“How so?”
“You completed the pass before you got hurt. And it was the last play of the Super Bowl… the winning play.”
“Yeah, it’s pretty ironic, I guess… So, how are you Mack? What’s up?” I glanced at my watch, wondering why he was calling at this time on a Sunday evening.
“I’m great, couldn’t be better. And I have some news… Some news that I believe you’ll be interested in hearing.”
“Shoot. What is it?”
Mack cleared his throat and lowered his voice, “I’ve got a proposition.”
“A what?”
“A proposition for you, Nate? An offer.”
Suddenly much more interested, I pushed away from the wall I had been leaning against and strode up and down the hall, walking while I spoke. “Tell me more.”
“You remember Harris?”
An image of the balding, irritable general manager of the Lexington Colonels popped into my mind. “Harris Garrett. Yes, yes, of course, I do.”
“The media hasn’t got a whiff of it yet, but he’s retiring within the week. And I want to have all my ducks in a row before the press and media get out in front of me on this. So far, Harris has kept his mouth shut but he won’t for long. He’ll probably call foul play. But our legal team has everything we need to fire him… So basically, he’s being forced into retirement.”
“No shit? Really?” Honestly, I wasn’t that surprised. Everyone on the team knew Harris wasn’t exactly the best example of a manager, and the fans were beginning to complain. “Who’s replacing him?”
“That’s actually why I called. I’d like to interview you for the position. You have a unique perspective on the team, Nate, and I know that you have experience in real estate… At least you can put that on your resume. It’s a form of business administration, and a lot of those skills demonstrate your ability to handle a managerial position. And of course, youwerea football player… a very gifted one. All the fans still love you.”
Suddenly, all that delicious food I just ate was churring in my stomach like the contents of a washing machine. “I would love to interview for the position.”
My pulse was pounding in my ears. I had thought I was done with the pro football scene for good, and this sudden opportunity filled me with cautious hope. In seconds, I had just gone from a man with no career and no future to a man with a chance at becoming the manager of one of the best NFL teams in the country.
“That’s great! I’ll email you after I’ve double-checked my schedule. I’m sure we can work out something in the next couple weeks that works with your schedule so you can get up here to Lexington.”
“Thanks, that would be great. I couldn’t be more pleased,” I said enthusiastically. This was getting better and better, albeit a bit surreal.
“By the way,” Mack continued.
“Yeah, what do you need? I can clear my schedule to suit yours, Mack. I’m just so -”
“No problem as far as the schedule goes. But I do want to mention one more thing.”
“Oh, okay.” I pressed my cell phone harder against my ear.
“Normally, I wouldn’t bring this up, but you probably know anyway since you were on the team and rumors get around. One of the main issues with Harris was him getting caught in embarrassing situations lately. Very bad… bad for publicity. I’m married with two kids myself, and my family means everything to me. The fans… it’s all about the fans… They love a devoted family man. And as you know, Nate, football here in Kentucky is almost like basketball… attending games is a family event. So, naturally, I would like to avoid these sorts of things in the future.”
Oh, shit. I celebrated too soon.“So… so let me get this straight, you’re looking for an applicant with a family? A guy with kids? You know, I don’t have kids?” I asked casually, bile rising in my throat.
“No, you don’t have to have kids. But, I’m looking for someone whose… you know… settled in a long-term relationship, at lease. But married would be best.” Mack fell silent, obviously waiting for my input.
My mind was spinning. Was this going to end up as a terrible joke on me? I had no family. No family at all except for a few distant cousins, and I wasn’t even sure where they lived. My father left my mother when I was young, and my mother passed when I was in my last year at the University of Kentucky after working her heart out to take care of me as a kid - I had no one.
“Hello, Nate. Are you still there?”
I needed help. I needed…Tammy.I couldn’t get my high school fun loving adventuresome sweetheart out of my head. Tammy was the closest person I could think of as family with the exception of Riker and Zeke.
“Yes, yes. I’m here. The cell service sucks here sometimes. And, well I-I’m engaged, actually,” I said, stumbling over almost every word. As my brain got used to the idea of the blatant lie. “The injury and going to therapy made me realize how important family is, and I proposed to my high school sweetheart.”
“That’s wonderful. Congratulations!” Mack exclaimed, far more excited for me than I had managed to sound. “Sometimes, it’s the most difficult things in our lives that bring us together. I’m so pleased to hear something good came out of what happened,.”
