.. he whispered them, I
afterward learned, to give me rough stuff, go through me with a bang....
"Rock-crusher" took the ball, with "Barrel" for interference ... they
came flashing my way.
I was so frenzied with joy over the prospect of getting my poems through
to Vanna, even if it was in another man's behalf, that I flung myself
forward and brought both stars down with only a yard gained.
Shaughnessy gave a whoop of joyous amazement and the other boys shouted,
and kidded "Barrel" and "Rock-crusher," the latter of whom won his
nickname from the gentle way he had of hitting his antagonists with his
hard knees as he ran into them, and bowling them over ... he was a
recruit from the hurdles, who ran "high."
Shaughnessy came over to me.
"Gregory, I want to say right here, I wish you took enough studies, and
you could make sub on the big team right off. You're skinny, but you've
got the mettle I wish all my boys had."
No sooner was I out of my football clothes than I hurried to Kuhlman's,
drank three coco-colas to stimulate me, and went to my room, to write my
first poem for Vanna....
Nearly every day Billy received a poem from me. Henceforth, when I
passed Vanna, I received a gentle, appreciative smile ... but I was too
timid even to speak to her ... and too self-conscious of my clothes,
which were worn and frayed....
* * * * *
There were a few negro students at Laurel.
Pages:
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422
423
424
425