My father smiled, looked him in the eye, and said,“Football!
“I answered,“Hell no!
I couldn’t afford it.
I was also the running back who got most of the handoffs and returned kickoffs and punts.
It’s a day of atonement.
Certainly, I was no Sandy Koufax, and neither was my father.
He told me not to fast and to eat a good lunch.
I can’t remember ever seeing Nick without his black leather biker jacket.
When I met him in eighth grade, he wore a good-lookin' leather biker jacket every day.
I immediately asked him,“What’s up, Nick?”
In a curious tone, I asked,“What’s this?”
It was quite a moment and an incredibly kind gesture.
Realizing his sincerity, I looked him in the eye and said,“Thanks so much, Nick.
“I nodded approval, and then we both headed for first-period class.
