Hit Me Not

Narration

SLAM!! The sound of the police car door being slammed shut, sent chills down

my spine. The hole school yard rushed to the iron fence, the one surrounding the school

make us prisons when we have done no wrong, like cattle at feeding time to get a better

look. Not much happens in this small town, so when a scandal does erupt you have the

makings of a gossip blockbuster, something to talk about in the weeks to come. I didn't

see the man in the back seat at first he was already in the car when I heard the door shut

and turned around to look, but I had heard the rumors from the little busy bees that like to

talk about every one else, so that some one will pay attention to them. I tried my hardest

not to believe them. As the car drove towards me I could see a gray figure in the back

seat, but couldn't make out who it was. When the silence engulfed my peers I fought and

struggled my way through the wall of students for a better look. As the car passed I could

see Coach Warren starring out the side window not locking at anything but seeing

everything. My emotions ignited like ants under a magnifying glass in the hot summer

sun. I didn't know what to think. Were the rumors true? Did he do it? No not the good

coach. I knew him too well, or did I. I was confused, angry, sad and hurt all at the same

time. Could he hurt someone? Was he just like those he tried to protect me from? No it

was lies all lies. His eyes looked empty and hollow like the inside of a keg after a college

frat party and as the tainted hero was driven by he caught a glimpse of me watching and

could only hang his head. It was at that point I knew and my anger filled eyes began to

swell.

Coach Warren and I had met freshman year. I was the new kid in town and a bit of

a delinquent getting involved with the "wrong crowds". There was not much to do in my

new little town, but get into trouble and any thing was better than being at home. Some

people say "home sweet home" and "home is were the heart is". well my home was more

like a A Nightmare on Elm Street staring Mommy Dearest or in my case Daddy dearest.

Anyway I had been in trouble numerous times and I guess throwing "flashers", a typed of

firework that any juvenile could obtain every 4th of July that released a series of bright

blinding flashes of light, into the downtown Chinese restaurant was the straw that broke

the camels back. The judge said that if he saw me in his court, or head my name called

again I would be on my way to juvenile hall and I didn't want that . So to stay out of

trouble I decided to try out for wrestling. After school I made my way to the gym and

climbed the school colored steps to the top floor. As I opened the door I could

hear the squeaking of rubber soled shoes and the grunting of frustrated wrestlers. I man

noticing that I was kind of out of place walked over to me and introduced himself to me

as Coach Warren. He was not quite what I had expected from those how spoke about him.

Coach was a semi-average middle aged looking man about 5'8 and 220 pounds but he

wasn't fat the man was built like a tank and looked as if he belong in the WWF. Where

they would call him Dozer and he would bull all competitors, not here in this little town.

His hand shake was firm and confidant and as he shook my hand he asked if I was

lost. Half joking I am sure. I told him I wanted to try out for the team and explained my

judiciary complications. He told me he would give me a shot, so we walk out of his office

and onto the wrestling mat. The whistle echoed through out the gym then silence no more

squeaking, no more grunts of frustration just quit. Before I knew it the team was huddled

around Coach and as he introduced me to them I felt an unfamiliar feeling I felt right at

home.

Wrestling became my life. I was always in the gym working out, or shadow

wrestling. I was the first one to arrive in the mornings for our A.M. workouts and I was

always the last to leave practice. I seemed to have a natural talent for wrestling and

progressed quickly. I became the only freshman on the varsity team and it was only my

first year wrestling, ever. This impressed coach and he began to work closer with me

teaching me more advanced moves that he himself used. We began to talk not only as

coach and student but as friends. We would talk about football and baseball, about girls

and cars, and of course about what I wanted