A/N: I have had this plot bunnie burning a whole in my psyche for quite some time now. I've been wanting to write a Ron football story and a post Apocalypse Middleton story. What happened after Graduation, how did people deal with being homeless. Who rose from the ashes, who vanished, who preyed upon the weak. I think my dark vision of Middleton will disturb many people. That is not my intent. Only to tell a good yarn.
I am a fan of American football, but it is not an obsession with me. I spent much time trying to learn the jargon and what actually goes on during a game. The kind of things that don't make it on to television or are easily found in books. I hope I can recreate the atmosphere of a good high school football game with some integrity.
As always I do not own Kim Possible, nor do I own any of the brand names or colleges, NFL teams or products mentioned in this story.
This story will start out as rated 'T' but may move to a 'M' depending on how mature I feel the subject matter may become. I hope you will all enjoy the story. Write a review, receive a reply.
Bubba
The red and white ESPN A Google Media Company logo flashed on the large flat panel television. An attractive man in a gold sports jacket appeared on the screen. He clasped his hands in front of him and flashed a large toothy grin at the camera, "Hello, and welcome to our Pro Football Hall of Fame special. Our show will cover the NFL Hall of Fame class of 2049.
Video played of a African American lineman as the voice of the commentator named off the five players and one old time named to the Hall of Fame in Canton, OH.
"Demetrius Alverez the eight time pro bowl line backer who played ten seasons with the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens."
"Man, I remember when he hit me in the Fiesta bowl." A voice called out.
The old man turned to the voice, "It couldn't have been that hard. You woke up didn't ya?"
There was a burst of laughter from the guests as the show continued showing highlights of the different players that were selected to go into the Hall of Fame. Finally they reached the one everyone in the room living room wanted to see. The audience gathered in the room exploded in applause as his name was read. The old man swallowed a lump in his throat as they showed a very old picture of him in his football uniform.
A young auburn hair girl climbed up into the old man's lap as he sat in his recliner watching the show. She tilted her head trying to figure out who the picture of the blonde headed young man was, "Pa pa, is that you?"
"It was once, a very long time ago." The old man said, his voice cracking from emotion. He pulled the lever to recline the chair. The little girl giggled as the back of the chair reclined and the footrest popped out.
"Selected this year by the Seniors Committee was running back Ronald Stoppable. Who played off and on for six seasons with four different teams, helping each to win the league's top prize the Super Bowl, as well as earning 4 Super Bowl MVP's. Primarily known for coaching the Miami Hurricane's to 6 national titles and countless ACC Championships. Ronald Doron Stoppable, the Semitic Stallion…
A teenage girl with black hair walked closer to the television. She smiled at her grandpa and winked, "You were cute before you got old."
"Ashley!" Her aunt scolded from another part of the large family room.
"Ron Stoppable's football career began in his senior year at Middleton High School..."
The teenage girl rolled her eyes, "I wasn't saying anything bad..."
The old man chuckled, "Annie, let the girl be."
A young black man pointed at the television, "Coach you only played 1 year of high school ball?"
The old man turned to his star wide receiver, "I would have played more but I was...occupied." He said as he fought down a smile.
"The previous two years were spent on the Middleton High Cheer Squad as the Mad Dog Mascot..."
The old man winced as he muttered under his breath, "They could have left that part out..."
The room exploded into laughter as they watched an old video of a boy wearing a home made dogs mask dancing at center court of a basketball game. Another voice called out, "They're kidding ain't they coach?"
The old man smiled sheepishly, "I was trying to catch the eye of a certain young lady at the time."
"God, mother...I still don't see what you saw in that woman." Annie Possible said with a frown.
He started to scold her but decided not too. He didn't want to start an argument in front his current and former players. Not to mention the University trustee's, alumni and corporate boosters. He turned his attention back towards the television and sighed, "Kim really needed to spend more time with these girls."
"...next Colorado Senator and Presidential hopeful Kimberly Ann Possible will share with us her feelings about the selection of her special friend, coach Ron Stoppable."
The old man closed his eyes, a creeping sadness and a sense of foreboding overcame him. He wished that Brick Flagg wasn't the Governor of Colorado. He wished Senator Harley Arbuckle was still alive. He wished that Brick hadn't named Kim to serve out his term, when the old man died. He wished Kim would have stayed in Europe.
Senator Kim Possible went to Washington and discovered what a screwed up, corrupt government was in power and decided to take it upon herself to clean things up. Ron sighed, "Old woman has got to learn to let the kids start taking care of things."
He pulled the leaver to right the chair, "You have to get down now honey." He said softly to the girl.
"Awwwwwwww"
The old man waited for the girl to slide to the floor before getting up, "Might as well make the boosters happy, or they're going to start calling for my head again."
"Hey Tom, how's it going." He said to a portly gentleman who was clad in plaid slacks and a very loud teal sport coat.
The two men shook hands, "Congratulations Coach. You know it would really be sweet if you can get us another National Championship to go along with your hall of fame selection."
"Well, we're in a good position for that." He told the man confidently.
The old man walked around the room making small talk and patting boosters on the shoulders. He glanced to his left and saw his wife holding court with the other wives. He smiled, "Ahhhhhhh, always the queen bee."
He heard the sound of a familiar voice calling his name, "Hey Ron!"
"They call me Coach or Old Man here." He told the very tall and overweight African American man.
"You ain't ever coached me and I'm older than you." The old man said as he motioned for him to come closer to him. He crossed the large family room to see him as the man's knees were shot from too many seasons of professional football.
He smiled as he took the man's hand, "Duane, thanks for speaking up for me with the Seniors Committee."
The old man shook his head, "Man, if you wouldn't have lost those two seasons…"
"I know, I know…How's the knee?" He asked hoping to change the subject away from the missing two seasons.
"Plastic and titanium, both of em'." He told him.
His eyebrows shot up at the news, "Both?"
The old black man nodded, "Yea, the doctor said wasn't anything left of em'. How's your knee?"
"A little arthritis in the right one and the left is pretty good." He lied. Although having avoided major injuries in his football playing days, his twilight years were plagued with aches and pains. Especially in his knees.
The man looked around the room conspiratorially. Making sure he wouldn't be over heard by anyone else and whispered, "Man, your dick still get hard?"
The old man looked around and winked, "If I get three days notice and have the pills in the medicine cabinet…yea."
The two old friends chuckled at their lame attempt at locker room humor. Ron sighed, "Man, we are old if that's the best we can do these days."
The show came back on. He turned his attention back to see his old childhood friend being interviewed.
"So you and Coach Stoppable have been lifelong friends…" The man asked.
An older red headed woman smiled as she nodded, "Oh yes, we go way back, back to Pre-K as a matter of fact."
The old man frowned, "Kim's teeth are way too white. She's going to run for President…damn."
"So you still contend that you and Coach Stoppable used to save the world routinely, from evil mad scientists and….aliens?" The man said with just a note of condescension creeping into his voice.
The old man's wife handed him a cup of punch, "She better not answer that." She muttered.
Coach Stoppable took the cup, nodded and whispered, "They're starting to tear her apart already."
"…Oh it just wasn't mad scientists and aliens. We opposed oppression and social injustice where ever we found it." Kim said, as she made sure to continue smiling for the camera.
"So you claim that Coach Stoppable used to help you…perform these random acts of good deeds?"
"Well it was mostly me. I'd get a call from our young friend Wade Load, and then I'd get a hold of Ron…"
"Quit talking about yourself and start talking about Dad. It's his day…" Annie Possible screamed at the television.
The man continued to question her, "So you still claim that the earth was invaded by aliens in 2007 and it wasn't just a long dormant volcano erupting as was reported by the Federal Government?"
"She's still so angry at her." His wife whispered.
Coach Stoppable nodded to his wife before scolding his daughter, "Annie…That's enough."
"Oh yes, it was aliens. I was there."
One of Coach Stoppable's players was laughing at the red head on television, "Coach, you really fight aliens?"
The old man smiled, "The Federal Government says I fought a volcano. Always believe the Federal Government…" The old man then muttered under his breath, "Even if it takes them three months to think up a highly implausible story, to explain away all the death and destruction."
"…Our thanks to Colorado Senator Kimberly Possible for her fanciful tales about growing up with Hall of Fame running back Ronald Stoppable."
Coach Stoppable lifted an eyebrow, "Well they didn't talk much about football. They were much too busy trying to make Kim look like a fool. The woman just won't learn. Politics are stupid and you can't fix stupid."
He felt a tugging at his knee. He looked down to see his grandson Andrew, "Grandpa, what was your favorite football game you ever played in?"
The television was turned off as the segment about the old man was over. He leaned down and picked up his grandson, "My favorite game, I ever played in? Hmmmmm…well…"
The room quieted down in order to hear the old man's answer. Coach Stoppable made his way back to his recliner, "Well, I would have to say it was back on Senior Day in 2007. It was the last time I ever took the field in a Middleton High School uniform. It was also a day I knew my mother was very proud of me."
"You had a mother?" The boy exclaimed in astonishment.
The room laughed, with many people voicing the same question. The old man smiled, "Yes, yes, I had a mother. If she were alive today she would be your Great Grandma Stoppable."
The old man's wife walked up behind the chair and took off his Hurricane's baseball cap and kissed his bald head, "Your mom and dad were always proud of you."
The old man grinned, "True…they always said they were but I never really felt I did anything to make them proud."
One of Coach Stoppable's younger players spoke up, "Why did you think that?"
"Oh, the times were complicated back then." He said deflecting the question as best he could.
"Because he wasted all his time following my hair brained mother all over the place." Annie Possible said bitterly.
Coach Stoppable winced, "Well, that was part of it. Your mother was always so confident and assertive. I was much the opposite. Still she was my best friend then as well as now. ..I took up football to impress her after we started dating."
The boy felt he knew what was coming next and wrinkled his nose, "No yucky stuff. I just want to hear about the game."
The other guests laughed and agreed, "No yucky stuff Coach…"
Coach Stoppable smirked at his guests, "Well this is part of that. Back then I was not particularly brave or athletic. So I never really excelled at anything that a boy would consider important, like football."
The large group in the living room burst into applause, "GO CAIN'S!" They began to cheer.
Once the room was settled, Coach Stoppable continued his story.
"So if you don't do anything particularly well it's always a surprise when you find something your good at. I was very good at running away. I ran from bullies, I ran from evil doers, I even ran away from Garden Gnomes." He said with a wink as his grandson shivered. He too was afraid of the ugly ceramic creatures.
"Man, those things are creepy." Another player said before he noticed that his friends were looking at him in disbelief. "Well they are…"
Coach Stoppable chuckled, "So anyway, I decided to try out for quarterback of the high school football team. Having never played before it was going to be a daunting task to not only make the team but be the quarterback…"
He paused for a moment, weighing in his mind if he should mention Kim's battle suit or not. He decided against it, "So I made the team and was made quarterback. After we won our first two games it was decided I was a better running back. Because of all my experience at running away, they said I was a natural."
A hand went up, "Hold on you guys won the first two games of the season as the quarterback and they moved you?"
Coach Stoppable squirmed in his chair, "Well…there were reasons…"
"What reason, man you guys were smokin'." A man called out.
His mouth hung open as he tried to think of a reason. His wife seeing his distress quickly came to his rescue, "He was left handed back then."
Football players not being the smartest of God's creations all nodded their heads and the old man could hear mutters of, "Oh yea…" and "…that makes sense."
A thought floated through his mind as he looked at the large collection of players and former players in the room, "No Academic All American's in this group."
The room was silent again, "Yea, I excelled at running back. I still hold the record for most yards from scrimmage, most all purpose yards, and the longest kick return in Middleton High School history…104 yards."
Coach Stoppable grinned and rubbed his chin, "I wasn't half bad at this football thing. Well, back to Senior Day. We were playing the Appleton Johnnies…Their teams full nickname was the Johnnie Apple Seeds…"
Ron Stoppable paced up and down the length of the locker room. The cleats of his football shoes clicking against the concrete, it was clear he was agitated about something. Coach Barkin sized him up, "Stoppable, what in the Sam Hill is wrong with you?"
He threw up his arms, "I DON'T WANT TO KILL MY MOTHER!" He screamed in exasperation.
"What are you talking about?" Barkin asked clearly concerned by the boy's statement.
"You know, Senior Day, half time, I have to pin a corsage on my mother. I'm not real good with sharp objects. What if I hit an artery? What if I hit an artery and my mother bleeds to death on the 50 yard line? Aughhhhhhhhhh I can't do it…" He wailed.
Coach Barkin closed his eyes and shook his head, "It's going to be one of those kinds of nights." He thought wearily.
"Stoppable, just pin the corsage to her blouse, or jacket or whatever."
Ron narrowed his eyes, "Oh that's easy for you to say. You've never had live down the paper machete incident…"
Block Flagg the Middleton High quarterback looked up, "What's a paper machete?"
"We as a family have agreed never to discuss it." Ron said ominously.
Barkin rolled his eyes, "All right ladies listen up."
The players gathered around to receive Barkin's pregame pep talk. Ron looked at all the eager faces. This had been the best year for football in the history of Middleton High School and if they won tonight's game they would not only be undefeated in their conference but would also be a shoe in for a playoff bid and a shot at the 3A Colorado State Championship.
Coach Barkin looked around the locker room, "All right, we've watched the film, we've had good practices. I don't want any of you to look past the Johnnies. The Johnnies are the team of the moment. This is the next step, not the final step."
Block Flagg, the younger brother of longtime Middleton High School quarterback Brick Flagg, clapped his hands, "Right on coach."
Barkin looked to a group of large players on the bench next to Ron, "Defense, what are you going to do tonight?"
Eric Driscole a large defensive lineman nodded his head and said in a loud clear voice, "Shut down the run, and dominate the line."
Coach Barkin looked over to Block Flagg, "Offense, what are we going to do tonight?"
Block grinned and elbowed Ron in the ribs, "Get Stoppable the ball every chance we get."
"Stoppable, what are you going to do?" Barkin asked.
Ron shifted nervously on the hard wooden bench, "I'm not going to drop the ball."
"Now I don't want to put pressure on you ladies but if we win this game..." He looked around the room at each player to make sure he had their attention, "…we will be the number one seed from the Plaines Division. Everything we have worked towards since early August rides on this game."
Ron took a deep breath as the reality caught up to him, "Oh man, we could be state champs…"
"Seniors, remember the years of futility, remember the crushing losses to Appleton in the years past. THIS ENDS TONIGHT!" Barkin shouted.
The whole team shouted as one, "YEAAAAAAAA!"
"WHO ARE WE?"
"MAD DOGS…"
"WHO ARE WE?"
"MAD DOGS…MAD DOGS...MAD DOGS…GRRRRRRRRR…"
Coach Barkin was nearly ready to charge out of the locker room, "Everyone gather around for the prayer circle."
Ron being Jewish stayed out of the Christian prayer circle but said his own little quiet desperate prayer, "Please don't let me screw up, please don't let me maim my mom at halftime."
After the prayer Barkin looked around the room, "Seniors, remember we are having a 20 minute halftime so that you can honor your mothers with a corsage." He looked towards Ron, "So try not to kill or maim your mother when you pin the pretty flowers on them."
The players laughed and chuckled. Block elbowed Ron again, "Paper Machete time."
Ron winched, "Oh man…"
Coach Barkin looked around the group of boys. A tear glistened in his eyes, "Gentleman, it's been an honor. NOW LET'S GO TAKE CARE OF BUISNESS!" He shouted as he turned to lead his team onto the field.
The PA announcer spotting the team taking to field bawled out into the microphone, "Here comes head coach Steven Barkin and your Middleton Mad Dog's…"
Ron pumped the air once they took the field. He looked up at the capacity crowd trying to see where his parents were sitting. He couldn't see them in the mass of humanity, so he looked for the next best thing.
His girlfriend Kim Possible, dressed in her cold weather sweats as the game time temperature was in the 40's for this late October night game. She saw him and sprang into the air waving her pom poms. Ron smiled, "Awwwwwwwww yea, it doesn't get any better than this."
"Stoppable, go to mid field for the coin toss." Barkin ordered.
Ron spun around with a grin, "It just got better." He said happily as he joined Block Flagg, Eric Driscole, and Chase Fontain at midfield. This was the first time he had ever been named as a captain and he was clearly excited.
"Ron calm down." Driscole whispered sternly.
The referee stood between the captains for the two teams, "Captains, shake hands…"
The captains shook hands. Ron's hand disappeared into the large grasp of a lineman whose number was 86. He sneered at Ron, "I'm going to break you in half number 7." He whispered.
It took Ron a few moments to realize, he was number 7. He blinked, "Hee, hee, hee, ohhhhh man…"
"Captains this is the coin." The referee held out a fifty cent piece. "This side is heads." He turned the coin over, "This side is tails."
The referee pointed at the quarterback of the Johnies, "Appleton, you are the visiting team. You will call it in the air."
He flipped the coin high into the air.
"HEADS"
The referee caught the coin and slapped into on the back of his hand before uncovering it. "The coin is tails, your call Middleton."
Block Flagg smiled, "Receive…"
"Appleton, which goal will you be defending?" The Appleton quarterback pointed at the opposite goal.
The two group's switched sides as the referee keyed his microphone, "Middleton has won the toss and has chosen to receive." The rest of the formality was lost in the thunderous applause from the Middleton home crowd.
Ron bounced on the balls of his feet, "We get the ball first, coolio."
The captains of the two teams returned to their benches for the National Anthem. Ron stood at attention as the band played the anthem, "Don't drop the ball, don't drop the ball."
The band finished playing as Ron took to the field with the rest of the special teams unit to await the kickoff. He stood on the five yard line bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet as the Johnnies lined up for the kickoff. He did a quick mental inventory, "Helmet...check, mouth piece...check, pads...check, cup..." He quickly put his hands to his groin and acted as if he was adjusting his uniform, "...check, definitely don't want to forget that..." He thought, wincing at the thought of having his testicles crushed during a tackle.
The crowd began to cheer as the kicker approached the ball. Ron focused on the kick. The kicker however didn't kick the ball his way. He didn't kick the ball down the field. The ball wobbled twelve yards as a pile of players fell on top of it. Ron put his hands on his hips, "Onside kick?"
He jogged towards the pile motioning that his team had the ball. When in fact he had no idea who had possession, the referees began to untangle the writhing mass of bodies. A boy in a Blue jersey emerged from the pile and handed the ball to the referee. Ron pumped his fist into the air, "Booyahhhhhhh"
Ron stood waiting for the offensive unit to take to the field. They had the ball on their own 40 yard line. Excellent field position he thought as the offense gathered up in a circle, Block called the play. "39/7 sweep left on two...39/7 sweep left on two...MAD DOGS!"
As the rest of the team chanted Mad Dogs and clapped their hands, Block saw the lost look on Ron's face. He was still unsure of the football jargon. Having never played the game before Ron was always struggling with the terminology, the playbook that he was given might as well have been written in Greek for all the good it did him. After Block broke the huddle he pulled Ron close to him by the face mask, "Once the ball is snapped run to your left and I will hand it to you. Jimbo is going to hike the ball on the second hutt...Understand?"
Ron nodded his head as Block playfully slapped him on the side of the helmet. Things would have been much worse for him if Coach Barkin didn't take time out on breaks to explain the playbook to him. Their shared part time job at Smarty Mart had helped Ron learn the basics of the offense, but it was still difficult, the arrows, the circles, the squares could be confusing. Plus trying to memorize confusion only made Ron appreciate calculus more.
Block barked out the signals, "Down...Blue 14...Blue 14...hutt...hutt..."
The ball was snapped as Ron ran to the left. Block took two steps back before he turned towards him and stuffed the ball into Ron's belly. Ron cradled the ball as he went around Charlton Paisley the big left guard. He saw a Johnnie in his road white uniform running towards him to get a line on tackling him. Ron made a quick adjustment to his right only to be flattened by another Appleton player.
Ron and the defensive player hit the ground. Ron made a loud "OMPF" as he hit. He heard the ref's whistle being blown to signal the end of the play. He quickly got to his feet and flipped the ref. the ball, "Whewww I held on to it."
The team was clapping as Ron made it back to the huddle, "On one, on one, 33 slingo fly, 33 slingo fly...MAD DOGS!"
Block looked at Ron and saw that he didn't look confused. He knew the play, he hated the play. It was a play designed to try and hit a wide receiver down field with a pass. If it worked Middleton would have a big play. If it didn't it would hopefully pull some men off the line to make the running game easier. The reason Ron hated it was because he would have to block. So he would run to the right and try to stop a guy in a white jersey, who would most probably be three times bigger than he was from getting to Block and knocking him onto his back.
The call to hike the ball came, Ron ran to his right after pretending to take the fake handoff from Block. The fake worked, a large kid in a white jersey flattened Ron. He took him to the ground hard.
The boy cursed as he realized Ron didn't have the ball. Ron's eyes rolled around in his head. He didn't hear any cheering from the crowd so he knew the pass was incomplete. He brought himself up to all fours. He was looking on the ground for his mouth piece. Suddenly he realized it was attached to the face mask of his helmet. He stood uneasily before making his way back to the huddle.
Block looked him over, "You OK?"
Ron closed his eyes, nodding his head as he bent over and put his hands on his knees to wait for Block to call the next play. He weighted as two new players came into the huddle as substitute. One of the new players told Block the play Coach Barkin wanted them to run. Block nodded, "60 Power Under 7 Right, 60 Power Under 7 Right, On Two, On Two...MAD DOGS!"
There was no mistaking this call. Every time he heard the number 7 called he knew it was a play for him. He knew this one by heart as it was his money play. The whole offensive line would block down on the defensive line as Block would pitch the ball to him. He would run right and more often then not, would gain some major yards.
Ron glanced towards the sidelines at the down marker, "3rd down, looks like 6 yards for a first down. I got 4 yards on the first carry...not bad."
"DOWN...BLUE...BLUE...HUTT...HUTT..." Block called before pulling out from behind Jimbo the center with the ball.
Ron ran towards his right as Block turned and pitched the ball to him. Ron caught the ball and tucked it under his arm. He ran hard for the right side, looking down field he saw no large white shirted defensive players, only the smaller ones. The offensive line had done the job. Ron was now in the secondary running hard, he was well past the markers for a first down. Soon he was well past the white shirts of the defenses secondary as they ran hard in pursuit.
He took a chance and glanced over his shoulder as he passed the 10 yard line. There was no one even attempting to catch him now. He grinned as he made it to the end zone. He could hear the crowd cheering wildly. He spiked the ball in the end zone, "Ha...didn't spike it on the 10 like last week."
Ron jogged back to the sidelines the call of the PA announcer in his ear, "56 yard touch down run by number 7 Ron Stoppable."
The crowd cheered again as Ron scanned the sidelines for Kim. She and the other cheerleaders were performing a routine. Ron ran by the training table and took a plastic cup full of Gatorade as he took off his helmet. He grinned broadly as he watched his girlfriend finish the routine, "Awwwwwww yea, is she not the hottest thing on two legs? Man I wish it was warmer so the she would still be wearing a skirt."
Kim turned towards him smiling waggling her pom poms at him. Ron grinning broadly held out his arm that he was holding his helmet towards her and shouted, "WHO'S GOT GAME NOW, GIRLIE?"
"You got game, Ronnie." Came the familiar response, barely audible over the cheers of the crowd.
"STOPPABLE, QUIT MESSING AROUND AND GET OVER HERE!" Coach Barkin screamed.
Ron jumped at the voice and turned. He saw the rest of the offense sitting on the bench. He ran over and took a seat with the offensive unit. Coach Oswald held a stack of pictures that were sent down from the press box. He looked towards Ron, "See this? They had 4 men on the line and the rest back to protect against the pass. I think the next series they're going to start cheating towards the line of scrimmage to stuff the run."
He looked at the black and white screen captures. He fought back the urge to tell him that no one could stop him, but the last time he did that he made the offensive line mad. He spent the next two series against Lowerton laying on his back staring at the night sky while 4 or 5 Lowerton players lay on top of him. He learned after that to quit bragging and be nice to the offensive line, "Ain't no way they get past the big guys. They're too tough to let anyone get through to me."
The big kids on the bench smiled and nodded. Jimbo the center smiled, "Glad to see you remember the Lowerton game."
"SO!" Coach Oswald shouted to get their attention, "What we are going to do is put you in motion as a receiver. Run a few pass patterns to pull them off the line before we hit em' again with the run."
The half wore on. It seemed as if the Middleton High School Mad Dog's could do no wrong. Ron scored two more touch downs, only fumbling the ball once before falling on it before the half time whistle. The score at half time Middleton Mad Dog's 21, the Appleton Johnnies 0.
Coach Barkin quickly gathered the players around him, "OK, Ladies that wasn't a bad half. Pelker, what are you thinking? You don't take down a ball carrier by the face mask. Stoppable, How many times do we have to practice taking a handoff to keep you from putting the ball on the ground? Ball control, man, ball control…"
Ron winced, "The ball was wet and it's a bit big for my hands. Now if we had a smaller ball…"
"STOPPABLE…We only have one size of football, learn to hold on to it. I'm not going to have to make you carry it around like a sack of flower am I?"
The team laughed as they remembered Ron's failed health class assignment. Ron frowned as he shook his head, "Ahhhhhhh, Sackie MCMLXXXV…She had my eyes."
"Alright, the plan for the second half is simple. Ball control, ball control, ball control, we're going to keep the ball on the ground and grind the Johnnies into the ground as we keep their offense off the field. So no dropping the ball, take your time getting to line of scrimmage, no running out of bounds. Nothing that will stop that clock, all right, let's head back out to the field for Senior Day ceremonies. Senior's this is your day, relish the time you spend out there tonight. Make your parents proud."
The team took to the field. There was a row of corsages lined up on the training table. Ron picked up one as he filed past with the rest of the seniors. Principle McNary lead the group over to where they're mothers were standing. Ron quickly spotted his mother. She was wearing a very pretty blue dress. He had never seen it before, so he figured it was new.
"Mom, it's cold out here. You should be wearing your coat." He scolded her.
His mother smiled and sighed. It was cold as he could see her breath, "Oh Ronald, you look so handsome in your uniform…"
Ron blushed, "Mom…
She had her hands clasped in front of her. Ron suddenly realized why. She was holding Rufus. A flood of relief washed over him, "Rufus, you can pin the corsage on her."
The naked mole rat bobbed his head, "OK, OK…Hold on to the ball…"
He chuckled, "Not you too…"
The call came for the seniors to escort their mothers onto the football field. Ron proffered an arm for his mother to take. She took his arm and whispered, "This is so exciting."
Ron felt a lump rising in his throat as they walked onto the football field, "Yea…"
He scanned the sidelines looking for something to distract him so he wouldn't cry. He saw Kim with the rest of the cheer squad waggling their pom poms in a desperate attempt at keeping warm. He thought about all the good times they had together and a future he hoped they would have. He had thought of marriage many times, but that would be far down the road. In his mind nothing short of an alien invasion would be able to stop the two from getting married.
Principle McNary introduced the each senior who then pinned their corsage onto the mother. When Principle McNary reached Delbert Smith, he opened the little plastic box holding the corsage. He glanced down at Rufus, "Get ready buddy."
"Our final senior this evening, is well how shall I say kind of a one of a kind. His motto is never be normal and his running abilities at halfback are certainly not normal. Give it up for Middleton High's all time rushing record holder, Ronald Stoppable."
There crowd howled, mimicking the way Ron used to howl when he was the Mad Dog mascot. He grinned as he turned to his mother. Rufus reached out and took the corsage, taking it up onto the lapel of Mrs. Stoppable's dress, "hink' hold still..."
His mother beamed at her only son, "Oh Ronald, you're growing up so fast..."
"Mom..." Ron said as he blushed from embarrassment.
Rufus finished pinning the corsage to Mrs. Stoppable's dress. Ron felt a rush of emotion, he hugged his mother tightly. Mrs. Stoppable returned the hug until she felt the stick of a pin, "Oh, something stuck me."
Ron pulled away quickly and threw up his hands, "I knew it, I knew it, it got an artery didn't it. MEDIC, MEDIC..." He screamed as he tried to run for help.
Mrs. Stoppable grabbed her son, "It's not that bad, it's not like the paper machete..."
"Shhhhhhhhhhhh" Ron said suddenly.
The seniors walked off the field at the conclusion of the ceremony. Delbert Smith leaned over to Ron, "She meant Paper Mache' didn't she?"
Ron narrowed his eyes, "Oh if only she did..."
Andrew stared wide eyed at his grand pa, "So you didn't kill your mom?"
Coach Stoppable laughed, "No, no, my mother lived to be a ripe old age, and she was very proud of me."
"So coach, just what is a paper machete?" One of his players asked.
Ron looked towards his wife for help. She responded with a smile, "It's a tool for left handed people."
The other men in the room nodded, "Ohhhhhhh"
"Hey coach when are you going to talk to me?" A man said standing in the back of the room.
The old man narrowed his eyes at the man, "I had hoped you'd given up."
"No, no, I'm determined to write my book." The man said.
The door bell rang giving Coach Stoppable an excuse to leave the room, "I'll get it."
He walked towards the front of the large house followed by his wife. He opened the door and smiled, "Cheyenne..."
His oldest daughter hugged him tightly, "Congratulations daddy."
"Thanks baby, oh I see you brought Matthew along." He said eyeing his oldest grandson.
"Hi Grandpa, congratulations..." The man said shyly.
"Ahhhhh enough of that tell me what position they're playing you at?" He asked the boy.
"Tight end, Coach Montrez thinks I'll be a good fit on passing situations." He told him.
Coach Stoppable looked over the man, "Hmmmmmmm, well the Buccaneers do need a pass catching tight end."
"All right that's enough football talk. Come in Cheyenne I know Annie would love to see you." His wife told her.
They walked back into the living room. Annie's eyes lit up as she saw her older sister enter the room, "Che'"
"Annie..." Two women hugged. Cheyenne broke from the hug, "Where's Allison?"
Annie frowned, "You know how she is. If it doesn't involve her or her family she doesn't care."
"Don't talk about your twin like that." Coach Stoppable scolded.
"Dad, it's true and you know it." Annie shot back.
Coach Stoppable sighed. It was hard enough having 7 kids and 14 grand kids, he just wish that the girls could all get along. He looked to his wife, she didn't look happy either. She never did when ever Kim Possible was involved.
They had been married for over 30 years but Kim still cast a long shadow over the two of them. She pulled him off to the side away from everyone, "She wins the White House...You're not going to...you know..."
He frowned, "After all these years you think I'd just take off. I'd never do that to your or the kids."
She seemed to be reassured, "I know it's silly of me but..."
He took her in his arms, "Monique, I built my life with you, not Kim."
She hugged him tightly, "I know Ron...it's just...too much stress."
The phone rang as he kissed her forehead. She smiled happily, "I'll get that, it's probably Bug..."
Ron smiled as he thought of his oldest son. Coaching for the University of Wyoming where he had gone to college. Monique smiled and wiggled the phone at him, "It's Bug."
He took the phone, "Go Pokes."
"Go to hell CSU, how you doin' dad?"
"Doing great, your mother threw me a surprise party that surprised no one." He said as he winked at Monique.
She frowned and left the room muttering, "Men..."
"Congratulations on getting into the Hall of Fame."
Ron smiled, "Well...It was a surprise."
"Dad...I need some advice."
He frowned, "Here it comes."
The voice on the other end of the phone hesitated, "I want to leave UW. I want to coach a program that has a shot at the big game."
"What schools do you have in mind?" He was almost afraid to ask.
"I've been quietly talking with Florida State and Alabama."
The old man let out a deep breath, "You sure you don't want to look towards California?"
"Those schools can't get the press coverage like the SEC and ACC can."
"I know...Look can you stay at UW one more season?"
"Why?"
Ron looked around the room, "Don't say a word about this to anyone, not even your mother."
"Alright..." The voice on the other end of the phone said nervously.
"I'm tired Ronnie, I mean...I'm really tired." He told his son sadly.
"Dad, are you feeling alright." His son asked nervously. He knew anytime his dad called him by his given name that it was usually serious.
"I want to spend more time with your mother. We aren't getting any younger. I'm just so tired of boosters, trustees, media, the non-stop recruiting. We win a national championship and suddenly that's not good enough...I don't feel like a coach anymore. I feel like a foreman in a factory or something." He said sadly.
"Kids starting to wear you down?"
Ron closed his eyes, "No, no, the kids are great. They've always been great."
"You think they'd let take over your program?"
"That's a tough call. I mean, I made a few enemies around here over the years." He told his son as he tried to suppress a laugh.
"Awwwww dad, just take a paper machete to em'." The boy said with a laugh.
"Hey, hey now, your Grandma Stoppable swore you to secrecy." He reminded him.
"I'll think on it dad, any advice about our upcoming game with BYU?"
He asked, "Home or away?"
"Away..."
Ron laughed, "Wear a helmet. The last time I played there they were throwing 'D' cell batteries at me."
The two laughed, before the son became serious again, "Dad, talk to mom first. You know how mad she gets if she's left out of the decision."
"Yea, ever since we lived in the neighborhoods she's always been my rock." He said as he wiped a tear from his eye.
"She always did say you took good care of her." The boy added.
"You going to be able to come home for Chanukah?" He asked hopefully.
"I don't know, Stacie hasn't been feeling well, kids in and out of the doctors office...You know how it is."
Ron smiled, "Yea, you take care of that family first then."
"I learned from the best. You take care dad and I'll try and call tomorrow night."
Ron hung up the phone, turning he saw the man from the family room. He jumped before catching himself, "How much did you hear?"
"I only heard your son's family has been sick." The man said.
He frowned at the man, "Haven't you figured out that I don't want to be a part of a...tell all book."
"Coach Stoppable, you were brought up in astounding times. A supposed dormant volcano erupts. Over one third of the country homeless, people want to hear about how you did it. People want to know what really happened in Middleton Colorado back in late May of 2007." The man explained.
Ron stared at the ground, "No, no...It's just too hard. So many dead, so many dead."
The writer Eaton Trendle had been shadowing Ron where ever he went for months now. Wanting Ron to tell the definitive history of what really happened. So far Ron had refused. There were so many memories buried deep inside the recesses of his mind that he didn't want to have to relive.
Eaton Trendle put a hand on his shoulder, "Coach Stoppable, I was placed up for adoption in a church orphanage in Upperton. I'm not only writing this book to cover your story. I want to find out what happened to my mother and her family."
Ron's eyes narrowed, "Oh...Who was your mother?" He asked suspiciously.
"She used to go to school with you and your wife. Her name was Tara Strong."
The old man's face turned pale, "Tara...I thought she lived. I...I don't know what happened to many of my old classmates."
"Not many people do. I want to tell their story. I want to tell your story. I want to know what really happened in Middleton after the...Volcano erupted." Eaton said with just a twinge of disbelief at the government's cover story.
Ron nodded his head weakly. He looked towards the sound of the party from the other room, "I...I want to talk to my wife first. Can you, can you come back tomorrow?"
"You've been telling me to come back tomorrow for the past..."
"Don't you push me." Ron whispered angrily. "I need to talk to my wife first, come back in the morning. Come back in the morning and I'll try to tell you everything I know."
Eaton Trendle nodded his head in agreement, "How's 11 o'clock sound?
Ron nodded his head, "Fine, I thought your mother lived. So many died...So many died." He said quietly.