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Team Meeting Part One Among Friends   by Andrea Lena DiMaggio Copyright © 2010 Andrea Lena DiMaggio All Rights Reserved.   Some things are just more important than football...

Josh sat on the rock wall in front of the school entrance, notebook in hand. As team captain, he'd taken it upon himself to go over some plays with his offensive unit. Some of the guys were out of town, so the group was smaller. They sat cross legged on the grass in front of the wall.

"Can you go over that one more time," Tommy said. "I'm not sure this is going to work," he pointed to the play on the page. "We've tried that one a few times, and it seems the defense is always ready for it."

"No reason why it won't work if we mix in a few other simple plays," Andy said. He and his brother Pete were really locked in on what Josh had in mind. It was hardly a secret that Pete was a little slow, but he followed directions completely and quickly most of the time. It helped that his girlfriend Mara sat with the group and took notes for him and went over the plays during study hall.

"While we're at it, guys, we've got to get along better. Our line has to work together...Matty...you and Simpson here have to figure out how to get in synch. Nate....come over here, please?" Josh said, but he wasn't upset. Nate was pointing toward the field house down the narrow path, giving directions to a girl who looked lost.

"Tommy, I know you don't agree, but you've got to have more confidence in the team as a whole. It doesn't help that you keep arguing every time we get together. I know you mean well, but you'll do yourself a favor if you just lighten up and get on board, okay?" Josh diffused what could have been an embarrassing situation by smiling and shrugging.

It was amazing, even after nearly a whole season that they were doing so well. The whole conference seemed to be out to get them, and they felt almost like they had targets on their backs. What really brought it all together was that the coach, Dom Sovrano, had entrusted his son to be captain.

Under most circumstances, there would have been resentment, since he was the coach's son. But Josh had proved time and time again that his dad's choice was the right one. He was a classic pocket quarterback, and the plays were spread out between both running backs and an occasional pass here and there. Josh could have been the entire offense; both running and passing; he was that good, but he was smart enough to defer to the great talent on his team.

"Hey, Judd, can you at least try to act like you care?" Andy said. Judd turned and glared at Andy but his look turned to a smile.

"Sure," he said as he edged closer and looked at the notebook.

As Josh reached over to his backpack to grab a pen, a girl came running down the sidewalk toward the group. She tripped and fell right in the middle of where they sat, landing with a hard crack as her elbow hit the wall next to Pete and Mara. She was dressed in a halter top and her short skirt had ridden up her legs, revealing her panties. She had been crying, as evidenced by the streaks of mascara that ran down her cheeks. A moment later, the reason for her tears appeared.

"Hey, faggot...you...I'm talking to you." A very large and imposing figure stood, almost towering over the group, as they were sitting down.

"Yeah, you fucking queer," his toady friend said, all the while standing behind the behemoth he called his friend.

Josh stood up and walked over to the two guys.

"What's going on here?" He asked calmly and carefully, his words coming almost like the cadence at the line.

"This queer has no fucking business bein' here." The bigger one said, smirking with an almost glee. The toady just nodded and said,

"Yeah, no fucking business."

"What has she done...help me understand here, guys."

"I'll tell you what...jackass, mind your own fucking business and there won't be any trouble." His voice was almost a roar as he pointed his finger in Josh's face, but Josh remained unphased.

"So what if the dude's a fag? He's not hurtin' you, is he?" Pete was at least as big as the guy, and he went to stand up. Mara grabbed his arm and pulled him back down.

"Let Josh handle this, okay?" Pete had a temper, and he had gotten into trouble more than once for it. Mara had a calming influence on him, and she was able to get him to stay focused and on task.

"I''ve got a bad feeling about this...this can't be good," Tommy said to Matty, who just nodded and looked away.

"I said, you fucking faggot...get the fuck outta here." The girl was cowering next to Andy, who held her hand.

Josh just stood there, the brute's finger still in his face, unaffected and almost stoic.

"What is wrong...help us understand...what did she do that you're so angry."

"I caught her hanging around my girlfriend...my fucking girlfriend, and they were kissing ...How fucking queer is that?" He flinched his shoulders as if to threaten the girl, who was weeping in fright.

"Leon Lucas, isn't it?" Josh said calmly. He smiled warmly at Leon and his buddy, as if to welcome them.

"Yeah, what of it, jackass?" Leon leaned closer to Josh and smiled back, but it was anything but welcoming.

"Didn't I see you with a girl yesterday in the hallway...you seemed to be enjoying her company." Josh said this as an observation, with almost no emotion in his voice.

"So," Leon said. His toady nodded and echoed his reply,

"Yeah, so?"

"Well then, it seems to me you've got no reason to talk, Leon, since you're doing exactly what you are upset with her about," Josh said as he used his hand in a broad gesture to point to the girl on the ground."

By now a crowd had formed around the group, and a girl standing on the rise above the wall said,

"Yeah, Leon...I saw you too! You were all over that girl. And she was havin' a good time! Besides, everybody knows your girlfriend and this queer have been screwing around." She said it with a smirk, but Josh's look back disarmed her smugness and she shrugged her shoulders as if to apologize.

The crowd of kids stared at Leon, waiting for him to reply. Seeing how he really had nowhere to go with his arguement, he looked at the girl on the ground and said,

"Fuck you..you little faggot..." His voice had no authority and sounded more like sour grapes. He and his toady walked off without another word. Seeing that "the show was over," the crowd broke up and dispersed quickly, leaving Josh and his teammates alone except for the girl. Mara had helped her up and had given her a hankie to wipe the smears off her face.

"What happened?" Josh said quietly, not to be instrusive but to allow her to tell her side of the story.

The girl looked up at him, tears still streaming down her cheeks. One knee of her pantyhose had bagged and her other knee was exposed by a huge tear, revealing a very sore bruise. Her hair was disheveled, and upon closer examination appeared to be a wig. Josh leaned closer to her and placed his hand gently on her shoulder.

"It's okay...you can tell me...you're among friends here," he said, while helping the girl by adjusting her wig.

"I....I.....she...." The words came slowly and haltingly.

"What about her?" His look was welcoming, giving the girl the strength to continue.

"I...I've been seeing her...I knew she was going out with him, but...." She was going to make an excuse, but Josh's warm smile convinced her otherwise.

"I shouldn't have...I'mm so soorrryyy."

"I know you," Josh said in a whisper, soft enough for no one else to hear.

"You're Danny Compagno's little brother Sammy, aren't you." Danny was a friend of Josh; he and Danny went way back.

"Yessss." Sammy said and began to cry.

"It's okay, kid.' Josh whispered again. "Why don't you just go home and get cleaned up, okay?" Josh smiled once again and patted the boy on the shoulder.

"You're not going to tell my brother about this are you?" Sammy used his eyes to scan himself, as if to indicate his dress.

"He already knows, kid, and I bet if you talk to him you'll find out he understands and accepts you. Your brother loves you...you need to know that, okay?" Josh said as he patted the boy on the shoulder once again.

"Just try to stay out of trouble, okay? Maybe you need to focus on yourself for a while, yes?" Josh smiled once again. Sammy blinked back tears and went to say something, but couldn't speak from the unheard sobs still stuck in his throat. He turned and went to hand Mara back her hankie. She shook her head no and said,

"That's okay, girl...I've got plenty more at home...I cry all the time." Mara stepped in close and hugged and kissed Sammy before she walked away. She smiled at Josh who nodded and smiled back.

"Hey Josh, we'll walk her home, just in case," Mara said as she grabbed Sammy's hand. Pete walked around and stood next to Sammy and smiled and said,

"Don't worry kid...everything's going to be okay...Like Josh said...you've got friends."

"Okay, guys, now where were we?" Josh said as he turned his attention once again to the notebook, where he began sketching out a new play.

based on the text John 8:1-11