Chapter 4

Monday, January 26, 2032 – Avon Grove High School

Grant ran into Jessie in the hallway before home room. He did a quick check of the hallway for teachers before hugging and giving Jessie a kiss – with tongue. “It’s great to see you, Jessie,” Grant said.

“It’s good to see you, too,” Jessie agreed. Grant held her hand as he escorted her to her homeroom. She smiled. It felt good having a boy willing to show his commitment in public.

The hand holding did not go unnoticed. Ann saw the two of them. She reported to Kaylie. The two tackled Jessie between second and third period.

“What gives with you and Grant Frey?” Ann challenged. “I saw the two of you holding hands as you walked to homeroom this morning.”

“Grant Frey? The STEM nerd?” Kaylie added. “Ick ... no.” (STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)

“I like him,” Jessie protested.

“It was one thing to use him as an emergency date for my New Year’s Eve party,” Kaylie responded. “Go to the movies a couple times? OK, but he looks like he should be over in middle school, not here in high school. You can do so much better than him.”

“I can do so much worse too,” Jessie responded. Her irritation was rising. “He is sweet. He has a wicked sense of humor that I love. He is a good kisser. He is way better than a couple of the guys I dated in the fall after I broke up with Matt.”

“You do understand if you take him to bed, that boy is going to follow you around like a lost puppy,” Ann said.

“The boy will be glued to your side like a little puppy dog,” Kaylie concurred. “Hell, I doubt Grant even knows what to do if he gets you into bed.”

“Actually, he was pretty good in bed,” Jessie asserted.

“You didn’t!” Kaylie and Ann both gasped.

“We did,” Jessie replied, grinning widely. “He may not be experienced but he is very trainable. He learns quickly too.” She chuckled. “He made me come twice.”

“Really?” Ann sighed. Her recent boyfriends hadn’t been good about getting her off.

“He is willing to go down on me,” Jessie giggled.

“That alone does recommend him as a potential boyfriend,” Kaylie agreed. Ann and Jessie both knew Kaylie’s boyfriend Logan enjoyed going down on her. It was one of many reasons she kept him around.

“It does,” Ann agreed. “Does Grant have a brother?”

“He does, but the brother is twelve,” Jessie replied.

“That won’t do me any good,” Ann sighed.

“It will get you arrested if you gave him a try,” Kaylie added unhelpfully. “I guess there are worse guys to date than Grant. I hope this works out for you.”

“I hope so too,” Jessie agreed. Jessie had time to think during her next class. Why had her best friends reacted so strongly against Grant at first? Hopefully her best friends would come to realize that Grant was a good guy. He certainly wasn’t going to try to dominate her or cheat on her like other guys she had gone out with.

Tuesday, January 27, 2032 – Avondale Scout Cabin

Coach C volunteered to take Robbie to the Cub Scout pack meeting when he heard that Kyle was short on drivers that evening. Robbie and his almost “grandpa” headed for New London a few minutes before Kyle, Penny, David and Jessie headed for the Avondale Scout Cabin. The crew’s venturers heading to Philmont met in a side room while the rest of the crew planned the February ski trip that evening.

The council High Adventure committee had Kyle, Penny and Matt well prepared for choosing a trek at the Ranch. The venturers checked off a list of activities available at staff camps at Philmont. Penny and Matt explained what some of the activities were. Atlatl, Continental Tie & Lumber and Rocky Mountain Fur Company did not really describe those activities well. Atlatl was a device native Americans used to toss spears. Continental Tie & Lumber was a camp where you practiced logging skills like spar pole climbing, log burling and cutting and trimming timber. The Rocky Mountain Fur Company was a nineteenth century style mountain man rendezvous where you tossed axes, shot black powder rifles and traded tales of daring do. The most popular activities by far were climbing Baldy Mountain, climbing the Tooth of Time and mountain biking. Rock climbing and shotgun shooting was nearly as popular.

Kyle entered the crew’s activities preferences into a website the council operated. The website offered ten treks that most closely matched treks to the crew’s program preferences. Kyle, Penny and Matt led a review of each of the treks suggested.

The group ended up choosing Trek No. 31 as their first choice. Trek Nos. 29, 33, 27, 26 and 35 were their other choices. Penny volunteered to enter the crew’s trek choices in the Philmont Gateway on Thursday, when the Ranch first opened up the opportunity for crews to register their crew’s trek selections. Mr. Fulmer from council warned all the adult advisors to be sure to log on promptly. Popular treks disappeared in a matter of minutes.

Penny was precisely on time Thursday morning when she logged onto the Gateway and registered her crew’s choices. Within seconds, the website reported back that Crew 628-J4 would be doing Trek No. 31. Penny sent everyone in the crew an email reporting that they got their first-choice trek.

The Avondale Crew 491 would leave base camp Day 2 and be dropped off at the Ponil Turnaround. They had a short hike up the canyon, through Ponil Camp to the Dean Cutoff trail camp. They would spend the day with their ranger (guide) learning and being tested on their skills. The next day they would continue up the canyon to Pueblano Camp, where they would try their hand at logging. They would camp at Baldy Skyline, a few miles west of Pueblano that evening. Day 4 they would hike to Baldytown, pick up food, hike around the edge of Baldy Mountain to French Henry, where they would learn blacksmithing, tour a gold mine and learn to pan for gold. The evening’s camp would be at Copper Park, a couple miles up the canyon.

The crew would be up before sunup for their climb up the backside of Baldy Mountain. After returning to camp, they would pick up their packs and climb over the ridge above Copper Park and hike down the Greenwood Canyon to Upper Greenwood Canyon Camp. Day 6 they would hike down Greenwood Canyon to Rich Cabins. The program at this camp was homesteading. The staff put on an evening music show featuring western and folk music. Mr. Fulmer had been at Rich Cabins a couple years ago and reported that the staffs’ show was excellent.

On Day 7 the crew would hike over Wilson Mesa, pass Pueblano Camp again and head up to the top of the ridge and spend the night at Elkhorn Camp. This was a trail camp with no program. Day 8 they would come down off the ridge and then take a long hike down Dean Canyon to Dean Cow Camp. This camp featured rock climbing and rappelling.

The crew faced another long hike on Day 9 to Harlan Camp. This camp featured shotgun shell reloading and shooting. The evening would include a chance to catch a burro and race it against other crews’ burros. On Day 10 the crew would hike to Clarks Fork for horseback riding, branding and roping. The evening would include a cowboy-style chuckwagon dinner and another evening show.

The final morning the crew would be up before sunup to do a fifteen-mile hike up to Shaefer’s Pass and along Tooth Ridge back to base camp. The day would include time to climb the Tooth of Time.

Kyle made it home from NovaCare Complex around six o’clock, just in time for dinner. The relaxed winter schedule for the coaching staff was a blessing, allowing Kyle more time for his family. After dinner, Kyle spent part of the evening reviewing the Philmont Treks book for every scrap of information about Trek 31. He got out the maps of the Ranch and reviewed their hikes day by day. By bedtime he was pretty excited about their summer trip to New Mexico.

Kyle joined Penny in bed once the kids in bed and quiet. “Are you excited about this trip this summer?” Kyle asked as he cuddled with Penny. “I keep going over it in my head. I think we’re going to have a fun time at the Ranch.”

“I think you’re right,” Penny agreed.

“Do you think we are being fair to Danny and Robbie?” Kyle asked. “Normally we do a vacation each summer for the whole family. This summer, we will be leaving a third of the family behind when we go out for an adventure the mountains.”

“Danny and Robbie will enjoy spending two weeks with your parents and my parents,” Penny responded. “Both sets of grandparents will spoil those two blind.”

“Technically, Danny will meet the age requirement to join Venturers and to go to Philmont next summer,” Kyle noted. “Maybe we should see if he would like to come to the Ranch too.”

“One problem with that idea,” Penny commented. “We already have twelve people in our crew. We don’t have space to include Danny.”

“True,” Kyle agreed reluctantly.

“There are a couple advantages to waiting to take Danny out west,” Penny noted. “He’ll be older and stronger in two years, the next time the crew plans to send a group to the Ranch. Second, one or...” Penny chuckled, “ ... both of us may need to act as advisors for his crew.”

“That could be interesting,” Kyle agreed, smiling widely. “And then we need to chaperon Robbie and his crew in eight years when he’s fourteen.”

“If you aren’t too old and decrepit to go backpacking in the mountains,” Penny teased.

“I’m the kid in this marriage!” Kyle retorted. “Old lady.”

They exchanged kisses. “There might be one other possibility for Danny and Robbie this summer. I was speaking with Heather [Andy Martin’s wife] and she said they are thinking about taking their kids to Disney World this summer. She wondered if Danny and Robbie would be interested.”

“We know Robbie would love to go,” Kyle said.

“Is Danny too old for Disney World?”

“The NFL sends the Super Bowl MVP to Disney World after the game,” Kyle noted. “I think Danny would enjoy time down there. It would do both kids good to spend more time with their cousins.”

“If you talk to Andy before I talk to Heather, explore the possibility more,” Penny responded. “I will do the same if I reach Heather first.”

“Deal!” Kyle agreed. He sealed the agreement with another kiss.

Wednesday, January 28, 2032 – Avon Grove High School

Kaylie and Ann’s teacher dismissed their class to lunch a minute or so earlier than scheduled. Julia and Nora joined them at their table a minute later. Nora started back at school about ten days earlier. Jessie, coming from gym class, was a bit late. The girls were talking when Grant Frey came up to their table holding his tray of food.

“This is where Jessie usually sits, isn’t it?” Grant asked politely.

“Usually,” Ann acknowledged. Grant stared at the girls expectantly.

“Did you need to talk with Jessie?” Kaylie asked. “She often runs a little late on Wednesdays. She is coming from gym.”

“Um ... uh ... is it all right if I sit here, girls?” Grant asked. “Most days I eat during the early lunch, except on Wednesdays. I have driver’s ed on Wednesdays and I eat in the late lunch period. I thought it would be nice if I ate with Jessie.”

“Sure ... uh, whatever,” Kaylie agreed. The girls exchanged sideways glances to each other. Among their crowd, usually the boys congregated together at lunch and girls are with each other. There were some over-the-top couples who ate together, but not many. Grant sat down.

Jessie came out of the serving area, paid for her lunch and headed over to the table where she and her friends usually sat.

“Grant!” Jessie remarked as she smiled and sat down by her boyfriend. “I thought you had early lunches.”

“Except on Wednesdays,” Grant replied. “I thought it would be cool if I joined you since I am doing the late lunch period today.”

“It’s great,” Jessie remarked as she looked over at the lunchroom monitors. They weren’t looking her way. She wrapped her hands around Grant’s head and gave him a pretty passionate kiss. Grant blushed as Jessie giggled.

Jessie’s friends slowly got comfortable with Grant as they conversed and enjoyed their crispy chicken filet, fresh veggies with dip, roasted potatoes and fresh fruit. Grant liked spending lunch with Jessie. It beat eating alone while he read a book, which is what he usually did at lunches. That, and leaving early so he could get a head start on Engineering CAD, his next class. Grant stayed until the lunch group was dismissed.

“That was different,” Nora commented after Grant took off.

“He seems OK, Ann agreed.

“I think he’s special,” Jessie responded. “You will see when you get to know him better.”

Kaylie nodded yes but kept her reservations to herself. Her best friend could do so much better than a STEM geek like Grant.

Monday, February 2, 2032 - Avon Grove High School

In English class just before lunch, Mr. Sanchez, their teacher, spent the final few minutes talking about the next play the Avon Grove Performing Arts Club was putting on in the spring. They were performing a classic comedy play called, “You Can’t Take it with You.” He described the plot briefly. Grandpa Vanderhof keeps snakes and refuses to pay his income tax. The play is set in a large house in New York City. His daughter Penny Sycamore, her husband and children live with grandpa. Penny writes sex- and adventure-filled melodramas. The play follows the bizarre and unusual happenings as Grandpa tries to avoid the IRS. Mr. Sanchez makes a pitch for everyone to come to tryouts on Thursday after school.

Jessie, Kaylie and Ann headed to lunch. “It is weird that Mr. Sanchez makes a pitch for the spring play today,” Jessie comments as they sit down at their table.

“Oh?” Kaylie responded.

“On Saturday night Mom and Dad were reminiscing about Mom doing a play called “Mother Goose Tales” when she was in high school,” Jessie explained. “It sounded like Mom had a lot of fun doing the play.”

“I could never get up in front of a few hundred people and act,” Ann said. “I would be petrified.”

“I don’t know that I could either,” Kaylie agreed. “But you ... you have the personality for it, Jessie.”

“The personality for what?” Grant asked as he joined the girls.

“We were talking about the spring play,” Jessie said. “I think I could stand up on stage and act.”

“You?” Kaylie laughed. “You have spent your whole life in the spotlight, thanks to your dad. Of course, you could do it.”

“I suppose you’re right,” Jessie allowed, smiling a little. “Mom did it in high school. Dad, Mom, my Uncle Andy and my grandmom all have acted in commercials. Maybe I should try out. What do you think, Grant? We could both try out. We would have more time together.”

“On stage? Me? Oh God, no!” Grant said, looking stricken. “I could never, never, NEVER do something like that.”

“Kaylie? Ann?” What about you two?” Jessie asked. “Why don’t two try out too. It could be fun.”

“I’m with Grant,” Ann replied. “No way am I getting on stage in front of a big crowd.”

“I agree with Ann and Grant,” Kaylie added. “Go ahead though, Jessie. I think you could be good at it.”

“I think I may,” Jessie allowed. “Another extracurricular activity would look good on a college resume.”

“Are your parents bugging you about college too?” Kaylie laughed.

“A little,” Jessie said. “Nothing direct but they are dropping hints that I need to start thinking about what comes next when high school is done. David is leaving in a few months for Penn. He was my age when Mom and Dad started getting after him to consider his future.”

“I am getting that too,” Ann agreed. “My parents aren’t pushing me but they are reminding me to think about what’s next.”

“Why don’t you guys sign up for stage crew?” Jessie asked. “You won’t have to be in front of a crowd, but you would have the activity to put on your college resume.”

Kaylie, Ann and Grant discussed the idea a little more. It seemed like a good one. Grant asked, “When does the Performing Arts Club meet? Is it after school?”

“I think so,” Jessie answered.

“That rules me out,” Grant said. “I have to be home to watch my brothers and sister when they get home from school.”

By the end of their lunch period, Kaylie and Ann were almost convinced to sign up for the stage crew. Grant decided to try to help Jessie prepare, but that was all he could do for the play.

Tuesday, February 3, 2032 – Hancock Whitney Stadium, Mobile AL

Kyle, Ryan Reynolds and Ed Fritz slipped into a row of seats at the stadium’s west side, one row of seats down from some old friends of Kyle’s. Julian Lurie and Brent Celek were a few steps behind the coaches. Kyle marched across the row and sat down near Coach Frank of the Seattle Seahawks. Sam Hayes, the offensive coordinator for the Seahawks, sat beside his head coach.

“Hey Coach, good to see you,” Coach Frank said as Kyle turned around to face his former position coach. “I see you brought the some of the gang.” Kyle and Coach Frank facilitated introductions.

“Did you lose Coach C?” Sam teased.

“C and Jeremy went down to watch warmups from the side of the field,” Kyle replied. “They’ll join us in a few minutes when practice gets started.”

“Sorry about how the game last November turned out,” Coach Frank commented to Kyle.

“Never apologize for winning a football game, Coach,” Kyle responded.

“Your guys had me worried right up to the last few minutes of the game,” Coach Frank said. “Your QB just made a rookie mistake. If he’d have taken the sack, I do not know if we could have stopped you from scoring on that drive. Our defense was gassed. Our offense wasn’t playing too well either by that point in the game.”

“What? You guys were ranked something like 8th in passing and 10th in rushing last season,” Kyle responded. “I’d have to say Sam and his offense would have found a way for you to win. You’ve got a hell of an OC, Coach.” Kyle chuckled. “You know Sam is the dean of the Paradise coaching fraternity?”

“No, Kyle, I’m not the dean,” Sam responded.

“You’re the oldest among us,” Kyle answered. “You started coaching first, didn’t you?”

“Zack retired in 2016,” Sam said. “I retired in 2018. And, I am not the oldest among the Paradise High School players who took up coaching.” Kyle looked at Sam, perplexed. “Your position coach in high school?”

“Duh!” Kyle sighed as he did a face plant with his hand.

“Justin Baer is a couple months older than me and he took up coaching a good eight or so years before my brother did,” Sam said.

“Baer? Unusual name.” Coach Frank noted. “Baer ... like the running back for the Raiders Baer and his brother, the tight end in Houston?”

“Justin is Bill and Wes’s dad,” Kyle explained.

“Billy is why Justin never played football in college,” Sam added. “He got his girlfriend pregnant when they were seniors. He got a job to support his wife and kid and skipped college.”

“A couple years later, he was recruited by our head coach to help our team start winning some games,” Kyle commented.

“Damned shame for Justin,” Sam said. “Justin was talented enough to draw attention from Power 5 college coaches. He might have been good enough to make it to the NFL too. At least to get an invite to camp.”

“How many people do you have in your Paradise coaching fraternity?” Coach Frank asked.

“Sam, Sam’s brother Zack, me, Ed, Jeremy,” Kyle said as he motioned towards his friends sitting nearby. “ ... Matt, Brian...”

“Matt who?” Sam asked.

“Matt Sauder.”

“Yeah, that Matt,” Sam said, shaking his head. “Duh, he won Penn State a national championship, that’s all. He’s coaching where?”

“Matt is head coach for a high school team in the Lehigh Valley,” Kyle said. “Brian Miller is an unpaid intern with the Lions this season.”

“I thought he was still playing,” Sam remarked.

“Retired at the end of last season,” Kyle answered.

“That is an impressive list of coaches for one high school,” Coach Frank commented. “Almost as impressive as the list of NFL players from your high school.”

The old friends conversed while they waited for the action to start. C and Jeremy North joined the Eagles contingent as practice began. The bleachers full of coaches, scouts and front office people watched as the American team began their practice promptly at 11:30 am.