the game they did get two baskets and I thought Sandy would hurt herself jumping up and down. By then my girls had become bored and were looking to go home. The game was just about over and I was helping Elle to get their coats on when I noticed Sandy putting on her coat. I thought that was strange but then she just stood there until the final buzzer. The final score was something like 16 to 11. I told Elle I wanted to stay and talk with Johnnie for a minute or so as she went towards the doors. It was easy to catch up with Johnnie because no one else wanted to. As I approached I saw him waving and turned around to see Sandy walking out with Elle.
Johnnie (and Jonesie) explained the reason for the poor showing of the kids telling me that only a few had ever played organized basketball. There were no programs for it (or any other sport) in the elementary school. They’d only had a week of practice and the two of them spent it teaching fundamentals. I remember Jonesie shrugging his shoulders and rolling his eyes. His comment was all telling as he half heartedly praised the boys varsity coach for his tireless effort on behalf of the school for over 25 years. But, he had the school board’s “ear” and they’d allowed him the autonomy to do as he pleased. His unwillingness to change was now hurting it. He said that the coach had fought the hiring of Johnnie and wasn’t cooperating with him even now. There was no interaction between the varsity and JV at all. While Jonesie was speaking Johnnie just stood there with a resigned smiled look on his face. Then he said he had to get into the locker room. As I headed for my car I remembered my first meeting with Pat where she said that the school was living in the dark ages and had to change. The first step had been in getting Jon (the milkman) elected to the board. Now, first hand, I could see some of what she was talking about.
To be continued...
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