Award

"We eat what we kill, Jimmy. This is no different than you eating a hamburger. The same process is done to a cow. It is bloody and it is messy, but, if you want to hunt, you have to come to grips with it," I warned.

He nodded solemnly as I handed him my hunting knife and I raised the deer up and carefully explained to him how to skin the deer. He cautiously followed my instructions and didn't flinch as he removed the organs and intestines. I then carried the carcass to my dad's freezer as Jimmy buried the offal.

After he finished, he came to me and we sat waiting on the return of all the hunters. Slowly they drifted in, and for those fortunate to bag a deer, Jimmy would volunteer to dress it to continue gaining his experience.

Among the last to arrive in camp were my dad and Mr. Smith. We watched as Mr. Smith dragged in a deer. "Look at what I got, Jimmy!" he shouted. We casually wandered over as dad and Mr. Smith prepared to dress the deer. "Way to go, Dad!" Jimmy said as he began to dress out his father's deer. Mr. Smith looked on in amazement as Jimmy expertly cleaned the deer and I carried it to our now full freezer.

That night, Mr. Smith and Jimmy experienced their first taste of venison as they devoured the steaks I had prepared. I could tell that it wouldn't be the last time they ate it as they continued to enjoy the fellowship of the camp.

Then Dad got up to make a little speech. "Today, has been a great day hunting and enjoying one another's company as we have done so now for three generations. I'm pleased to announce that the members of the camp have voted unanimously to invite the Smiths' to join our camp. So what do you say, Tom?"

The look of pleasure on Tom Smith's face couldn't be disguised as he accepted to a round of applause. "Now, Tom, we have a tradition that when you kill your first deer, you undergo a rite." Tom nodded as this was one of the things I had told him at the shooting range. Dad, went over and smeared Tom's cheek with deer blood and cut off his shirttail.

Tom said that this had been one of the best days in his life and he couldn't wait to have his deer head mounted in his study as he looked at the three point spike he had killed that afternoon.

"You might want to rethink about mounting that head." I interrupted, "Besides, we aren't through with the ceremony yet!"

I was pleased by the buzz from the camp as they tried to figure out what I meant.

"Jimmy, why don't you show them what you brought home today."

The clamor from the camp erupted as Jimmy brought in the 14 point buck head.

"Son, did you really kill that?" Tom asked.

"Yes, Dad, Jim gave me his rifle after I pointed out the deer. He told me since I had spotted it first, I deserved the chance at it!"

"Well, boy, I guess we'll have to go back and buy you a rifle when we get home!"

Jimmy continued to grin.

"At least, it won't cost you that much, Mr. Smith. The club has a yearly contest to see who kills the biggest buck. Jimmy's deer won it this year!" I announced as everyone crowded Jimmy offering handshakes and congratulations. Jimmy insisted that I do the honor as I applied deer blood on his cheek and cut off his shirttail.

Then photographs were taken of father and son capturing the moment in posterity as the men in the Smiths' family jointly celebrated this rite of passage. When we got home late Sunday, we had agreed that the deer meat would go in my dad's freezer and a meal would be planned soon for the entire Smith family to enjoy at our house, so Mrs. Smith would learn how to marinate and prepare the meat.

I told Mr. Smith that I would drop off Jimmy's deer head to the taxidermist first thing in the morning so he could mount it. He gripped my hand tightly in a handshake and thanked me for all the help I had given him and Jimmy. Jimmy was undecided between giving me a hug and shaking my hand, so we did both as I wished him a goodnight.

Monday at lunch I was treated to a beaming Vicky as she announced I had achieved hero status with Jimmy. I told her, he had done all the hard work; I was just there, along for the ride. She then explained that her Dad wasn't far behind Jimmy in thinking I hung the moon. She said Carol was upset that I helped Jimmy kill a poor deer. But, then Jimmy explained to her that hunting kept the deer population under control; otherwise, they would all be starving. Also, that it wasn't any different from eating a hamburger. Vicky said she knew immediately where he picked up that rationale.

I just grinned and asked how her weekend went. We talked about how Mooreville barely squeeked by its last opponent, no thanks to Ricky Wilson. Rumors were floating around that the offense was ready to mutiny against him, until Coach Chambers talked to everyone. There must have been some validity to it, because guys on the team started talking to me once again. I was careful not to say anything derogatory about anyone.

I could tell Katie was unhappy that I was coming out of Siberia. This week was Homecoming at our school. Katie barely managed to get elected on the Homecoming Court and her BFF, Lisa earned her eternal animosity by being elected Queen. Katie and Ricky had a shouting match during one of their class when Katie blamed her demotion to Ricky's lackluster play.

The callers on the radio show turned against him as well. Call after call came in complaining about how inept Ricky was and how they wished I hadn't have gotten hurt. Even Coach Chambers wasn't able to convince anyone about Ricky anymore.

That Friday evening, I was with Vicky once again at her house. She turned on the Mooreville game, briefly and we heard how Mooreville was getting beaten down in the third quarter. She smiled, thinking I would be pleased by the news. Instead she saw me react with sadness. I told her, how it had been my goal to lead my team to a State championship this year, and now, it was a failed dream.

We sat in silence and then she took my hand and said we were going for a drive. She drove us to the football stadium and we argued until she got out of the car and said that I could wait till she came back after the game. I grumbled as I got out to accompany her.

When we reached the stands, we saw Carol and Jimmy waving to us, motioning for us to come sit by them. As we walked toward them, we heard a few people start clapping in the stands. The applause grew, even though there was nothing going on in the game that warranted applause. Still people began to stand up and cheer, I still couldn't figure it out. Then Vicky, whispered to me they were cheering for me. She stepped back and began applauding, as well.

I stopped, stunned by the adulation as the crowd roared to me and gave me a standing ovation. I saw the offense on the field stop the play and began applauding me, as well as the rest of the team on the sideline. I began to tear up and I raised my hand thanking everyone and that caused another round of applause, as Vicky and I continued toward Carol and Jimmy.

I sat quiet for several minutes, not trusting myself not to breakdown if I tried to speak. Vicky, Carol, and Jimmy pretended not to notice how emotional I was as Mooreville continued to lose its Homecoming game. When the game was over, I asked Vicky to take me to the river. When I got out, I walked away toward the bank and cried by myself, until Vicky came over and held me until I could recover. I asked her to take me home.

As she drove, she said she wanted to ask a favor of me. Next Friday, it would be Harrisburg's Homecoming game against, you guessed it, Mooreville. Her closest friend, Susan was Homecoming Queen and she wanted to go to the game and surprise her and Will. She had already talked with her parents and they said she could go if I went on the trip with her.

As much as it would hurt me to see her and Will together I told her I would do it. The gloom of the school matched my own, except for the times I put on my game face for Vicky. I arrived at Vicky's house Friday afternoon to find out that Carol and Jimmy were going along as well. As Tom Smith handed me the keys to the family's BMW sedan, I commented at least I wouldn't lose at Monopoly tonight. That earned a round of guffaws as I told everyone to buckle up.

The two hour trip passed quickly as we all engaged in conversation. Vicky had let it slip that she had talked several times to my sister, Mary. I could only imagine what those conversations were about. Carol and Jimmy insisted on knowing what they discussed. That was when Vicky revealed to them my nickname, Shoe. For the remainder of the trip to Harrisburg I was bombarded with shoe comments.

Due to Harrisburg undefeated season, the stadium was jam packed. Somehow, Vicky found seats on the Mooreville side, which was flooded with the spillover Harrisburg fans. She said, she would meet with Susan, Will, and the rest of her friends after the game. I watched as Vicky's friend, Susan was crowned Queen. She was an attractive brunette, but, there was no doubt in my mind, that under different circumstances, Vicky, would be wearing that tiara.

Vicky was thinking that as well as I saw the sad look on her face. I took her hand and held it, just to show my support for her. She smiled at my effort and continued to look wistfully on what she had missed out on.

You couldn't really call it a game. Will Akers came out blazing and he didn't let up for the entire game. When the score got to 56-0, Coach Chambers gave up the ghost after the fifth interception and replaced Ricky with a junior quarterback to give him some experience. Ricky sat forlornly on the bench and no one came over to him to cheer him up.

When the clock went to zero, Vicky jumped up and ran out on the field. Will Akers had been hoisted on the shoulders of his teammates as they led him over to the Homecoming Court. They deposited him in front of Susan where the two kissed at midfield to the delight of the Harrisburg crowd.

"You Sonuvabitch!" I yelled loud enough for him to hear me. Vicky was still walking toward them in shock from the betrayal. I was moving as fast as I could to get to Vicky. I caught her right before she collapsed in front of her Harrisburg friends. Susan continued to possessively hold Will in her grasp and he made no effort to go to Vicky. I led Vicky away from the scene as she broke down in my arms.

Out of nowhere, Carol and Jimmy appeared and we all helped get Vicky to the car. I put Vicky in the back seat and told Carol to take care of her. Jimmy got in the front seat and we began the arduous journey back to Mooreville.

It was breaking my heart to hear her sobs as I stole glances in the rear view mirror of Carol consoling her sister. I gave Jimmy my cell phone and quietly told him to text his mother about what happened.

When we got home, her parents were waiting outside as I shut off the motor. When she saw her mother, Vicky sought her arms and they stood there as Mrs. Smith comforted her daughter. I told Carol to let me know if I could do anything. She nodded her agreement and followed her mother and sister inside.

As I stood outside with Jimmy and Tom Smith, I asked him if he would mind if I kept his car for a little while longer. He asked me why. I told him I was going back to Harrisburg to kick the everloving shit out of Will Akers. He said, "Son, as much as I would like for you to do it, I can't let you." He told me to come inside and be there for Vicky.

When I went into the den, Vicky got up and came over to me and hugged me as she continued to cry. I watched as the rest of the family slipped off as I led Vicky back to the couch.

"Its going to be okay, baby. I'm not going to let anybody hurt you." I softly whispered to her and she reacted by hugging me tighter. I continued to hold her throughout the night, consoling her. When I woke up the early morning sun was in my eyes. Sometime during the night, somebody had gotten up and threw a blanket over us as we slept.

When Vicky opened her eyes moment later, I stared at her unmade face; her eyes red from crying all night and knew I would never find anyone as beautiful as her ever again. I told her I would make her breakfast. We went into the kitchen and I made us omelets. As she picked at her food, I told her she was going to eat. I began feeding her one bite at a time until she finished both hers and mine off.

Then I took her by the hand and led her outside to my truck. We got in and I drove her back to the river. I got a blanket out and we huddled together and just sat and watched the river.

Hours passed and suddenly she spoke, "What now, Jim?"

I knew she was looking for answers, "Now we settle back for the next seventy or eighty years of me loving you with every fiber of my body. I don't want you to think this is a rebound, Vicky. I fell for you the first time you kicked my ass!"

That got a laugh from her and I told her how beautiful she was when she laughed and how I intended to keep her smiling the rest of her life.

"Well, what are you going to do if I'm not smiling?"

"Then, I'll brace myself for the worst cussing out that I'll ever deserve for failing you."

Another smile.

"You really love me, don't you?"

There was only one way to answer that question as I leaned forward to kiss her.

As we broke the embrace of the kiss, she looked at me and said, "I'm such a dumbass, I should've let you kiss me when we met Mary!" Then she grinned as I closed in for another kiss.

We kept busy like that until both our cellphones started going off.

"I better return you before they send out a posse."

As I dropped her off she asked if I would be coming to see her in the evening. I could sense her vulnerability as I told her, this evening and every evening after, and I kissed her in front of her parents.

So many things happened after that.

Mooreville lost the final game of the season as Ricky rode the bench for the entire game. Katie broke up with him an hour after the season ended. The next Monday she tried making goo goo eyes at me until Vicky threatened to beat her sorry ass. I reminded my darling that she didn't have to worry about me as I kissed her in the hallway. Yeah, I got detention for public display of affection. But, any kiss from Vicky was worth that.

Will Akers did make All-State and became State Champion. He got a scholarship from the University, but he didn't factor in that I totally rehabbed my knee and walked on at the University. From the first day of practice it was evident I was better than Will and I started as a freshman. All Will ever got to play was garbage time after I had led the team to victory. Coach Porter soon became the interim head coach as the head coach passed away from a heart attack. He immediately offered me a scholarship. The interim was removed as I led our team to their first Bowl victory in twenty years.

The next three years we went undefeated and claimed three consecutive National Championships as we beat the odds and went in the history books as a dynasty. I won the Heisman Award as a junior and a senior. At the NFL Draft Day, I was selected the Number One draft as the Dallas Cowboys traded up to get me. The world got to see me get up from the table and kiss my bride, Vicky, my sister-in-law Carol, my mother-in-law, my mom, my two sisters before I went on stage to pose holding a Cowboys jersey

I signed for an unbelievable amount of money and me and Vicky were set for life. But Vicky was successful in her own right as the author of a series of children's books. A good thing as she gave birth to triplets. All girls, all healthy, all able to get me to do anything for them.

After my tenth year in the NFL, I was ready to move on before I wound up broken physically and unable to enjoy life. I left with four Super Bowl Rings, two MVP's awards, and ten trips to the Pro Bowl. I was a lock for the Hall of Fame as soon as I was eligible.

As for Coach Chambers, right after high school graduation, a press report came out about steroid abuse at Mooreville High. No, I didn't nark on him. Remember, Billy the team manager? Well, Billy got fed up with him and reported everything to the authorities and they subpoenaed everything from Coach Chambers, which included the footage of Ricky tearing up my knee.

In an effort to drag down everybody with him, Coach Chambers reported that I had been taking Performance Enhancing Drugs since I was in the 8th grade. I called for a press conference where I handed over to the authorities every sealed unopen bottle that Coach Chambers had given me. I explained how he told me that the pills were "vitamin supplements". I chose not to take them and kept them in the event it was necessary to prove my innocence.

The last team Coach Chambers had was the prison football team.

Ricky Wilson had to sneak out of town when the computer footage of him tearing up my knee came out. He started drinking and doing drugs and pissed away every dime his family had. The last I heard he was driving a cab in Vegas.

Will Akers married his Homecoming Queen, Susan and they spent their marriage trying to out-cheat each other.

As for Katie, she tried one last time to contact me at college and Vicky fulfilled her promise to beat her down. The last I heard about her, she was working at the cosmetic counter of some department store.

Vicky and I were in constant demand to be interviewed as one of America's most glamorous couple. I could always count at some point in the interview to be asked what was the most prestigious award I won in my career.

I would always smile and pull my wife to her feet and reply, "The love of my life." and kiss my darling Vicky.