Part 5


Kevin was tired.  Penn had been invited to its first Bowl game in over 15 years.  The Horizon bowl wasn't one of the bigger known Bowl games, but it was a start for a team that hadn't planned on having a post season.  The final score was 21-20, Penn being the 20.  Kevin blamed himself.  He had gone for the two-point conversion trying to run the ball in but was tackled 2 feet from the goal line.

The team stayed in Seattle over night, which was nice because Kevin's mom and two brothers had flown out to see the game, the first game they had been able to attend for the year, and it gave him a chance to spend some time with them.  The flight back to Philly was something Kevin would rather forget.  There had been a screw up with their flight plans, and since it was the 2nd of January, the flights were full of people returning home from the holidays.  The team ended up in coach instead of the first class they had on the way over.  If he hadn't been part of it, he would have thought it was quite funny, watching 40 large college football players trying to fit into narrow seats with no legroom for a three-hour flight.  Kevin himself had been placed next to a chatty grandmother who had insisted upon showing him pictures of all 14 grandchildren.  His Southern upbringing and good breeding prevented him from objecting or from providing the proud woman with anything less than his full and undivided attention.

She had a lot of pictures.

He was still a little dazed as he approached his room.  It was Monday afternoon and Chris would be working at the warehouse, so he'd be able to sleep the rest of the day.  Opening the door he was not happy to see 20 people in the room all yelling surprise. 

Dragging on a smile, he looked around the crowd.  All were people from various classes he had, and all were people that he had told Chris that he respected.  Chris must have spent a lot of time and effort preparing this for him, and he was grateful, but he really wanted to kill the little guy for doing this. 

Didn't they realize *he* lost the game?

As he walked further into the room, someone relieved him of his luggage.  He was slapped on the back several times, and told what a great game he played.  He felt like a hypocrite. 

"Cheer up man.  You look like..." 

Before Chris could finish the statement, Kevin cut in, his voice slightly harsh.  "I failed, Chris.  I wasn't able to make the play that mattered."

"Ah shit, man.  Is that what's got your undies in a bundle?  Dude, don't you realize what you've done?  You took a team that had no real prospects, turned them around, and led them to a Bowl game.  Yeah, you lost, but you lost by only one point.  And I gotta tell ya, that was one hell of a game.  From what I hear, it was the best Bowl game played over the weekend, and that's including the Rose Bowl.  Get over yourself, and enjoy the party."

Kevin looked sternly down his nose at Chris, trying to appear angry, but his friend was having none of it.

"You are such a dork.  Now be a good little boy, put on a smile and mingle with the people who came because they appreciated what you've done."  Kevin quirked a brow, giving his face an almost comical effect.  "That's it, you're getting there.  Next is the mouth.  Make the ends go up."  Chris reached up, and pushed the corners up.  "Whoo, there we go."  Putting his hands on the taller man's arms, he spun him around.   "Now go you.  Go forth and be merry.  We don't want Penn's Golden Boy," Chris ignored the growl the title garnered.  "To tarnish his image, now do we."

"You're an ass.  You know that?"

Chris feigned surprise.  "You noticed.  I must be better than I thought."

Kevin laughed and went to enjoy his party.

*****

Kevin moved through the crowd, his smile plastered on his face.  This was the third fundraiser he had been "asked" to attend in the last two weeks.  So much for being done with them.

"Kevin."  President Marlowe slapped the quarterback's shoulder.  "I'd like to introduce you to Jim Moorehead.  He's president/owner of Moorehead Management.  He's also a former graduate of Penn, who moved on to do graduate work at Harvard.  We're quite proud to have him as a part of our alumni. He's also one of our biggest sponsors."  The last was said more quietly to Kevin.

Kevin held out his hand, inwardly cursing the university president for the twentieth time that night.  "It's nice to meet you, sir."

"The pleasure is all mine."  President Marlowe walked off, leaving Kevin with the job of charming the man for a larger donation.  "You've done a fine job with the team this year.  That was a helluva game you played.  Helluva game.  We expect great things from you in the future."

"I'll do my best to live up to expectations, sir."

"I'm sure you will."

The two talked for a while longer, mostly about various games throughout the season.  When Kevin thought they were finally finished, Mr. Moorehead surprised him.  "Tell me Kevin, how do you like attending Penn?"

"I like it very much."

"Do you see yourself staying here through the summers?"

"Nah.  I plan on heading back to Kentucky as soon as the term is over.  Although I'll be back soon enough for training camp."

The other man nodded.  "I was hoping that you'd be here year round."

"Why?"

"Because my company owns a number of apartment complexes throughout the town.  One of them, it's not really an apartment complex, but a 20-unit townhouse complex."  Kevin nodded, waiting to see where the discussion was going.  "The young man I had living there as the landlord has just finished his post-graduate studies, and will be moving to Boston.  I need someone to take his place who will be remaining in the area year round for the next several years that might be interested in filling the position."

Confused, Kevin worked through the conversation in his head trying to figure out what he was missing.  "I'm sorry, sir.  Why exactly are you asking me?"

Mr. Moorehead chuckled.  "I'm sorry, son.  I guess I didn't provide you with enough information.  The complex is about a half hour from here.  I like to offer the position to someone who's attending school.  It's not a particularly difficult job, but it is an upscale area, and needs someone who's responsible.  It allows the person to continue with their schoolwork without any worries.  I was hoping that you might be interested in taking his position.  You're an admirable young man who's going far.  Someone I feel I could trust.  Answer me this -- do you know of someone who might be an alternative?"

Kevin smiled the first honest smile of the evening.  "Yes sir.  I do know of someone, but she's not attending Penn, she's at the local community college."

Mr. Moorehead stroked at his beard a moment, thinking.  "I don't see a problem with that."  He pulled out a card holder from the inside of his jacket, extracted a card, and handed it to Kevin.  "Just have her call this number, and tell her to tell my secretary that she is calling about the townhouse position.  We'll set up an interview, and if I like her, the position is hers."

*****

The dorm unit was dark when Kevin returned after the party.  For a change, he didn't bother trying to be quiet.  He walked into the bedroom and turned on the light.  As he took off his clothes, carefully hanging the suit up in the closet, he heard a complaining groan from the other bed.  "Hey.  Sorry to wake you up, but we need to talk."

Without waiting for a response, he went to the kitchen area and poured himself a glass of milk.  Sitting at the table, he was amused to see Chris walking out of the room scratching at his bed hair, yawning.

"It's 2 a.m.  You just getting home now?"

"Yeah.  I really hate being the schools Golden Boy."  He glared at Chris when his friend smirked.  But to be honest, if this worked out the way he hoped, he'd gladly accept the title.  At least for now.

"Why'd you get me up?"  Kevin pushed over the business card and watched as Chris picked it up.  "Okay?  I don't get it."

"I met Mr. Moorehead tonight."

"Uh huh."

"Well, he asked me if I knew anyone who might be able to fill a position he has.  And your mom came to mind."

Chris sighed, and looked guardedly at Kevin.  "This another one of your little schemes, Kevin?"

Kevin held his hands up.  "Whoa.  I had nothing to do with this.  Honest.  He's the one who came to me and he's the one who made the offer.  I just thought of your momma."  Repeating the conversation to Chris, he waited for his friend to respond.

"It couldn't hurt.  Any idea where this complex is at?"

"Yup."  Kevin gave him the address.

"Any idea if it's respectable?"

"You're the one from town.  But I have some free time tomorrow.  If you'd like, I can go there and check it out."

Chris nodded, thinking things through.  "I'd appreciate it.  If it looks like a good place to live, then I'll have mom make the call."

*****

Pulling his coat closer around himself, muttering to himself, "I'm a Southern boy.  Damn cold."  Kevin walked through the quad, heading back to his dorm.  Classes had gone well.  He was enjoying his second semester at Penn.  The extra time afforded to him because of no football was filled with other activities.  He'd joined several groups including a ballroom dancing group as well as a swing-dancing group.  His momma would be so proud of him.  Relieved to see his building looming before him, he rushed in, stamping his feet as he waited for the elevator.

"We'll get your blood thickened up before you graduate, Kevin."

Kevin looked over at Dean Fields, a junior who lived with his wife on the same floor as Kevin.

"I keep wondering why I didn't go to Stanford with that nice California sun."

Dean laughed.  "Too late now.  We got you, and we're not letting you go."

Kevin winked at him as he got on the elevator.  "Possessive lot, you Yankees."

"Damn straight."

Opening the door to his room, Kevin was met with a very energized Chris, which, in actuality wasn't all that different than usual.

"Where have you been?  I've been waiting forever for you to show up.  And I have to leave for work in," Chris looked at the clock.  "Fuck, in ten minutes."

"I just got outta my Roman History class.  You know that."

"Yeah, yeah.  I know.  Sorry.  I'm just really excited.  Mom called about half an hour ago.  Kevin, you didn't tell me everything."

"Uh, excuse me?"

"About the job, man.  You didn't tell me that the place was rent free."

"What do you mean it's rent free?"

"You didn't know?"  Chris truly seemed surprised.  "Wow, okay, I thought you were holding out on me."  Shrugging a little, Chris seemed even more excited.  "Well.  Mom said that she met with Mr. Moorehead, and he liked her, and gave her the position."  Chris began to bounce on the balls of his feet.  "The position, are you ready for this man?  Mom and the girls get to live in unit one, which you saw, right?"  At Kevin's nod, Chris continued.  "Well, they get to live there rent free."

"Whoa."

"Yeah, but that's not all.  She'll also be receiving a salary.  For doing this one thing, she'll be making as much as she made with all three of her previous jobs put together.  And with not having to pay rent, that means they'll have extra money.  And," he held his hands up, pointing skyward, "he told her the job was hers for as long as she's still in school.  Seems that this is his way of helping college students.  I mean, this is, this is..."

Kevin smiled down.  "This is excellent news."

"Yeah."

Okay, maybe being the school's Golden Boy had its perks.


Part 6