Michelle nudged Theo to get his attention. "The scouts do go to the St. Claire games to see the talent."

Then Conrad nudged him to get him to turn to him. "Why don't we get started?"

"Started?" Theo asked as he rubbed his temples. He was developing one hell of a headache. "Doing what?"

Conrad pulled out some folded papers from his back pocket and put them on the table. Then he reached into his shirt pocket, pulled out a smaller piece of paper and a stubby yellow pencil, and looked expectantly at Theo.

"Where did you attend college?"

"Excuse me?"

Conrad patiently repeated the question.

"Michigan," Theo answered. "Why do you want to know…"

"That's a big school, isn't it?" Cherry asked.

"Yes," Conrad answered.

"I imagine it's a fine school too," Daryl remarked.

Theo glanced around the table and noticed the others, including the children, were staring at him. Everyone seemed to know

what was going on. Everyone but him.

"Did Big Daddy suggest that you talk to me about schools?" he asked. Good God, now he was calling the old man Daddy.

No one answered his question. Then Conrad asked, "And you played football, didn't you?"

"Yeah, I did."

"And then you went on to law school."

It was a statement, not a question, but Theo still responded. "That's right."

"Did you stay on in Michigan to get the law degree?"

What in thunder was going on? "No," he answered. "I got my MBA and law back east."

"What's an MBA?" Cherry asked.

Michelle answered. "A master's in business administration," she said.

"And law too. Don't that beat all." Daryl sounded in awe.

"Yeah, well, lots of people get-"

Conrad interrupted him. "Where exactly did you get these degrees?"

"Yale."

"Oh, my, that's a fine school," Cherry said.

Conrad nodded. "I imagine your grades were impressive. I'm right, aren't I?" he asked as he furiously wrote on his paper.

It all clicked, and Theo couldn't figure out why he'd been so slow on the uptake. The guy was interviewing him for a position

at the high school.

Theo decided he was going to have to have a little talk with Jake as soon as possible. Set him straight.

"I bet you've still got your old playbooks too, don't you?" Conrad asked him then.

"'Playbooks'?"

"Football playbooks," Michelle explained.

She was smiling sweetly, and she was thoroughly enjoying his discomfort and confusion. He decided he needed to have a

private talk with her too.

"Okay, this has gone far enough." His voice held a firm, no-nonsense tone. "There's been a misunderstanding that I need to

clear up right now. You see, I stopped for gas on my way to Bowen. And this kid-"

It was as far as he got. Michelle wouldn't let him continue. She put her hand on top of his and said, "You did keep your old playbooks, didn't you?"

"Why would you think that?"

"It's a guy thing."

"Yeah, well, as a matter of fact I did keep a couple of them. But," he hastily added, "they're packed away with all my other junk

in the attic."

"Couldn't you have one of your brothers send them to you? You could ask him to overnight them."

"And then what?"

"You could go to the next practice with me and look the team over."

Elliott pressed forward. "We sure would appreciate it."

Everyone started talking again about the team, everyone but little John Patrick. The boy was trying to get to Theo's gun. He

kept pushing the kid's hand away. He felt as though he'd just been dropped into the middle of a foreign land where no one understood a word he said.

"I'm not a football coach!" he yelled. When everyone quieted down, he nodded emphatically. "That's right. You heard me. I'm

not a football coach."

He'd finally taken control, and he felt inordinately pleased with himself as he sat back in his chair and waited for the truth to s

ink in.

The announcement didn't faze them. "These boys are mighty eager to learn," Conrad pressed. "But I'm not going to pressure

you, Theo. No, sir, I'm not. We don't do things like that in Bowen. Do we, Daryl? We're laid back."

"Yes, we're laid back," he agreed.

Conrad tore off a piece of paper, bent over the table, and wrote something down. Then he folded the paper and looked at

Theo again.

"The principal of our school is in Memphis, but I talked to him long distance before I drove over here." He pushed the folded

paper toward Theo. "We both think you'll be happy with this."

He stood and nodded to Cherry. "I can't keep Billie waiting any longer, and I sure thank you for letting me interrupt your

upper hour. Theo, I look forward to seeing you at our practice tomorrow. Mike knows the where and when."

He handed Theo the legal-sized papers he'd placed next to the folded note, shook his hand as he told him it was a pleasure

talking with him, and then worked his way through the boys to the door. He paused at the doorway. "You wouldn't happen to

have a teacher's certificate, would you, Theo?"

"No."

"I didn't think so, but I thought I should ask. It's all right. You needn't worry. The board of education will work with us on this,

you being a special circumstance and all. Good night, everybody."

Theo didn't rush after Freeland to set him straight. He decided he could wait until practice the next day to explain things. Without the chaos that surrounded him in the small kitchen, calmer heads would prevail.

"Mama, when are we gonna eat?" John Patrick asked.

"I'm putting it on the table right this minute."

"We should be going," Theo said to Michelle.

"You'll stay to supper?" Cherry asked. "We've got plenty."

He shook his head. "Ordinarily I'd take you up on your offer, but the fact is my stomach isn't up to a meal just yet. I ate some

of Jake's gumbo, and it was a little too spicy for me. My stomach's giving me fits."

It was a lie, but Michelle thought he'd told it well. Cherry was nodding in sympathy. Daryl looked a little suspicious.

"We always have enough to feed our guests."

"He's from the big city, Daryl," Michelle reminded him as though that explained everything.

"I forgot about that," he said. "I guess Jake's gumbo would upset your stomach if you weren't used to hot food."

"I could make you a cup of my special tea," Cherry offered. "It should settle you down in no time at all."

"I sure would appreciate that."

Daryl nodded. "Fix him up then, Cherry. Mike, do you mind changing this bandage for me while you're here?"

And so Theo drank hot, bitter tea in a hot, muggy kitchen while Michelle rebandaged Daryl's hand and Cherry fed her children. John Patrick insisted on moving his plate next to Theo, and by the time the child finished eating, Theo's stomach was growling.

It took extreme discipline not to grab one of the homemade biscuits out of the kid's hand.

They left the family after Theo had finished his third cup of tea. John Patrick took hold of Theo's hand and officially walked him onto the front porch. The little boy tugged on Theo's shirt and said, "Tomorrow's my birthday. Are you gonna get me a present?"

"That depends," Theo replied. "You have anything specific in mind?"

"Maybe you could come back with a bigger gun." He let go of Theo's hand and looked over his shoulder. "Don't tell Mama I

asked you for a present."

Michelle had already gone down the steps and was waiting for Theo by the car.

"That kid," Theo remarked as he backed the car onto the road. "I've got a feeling we'll be reading about him in about fifteen years."

"He's an angel."

"He's bloodthirsty," he countered. "I don't get it. He's got at least four older brothers… right?"

"Yes?"

"So how come they don't tell this Lois to leave him the hell alone? I used to look out for my younger brothers and sisters. I wouldn't let anyone mess with them. That's what big brothers are supposed to do."