27.
Jay and Emily didn’t wait long to reconnect. They agreed to meet on a Sunday for a tour, so work and basketball could not be distractions. Emily had not worked in Gettysburg terribly long, but she knew practically every detail about every downtown building, including First Colonial’s branch.
“I'm hungry. Can I buy you lunch?" Jay asked.
Emily shook her head. “That would be inappropriate. We talked serious business.”
“Who would call a sandwich and a soda a bribe?” They went into a sandwich shop. Jay ordered two turkey subs and Cokes. Emily reached into her purse, but Jay refused to accept her money.
“How'd you get this job?” Jay asked, as he unwrapped his sandwich.
“I was the assistant director for a Main Street program in West Chester for a year after I finished my masters. I like this work because I’m a designer first, a preservationist second. Sometimes the businessmen don't like what I tell them. The guy who runs the pizza place is no different from you; he doesn't want to hear about design standards. I don't blame him. There was no pizza oven in that store during the Civil War. But I have to convince him that the standards are good for business and the town.”
Emily took a bite of her lunch and set it down on wax paper. "I'm a romantic, I guess, when it comes to history. This is a beautiful place, as nice as anything in New England, without the skiing, of course. Take a tour of the battlefield, just you in your car, no canned speech. Imagine the ghosts of soldiers in your head. You don't need a tour guide to tell you they're around.”
“You believe in ghosts?”
Emily couldn’t laugh in mid-bite. She held up her finger for a break to finish. “There’s so many stories behind these monuments,” she said, after she wiped her cheek with a napkin. “Your bank might not be treading on sacred ground, but you're squatting right by those memories.”
“Interesting choice of word—squatting—like a dog.”
Emily covered her mouth as she giggled. “I'm so sorry. No offense intended.”
“None taken. Those men were braver than we could ever imagine. I've never had to dodge bayonets and bullets.” Jay had never toured the battlefield in college, nor had he made the time since returning to Gettysburg. But now, he wanted to go, then buy a good book about life in Civil War era Gettysburg. Jay had little interest in military strategy, a hobby of other basketball coaches. But now, thanks to Emily and Herman Blount, he wanted to know the historical significance of every downtown building. Preservation made parts of the community prosperous and better informed about its past.
“The women didn’t have it so good either. They lived on the battlefield, and they were forced to give food and shelter to the enemy. Tell you what. I'll give you my personal guided tour of the downtown and the battlefield. I do good ghost noises, too." Emily puckered her lips to form sounds mixed of whistling and wind.
Jay cracked up. “C'mon, ghosts don't sound like that.”
Emily laughed. “How do you know? You talk like everything is based on something tangible, the team, a bank branch. Some things, like ghost noises, are not.”
Jay finished his sandwich and drink, crumbled the paper sandwich wrapper into a ball. Still seated, no other patrons dining besides Emily, he tossed it into the nearest open wastebasket, not something a button-down businessman would usually do. The arc was perfect; the ball dropped in the can without touching the sides.
“Nice shot. Think I can hit one from here?”
She got up, crumbled her paper into a ball, walked over to the wastebasket and dropped it in.
“Hey, no fair,” he said. “You got up. That’s cheating.”
Emily chuckled. “You didn't say I had to throw it or make it sitting down.”
"Good point."
“Two points.”
“Were you really as good as you said you were?”
“Averaged eight points, six assists a game in competitive varsity action. Your point guard reminds me of me,” she said. “I root for short people. They're always the underdogs,” Emily looked at the clock. “You better get going. I've got a meeting to prep for.”
They had been talking for two and a half hours. Luckily no one had called with any bank or basketball business.
28.
Jay left Emily’s office only to find Stan Reynolds leaning against the driver’s side fender of the Mini Cooper. He muttered to himself that the car needed a wash. Jay also noticed that Stan’s rear was not far from a small glop of bird poop on the fender close to the windshield but resisted the urge to smile or warn him.
“Funny, Jay. Last two times I see you, you’re with that girl, like she’s some kind of good luck charm.” Stan said, his hands slipping back, almost touching the poop. But he lifted them up just in time.
“Really? How?”
“Well, isn’t it a strange coincidence that she happens to walk into the Pub, catch Barry trying to push you around? Then she’s at school with you and that other guy. Whoever he is. Now, I see you having lunch with her.”
“She gave me a tour. I’m sure she’d do the same for any new businessperson in town.”
“You’re not exactly new. You went to school here.”
“So? By the way, that ‘other guy’ is Vic Alston, my new assistant. He’ll be coaching jayvee, helping me with the varsity, including Megan. Trust me, he’ll make these girls better players.”
Stan backed up a step as Jay opened the driver’s door. “You know what? Between you and me, Jay, Barry wasn’t too bright. He was safe in his job, let Megan and her friends play, kept Bonita happy, let her play her game. But that Baker girl ruined everything.”
His hands on top of the window frame, Jay put right foot on the door plate, left his left on the ground. “What do you mean, she’s ‘ruined everything’? Stef’s an important part of this team. She might have been the difference between winning and losing some of those games. Barry was lazy, that’s all. You’ll be surprised what Stef can do when you push her, and what Megan can do when she’s better coached and ready.”
“Take this any way you like, Jay. But we—Me, Bobby Hancock, Traci Ward, other parents, we’ll be watching—and stay away from Emily.”
“Why?”
“Let’s just say her future in Gettysburg’s a short one.”
“Really? What’s she done to displease you?”
“Jay, you don’t understand Gettysburg. We need business and jobs. I cringe every time she makes the most detailed recommendations based on some personal design manual. Thanks to her we’ve lost more business prospects as we’ve won. Who bleepin’ cares about a design manual? We don’t need to take our town all the way back to 1863.”
“I’ve met people who feel responsible for protecting Gettysburg’s place in history.”
“Yeah, and we have too many vacant buildings and storefronts. Your bank got our blessings ‘cause they were the only ones who wanted that convenience store site. Your architect always ran to me complaining about Emily telling him to fix this or that. Quite frankly, we’re lucky that your CEO has personal affections for the college and the town. But people ‘round here are sensitive—and we haven’t seen enough goodwill since that branch opened.”
Jay rolled his eyes. “Stan, I’m sorry. But I gotta go. Nice chatting with you.” Jay opened his driver’s door, buckled up, and started the ignition. He laughed softly as he tuned the radio to find a joyous song.
Stan continued to glare down at Jay, then he stepped aside to allow him to drive away.
That night, he got a text from Emily.
Enjoyed our lunch. Let’s do another.
29.
Jay and Vic’s first win came against an undemanding opponent, but the second, versus East Harrisburg, was by only one point on the road. The audience of 1,500 or so, all for the opposition, was ready to cheer on the East Harrisburg Rams, showing their school pride with signs, spirit sticks, noisemakers, and blue and gold painted faces. Their attendance and noise outnumbered the Generals by more than ten to one.
“Sure, there’s a lot more seats,” Jay said to Vic as they watched the Generals practice shooting, “but the baskets and the court look the same.”
“True, bro, but it’s tough to take the crowd out of a game.”
Unfortunately, the hometown Rams appeared sprightlier at every position on varsity and jayvee. Vic coached his jayvees in a tough game, their first loss of the season. As the jayvees showered and dressed in the visitor’s locker room. Jay’s face turned pale as he watched six-six Katrina Montrose snare balls off the glass backboard during warm-ups. Taller than any General, with more spring in her leap and longer arms, she had been selected to play against Kelsey Baumgartner from Chambersburg High in all-star games over the previous summer. UConn was recruiting both players, but not Bonita, according to George Jonas, the York-Harrisburg Patriot writer who was about to cover this game.* While the reporter praised Bonita’s talents, he also made the point that Katrina and Kelsey played for far more successful programs more respected by successful college coaches. The writer, who noted Jay’s inexperience, never bothered to ask Bonita who her father was.
“Katrina looks intense, Coach," Bonita said after she led the team through exercises and finished her warm-up shots. “I’ve played against her in summer games since seventh grade. We called her Eraser Hands. She wipes anything off the backboard.”
Jay cringed. Katrina would give Stefani and Megan more than they could possibly handle. Stefani became less afraid to go for the ball in Jay’s first game as head coach, grab it near the rim, and pass off to a teammate when she didn’t have the easy two. Megan’s attitude improved as Jay and Vic found ways to get her more involved and realized the rewards from helping Stefani and Bonita hit their shots, while she scored more, too. Bonita, Amanda and Danielle, now getting varsity minutes, became better set up to go on the run the very second the Generals took possession. Bonita also found her voice in practice, helping her teammates to notice their mistakes without hurting their feelings, much as she’d try to do with Stefani. However, she stepped too far out of her role at East Harrisburg after Vic led the jayvees to a win.
“Hey bitch,” a tall, chunky girl shouted at Bonita from the stands.
Bonita turned to face the girl, who poked her neighbor in the elbow, pointed at Bonita and laughed. Her neighbor, a shorter, but equally buxom, girl laughed along. Bonita shrugged and went back to warming up with her teammates.
“Don’t pay attention to them,” Jay said.
“Yo bitch,” the tall girl said, “We’re talkin’ to you.”
Bonita turned and stared for a few seconds. The smart thing would have been to ignore her, but Bonita stood still and stared into her eyes.
“What’s the matter?” Jay shouted. “Get back and warm up.”
“You’re not so bad,” the short girl said, noticing that she had caught Bonita’s attention.
“Back to work, Bonita,” Jay said. “Forget about them.”
But Bonita walked towards the stands with Jay in pursuit. “What did you say?” she shouted.
“You heard us, bitch,” the tall girl replied. “Your team’s goin’ down.” Bonita shook her head and turned back to the court.
“Oooooh, c’mon, Poor baby, she’s afraid,” said the taller girl, her arms and fists swung in an exaggerated boxing stance. “Pussy, that’s all she is.”
“Shut up,” Bonita said calmly after she turned around.
Jay stepped in front of his best player, momentarily blocking her view of the stands. “Get back here, right now. Stop it," Jay said, "or you're out of the game."
"What's the matter, baby?" the girl called back in a sarcastic whiny tone that Stefani had once given Jay and Bonita on the Rec Center court. “Pussy,”
"Don't answer them, Bonita. You're better than that," said Jay. “Get back to work.”
Bonita stepped away and walked into the first row of seats. “We’ll settle this after the game,” she said up to the girls.
Smacking fists to palms, the girls smiled anxious and ready.
Jay gritted his teeth and pointed to the Generals bench. “No, you won’t. You’ve got the day off.”
“I’m sorry, Coach, I couldn’t let it go. I’ll forget it after the whistle. I swear I will.”
“You got an ‘H’. Ready to try for an ‘O’?”
“But, Coach,” she pleaded. “It won’t happen again.”
“Now you’ll have time to think about what you did. I better hear you cheer really loud and give this team your all. Sulk for even one second, and you’ll get more days off— got me?”
No way could she play. The opposing coach might have seen Bonita’s altercation with the fans. He could rightfully demand that Bonita not be allowed to play—and the refs would back him up. “Sit on that bench and cheer,” Jay ordered sternly, “Help Alyssa with the towels and water.”
“Yeah, I get you, Coach.” Dejected, Bonita sat in her assigned seat and stared onto the court, cursing to herself. Jay walked away, not caring to listen.
Jay and Vic called the varsity, minus Bonita, to huddle up. Although no one stood within ten feet of their huddle, they bent over as if they shared a secret that could not be overheard. “Ok, Bonita’s got the day off. All of you share her job. Danielle moves into her spot. Megan and Stefani join her upfront,” he said, “I want to play fast, see long passes after every defensive rebound. One pass past the line and move—feed to Amanda to dish it out or fire the ball down court to Danielle or Stefani if they’re open. Hustle for every loose ball. Got it?”
“We got this, Coach,” Stefani said. She had fire in her eyes, a spirit she did not usually have before a game. The remaining starters: Amanda, Ronni, Danielle and Megan gave Jay and Vic thumbs up.
“Okay, let’s get it together.” Players and coaches locked hands on Jay’s command. “Generals on three. Let ‘em know you’re here to play. One, two, three.”
“GEN-RALS!” they cheered as the referee's whistle summoned them to tip-off.
The Generals executed precisely the way Jay and Vic wanted, but Katrina Montrose was in Stefani’s face, or Megan’s, from the start. Whenever Stefani attempted a shorter jumper, Katrina’s long arms stopped the ball before it could begin its arc towards the basket. Neutralized by a better player, Stefani and Megan looked for mismatches that might create a surer opportunity for a deuce or trey for a teammate. While she was held to eight points, Stefani had 10 rebounds and 10 assists by the end of the third quarter.
Jay shook his head in pleasant disbelief. Her teammates on the bench, prodded by Bonita, pointed to her after a successful assist. Stefani had helped make Amanda the Generals’ leading scorer with 22 points. Megan outscored Stefani for the first time all season, mostly off passes close to the basket and offensive rebounds off the backboard that Katrina could not snatch to pass off to her teammates. The Generals had managed to stay within three for most of the game. But Katrina put Stefani into foul trouble at the beginning of the fourth quarter. With four minutes left in the game, Stefani had four fouls, Megan three.
Left with no choice, Jay kept them in the game, hopeful that the rest of the team could keep the point difference respectable. But Megan got her fourth foul as she battled Katrina for a rebound. Jay turned beet red as the ref signaled a two and a one with his hands, Megan’s number 21. But he showed faith and told her to stay in. If they were to lose, he thought, better for their best players to be on the court.
East Harrisburg was in the bonus. They got two shots, instead of one, when Katrina stepped to the line. She made both to put the Rams up by five.
Stefani hit a three pointer on the General’s next possession to give her the first triple-double of her high school career. She got back on defense fast enough to run with Katrina, leaving her feet in synch as Katrina drove to the basket, ball in hand. Katrina scored, but it didn’t count. Stefani drew her into a charging foul.
Stefani rubbed a bruise that Katrina had inflicted on her elbow and proceeded to miss both free throws. On the General’s next possession, she passed the ball up court to Megan and ran quickly to join her teammates near the basket. Megan found Amanda at the three-point line, but the tiny point guard didn’t have the shot. Instead, she looked for Stefani, shifting towards her right, Katrina near the basket ready to grab the miss. Stefani grabbed the pass, set her feet quickly and fired. The ball swished through the net for three, the Generals up by one. Led by Bonita, the bench, stood up and applauded Stefani efforts, as the team hung on in the closing moments for the one-point win.
Jay ordered his team, including Bonita, to line up and congratulate the losers. Bonita was last in line for the Generals. Katrina last for the Rams. There was no tension between the two captains as they shook hands. But there was a confused look in Katrina's eyes. Bonita hugged her lightly—they were long-time summer rivals —but did not give her the satisfaction of an answer. Then Bonita looked up in the stands. The taunting East Harrisburg fans left the gym. But Bonita showed no fear in her eyes or her step as she headed into the locker room to shower and change.
Alben and Herman had made the trip to see their daughters play what they had believed to be a very difficult game. They approached Jay and Vic with confused looks. They did not know about Bonita’s actions before tipoff. But they did not appear to angry since the Generals had managed to win.
“Jay, what the hell...?” Herman asked, in a pleading tone.
“Bonita was challenged to a fight before the game. She handled it poorly. I couldn’t let her play.”
Herman nodded softly, saying nothing.
As Herman walked away, George Jonas, a reporter for the York-Harrisburg Patriot approached Jay. “Coach Siler, do you care to explain the unusual strategy you chose to win this game?”
“Interesting, wasn’t it?” Jay answered. “Hope you’ll come to our next games. I might have a few more surprises in store for you and the fans.”