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A tale of conformity, reinvention, and personal identity. |
| "Guys, stop the car," said Karl from the back seat of Jack Carter's 2004 Camry. Jack replied, "Whatt'r ya gonna do, walk home?" "Yeah. I'm gonna walk." "Your call, man." Karl had told his friends that he wasn't going to drink with them, but while they were out driving around, one of them had managed to score a 12-pack of brews. Jack stopped the car and let Karl out at the corner of Pine Rd and County 42. "It's a long way home," Jack offered. "I can manage." Karl stood along the deserted road and watched his friend's car drive away. It was quite dark that evening, but Karl knew the road, and the five mile walk home wouldn't be bad in the nice weather afforded by the February thaw. His shoes would be a little muddy when he got home, but it would be okay. It was ten o' clock when he arrived at home. "You're home early," his mother said as he strolled in. "Is everything alright?" "Fine, Mom. I just came home early." "Why are your shoes so muddy?" "I walked a while." "Is everything alright with your friends?" "We're okay. I just wanted to walk." Karl's mother thought there was probably something more to the story, but Karl didn't seem to want to talk about it, so she let it go. If he really didn't want to walk home, he could have texted her, and she would have picked him up. At any rate, it was Friday night, and Karl was home early, so at least she knew he was safe. On Saturday morning, Karl got a text from Jake Simpson who had also been in the car. "U wr lucky u bailed. Cops stopped us. Ended up at police station." "No way!" "Way." "What happened? Did you guys spend the night in jail?" "No. Parents picked us up. I'm grounded, but I think Jack and Lyle are in worse trouble. Probably get kicked off the team for drinking." The team – Karl hoped it wouldn't come to that. The thought crossed his mind that being caught drinking would get them kicked off of the basketball team. The team was really doing quite well this season, too. That was part of the reason Karl had asked to be let out of the car. He didn't want to drink, and he didn't want to be at a "party" where there was drinking. "Hope that doesn't happen. The team will not be as good without Jack and Lyle." Karl heard his mother calling. "Karl, breakfast is ready." "Coming, Mom." Karl rolled out of bed, put on a pair of sweatpants, and went downstairs. Both of his parents were in the kitchen. Neither Clara nor Don Schultz, Karl's parents, were tall people. They had not attained the height of their siblings. Karl was already taller than both of them and was still growing. He had inherited his mother's angular features and his father's broad shoulders. He had blue eyes just like both of his parents and dark brown hair like his mother. Karl's dad was sitting at the peninsula in the kitchen reading the news on his iPad. His mom was setting the table for breakfast. "Could you pour juice for all of us, Karl?" "Sure, Mom." Karl pulled three glasses out of the cupboard, “All of us” was just three of them now. Karl's sister was away at college. The adjustment had been difficult for his mom this year, and now she was holding onto the last vestiges of her having a child at home for the last two years of Karl's high school career. His sister, Heidi, had been a model student in high school and played by the rules. It was hard for Karl to follow in his sister's footsteps, but he had managed to do a pretty good job so far. Karl loved his sister dearly, but he thought that she worked a little too hard at pleasing others and had not really given much thought to who she was as a person. He hoped she was getting a better idea of that now that she was out of under her parents' watchful eyes. He suspected, though, that she would still try to do her best to try to keep their approval. Karl's dad opened the conversation without looking up from his iPad. "So, Karl, I saw Jack's dad this morning when I was down at the grocery store picking up milk. He says they picked up Jack at the police station last night." "Yeah, I heard about them being stopped by the police." "So, you weren't with them when the police stopped them?" "No, Dad, I came home early." "You didn't have anything to drink, did you?" His mother pressed. Karl gave an exasperated sigh, "No, Mom. I got out and walked home as soon as I found out what they were planning to do." "Don't get huffy, Karl. I was just asking. Anyway, I'm glad you are sensible. If you were caught drinking, or even at a party where people are drinking, you could be kicked off the basketball team." "I know, Mom." Everyone seems to make such a big deal about getting caught with alcohol, Karl thought. Nobody was hurt. What if we had been hurt and there were no alcohol involved. Would it be such a big deal then? *** Karl walked to school on Monday morning. He usually caught a ride with Jack, but the car situation had changed after this weekend. The weather was cold, in the twenties, and a little snow had fallen on Sunday; so half and inch of fresh powdery white covered the lawns of the houses in the six blocks from home to Washington High School. Washington was housed in an older building, built in the early part of the previous century. The bricks were dark, but updates had been made so that the school complied with health and fire requirements. The architecture had a classic, older look about it, but the wear and tear over the years caused the building to give the impression of other old state institutions such as prisons and mental hospitals. The school was abuzz with the news about Jack, Lyle, and Jake being picked up by the cops. Karl overheard a lot of speculation about Jack and Lyle being kicked off of the team. He even heard Vanessa say, "Karl went out with them. Won't the coach do something to him, too?" "No," said Amanda, who sat next to her in their first block math class. "He left before they started drinking." "But they bought the beer before he took off," countered Vanessa. “But he wasn't with them when the cops stopped them,” Amanda replied. “Anyway, if all three of them get pulled, the basketball team is done for.” “Well, I think the coach ought to do something to Karl. It's only fair.” Over the years, Vanessa and Karl hadn't exactly been the best of friends, and for some reason, during the past couple of years, Vanessa had been especially antagonistic. Karl wasn't sure what he had done to deserve the increased hostility, but there it was. It wasn't a huge deal to Karl. The school was big enough that he could avoid her mostly. While they had some mutual friends, their occasions to cross paths were limited. Karl played sports mainly to show school spirit and to spend time with his friends. Vanessa was a serious sports groupie. It seemed like, when she wasn't playing a sport, she was cheering for one. Karl thought maybe she didn't like him because he didn't play every sport. He wasn't really sure what her issue was, though. Just before basketball practice the coach summoned Jack, Lyle, and Karl to his office just outside the boy's locker room. Coach Matt Sumpter was a large man, standing 6' 5”. His brown hair was graying slightly at the temples. He was starting to put on weight, but he had still managed to stay fairly fit in the 20 years since he graduated from college. “I understand there was some trouble over the weekend,” said coach Sumpter gravely. Jack and Lyle looked down. Karl looked straight at the coach. Jack answered, “It's my fault, Mr. Sumpter. I was driving, and we were just out to have some fun. I know it wasn't a good idea.” “No, Jack,” replied the coach, “it wasn't a good idea. It was a terrible idea, and I'm sorry it happened, sorry for you, for me, and for the team. You know what the school policy is for being caught with alcohol when you are on a sports team?” “It means we're off the team, sir?” Lyle replied trying to hold back his emotion. “It means you're off the team. Regardless of whose idea it was, both of you are off the team,” said the coach. Jack, and Lyle continued to look down. “This is very disappointing. We probably had a shot at the championship this year. As for you, Karl. I know you weren't with them when the police stopped them, but you were with them for part of the evening, and I hear that there was beer in the car before you left. Is this true?” “Who told you that?” Karl asked. “It doesn't matter. Is it true?” “Yes, sir.” “To be fair, I think I had better suspend you for the next four games. I will, of course, expect you to attend the practices and to sit behind the team during the games, but you will not be able to play.” “No, thank you,” Karl replied. “Excuse me, what did you say?” “I said, no thank you, Mr. Sumpter.” “Don't you think it's only fair that you receive some sort of punishment?” “For what, sir? I left before the alcohol was opened, and I wasn't there when anyone got in trouble.” “Be that as it may, I say you can't play, and so you can't play.” “I understand, sir. I don't want to play. I quit.” “Don't be that way. You know we can't have anyone even being even remotely associated with alcohol.” “Yes, sir, and I wasn't a part of any of it. Can I go now?” “You sure you won't change your mind? The team needs you.” “I'm sure, sir. I'll wash up my uniform and return it tomorrow.” “Sorry to hear it,” replied the coach. The three boys walked down the hall. Lyle spoke first. “Thanks for showing solidarity with us, Karl, but you really didn't need to do that.” “It wasn't solidarity,” replied Karl, “I left before the drinking started. I was being unfairly punished, and I don't want to be part of something where people get punished just to make the team and the coach look good.” Lyle said, “Well, we have some time now that we are no longer in basketball. Do you guys want to go somewhere and hang out? Jack can't drive anymore, but I can, and I have my mom's car today. I know we're grounded and all, but the parents think we're at ball practice.” “Sure,” said Jack. Karl declined, “Sorry guys, I'll catch you some other time. I have something I need to do.” “Are you sure, man?” asked Jack. “You aren't mad at us for getting you in trouble with the coach, are you?” “No worries,” said Jack. “I left before the drinking started. That should have been enough. The coach was wrong, and I'm done with him. I'll catch you guys later.” Karl walked home and put his uniform in the washer. |
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