Coach, Walt Sautter [ereader for android .TXT] 📗

years. That’s when it really started to get him down and he told me. He said he aint never told no one else but me,” answered Marlene.
“Then why did Moose say he picked Ricky up that day?”
“That was Chief Simpson’s idea. He hadda solve that case and fast. The whole town was nuts about that murder. You know that. You was here.
Who would be better to stick it on than the black kid especially when he had the kid’s hat?
So he called Albert in and told him that he wanted him to tell the story about pickin’ the kid up that day. He told him if he didn’t I might have to be lookin’ for a new job. So Moose did what the Chief told him to save me.
I’m still there. He can’t fire me now, not with what I know. I got that job for life; well at least for the Chief’s life anyway.
Chief takes pretty good care of himself. He’s about fifty five now so I think I got that job for at least another ten years now” she concluded with slight smirk.
“Let’s have another one,” I suggested.
“Okay one more” she agreed, “and then I gotta drive home.”
“Drive home!” I exclaimed, “Do you think you can drive?”
“Don’t make no difference. I aint never gonna get a ticket in Highburg either” she declared with drunken certainty.
We slugged down our last drinks and the night ended.

Chapter 13
The alarm rang. I could barely raise my head from the pillow. I finally managed to open my crusty eyes and quell its jolting bursts. I stumbled into the bathroom and mopped my burning brow with a cold, wet washcloth.
My head throbbed. I looked into the mirror and to use an old country phrase, my eyes looked like ‘two piss holes in the snow’.
My body was paying an awful price for the night before, but what I had learned from Marlene - that was priceless.
I couldn’t stop thinking about all I had been told. Was it all true or just drunken blather? I guess I’ll never know for sure but Marlene’s story seemed to be one that would be very difficult to concoct even for the best of fictionists.
My head was filled with thoughts of the past at Highburg, stories of old friends and Marlene’s tale as I drove.
I pulled into the driveway and entered my house.
“Hi Honey” Sally greeted me.
“How did it go? Did you see all your old high school buddies?”
“Sure, saw most all of them” I replied.
“Any good stories?” she asked.
I hesitated.
“Not really.”

Character List
Major Characters
Coach Myron Carter (Coach C)
John Crane (Beamy)
Richard White (Ricky)
Bart Craig (Tojo)
Howie Green (Football Captain)
Albert Marvich (Moose)
Don Wheeler (Flash)
Mr. Jeffrey Hartly (The Prosecutor)
Mr. Harrington Gerity (Ricky’s lawyer)
Howie (Football Captain)
Minnie Moose (Marlene)
Minor Characters
Principal Robertson (High High School principal)
Office Fred James (Highburg cop)
Chief Simpson (Highburg Police Chief)
Jake (Howie’s pal)
Johnny Freed (Johnny Cromag)
Boogie (Beamy’s friend)
Kathy MacIntyre (Beamy’s girlfriend)
Judge Jacob Somers (Judge at Ricky’s trial)
Dr. Gordon Fink, ME (County Medical Examiner)
Peter Gray, (County Sheriff)
Stinky (Beamy’s friend)
Lard (Beamy’s friend)
Sally (Beamy’s wife)
George Marvich (Big Moose)
Places in “Coach”
Snookie’s Luncheonette
Jack’s Bowling Alley
Dan’s Diner
Crockton (site of weekly C.Y. O. dances)
Stanton (County Seat)
Henderson Town (Ricky’s hometown)
Mallon Funeral Home

The End
Sautter 2010

Imprint

Publication Date: 03-12-2011

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