“It seems to me you’ve been kicked out of school for fighting before,” Jack nodded as he sat on the edge of his desk again.
“Yeah, so what’s one more, huh?” Grant sighed.
“Every time somebody says somethin’ you don’t like, you can’t start swingin’,” Jack replied sternly.
“You don’t understand,” Grant groaned.
“Then explain it to me,” Jack nodded.
“Are they gonna kick me out?” Grant gulped, and his demeanor seemed to change.
“I don’t know,” Jack replied. “Give me one good reason why we shouldn’t. All I’ve heard is how you were leaving on your birthday, but it came and went, and you’re still here. Have you changed your mind now; is this your way of making sure you’re sent packing?”
“You don’t understand,” Grant sighed. “If you let him expel me… my dad…”
Jack frowned. He picked up the ball, tossed it up in the air and caught it.
“When my mom finds out about the fight, she’s gonna feel obligated to call him,” Grant went on.
“Ah, the fight wasn’t that big a deal…we don’t have to tell her,” Jack shrugged as he shot the ball again. “We’ll tell her you took an elbow on a rebound. You sure you aren’t hurt anywhere else? You okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine,” Grant replied quickly.
“Alright then, Buddy…that’s my story; you took a shot in the eye from a teammate,” Jack nodded. “Not exactly a lie, huh?” he chuckled.
Grant smiled, knowing his mother would find out about the fight anyway but appreciative of Jack’s effort.
Jack went after his rebound. “I got in a fight once…in that very hallway.”
“Really?” Grant raised an interested eyebrow.
“Oh sure,” Jack laughed. “In fact, John Jordan and I went a round or two after the only basketball game we lost our junior year.”
Grant laughed, holding his icepack to his eye.
“I got a shiner and a fat lip about like you’ve got,” Jack recalled. “It was the night before the winter dance, and your mother was furious at me.”
Grant laughed.
“Do you like chicken and dumplings?” Jack asked.
Grant nodded.
Jack grabbed his jacket off the back of his chair. “Lets go then!”
“Where are we going?” Grant asked.
“You haven’t had chicken and dumplings until you’ve had the ones Maude makes,” Jack said, licking his lips.
“I’ll be sure to tell my mom you feel that way,” Grant grinned.
Jack chuckled as he squeezed Grant’s shoulder. “I’ll keep your secret if you keep mine?”
“Deal,” Grant grinned, moving the ice pack away from his eye. “But what about my classes?”
“Oh please, they can’t teach you anything here you don’t already know,” Jack shook his head.
“I’ve always found that I can learn a lot more hiding out in the library than sitting in class,” Grant shrugged. “Too bad this place doesn’t seem to be big on books.”
“Tell me,” Jack nodded, “do you enjoy any of your classes?”
Grant shook his head. “I think the classroom would be more productive if the system would abandon classic ideology of how high school students should learn, and, rather than forcing us to submit to authority and subject ourselves to conformity, in hopes of obtaining the final seal of approval that says we can bust out of this joint, would instead realize that the school system’s insistence on the reckless indoctrination of America’s youth tends to inhibit independent thought and stifles the budding minds of future leaders with the ability to, should they be allowed to express it, make this country a better place.”
“Like I said,” Jack agreed, “nothing we can teach you here.”
Grant rolled his eyes. “Though I get the feeling you plan to impart some valuable wisdom while we’re making small talk at the diner.”
“Smart boy,” Jack pointed. “I can’t make you listen, but I want to give it a shot.”
“My dad has always told me that no matter how intelligent I might be, wisdom only comes with experience,” Grant recalled. “I might not like to hear it sometimes, but there is a great deal of truth in that statement, so I’m pretty open to listening to other perspectives. Whether or not I’ll agree is a whole other matter.”
Jack walked toward the door shaking his head and laughed as he reached for the light switch. “By the way,” he nudged Grant, “what did you say to Jordan?”
Grant swallowed. “So, best dumplings in town, huh?” he smiled.
Jack laughed. “I see. So how about teaching me a few things that might come in handy with referees this season?”
