Wow, it was Thursday and I was back, totally focused on school and football. The calculus teacher gave more off the books work saying he was impressed and said to make sure I had a good calculator as this was hard stuff. I thanked him and just had a good day. Lunch was fun as Rob joined us and we chatted and damn he had a couple of girls hitting on him. As we were heading out he said Mike all this attention I am getting is unusual, you setting that up? I laughed and said Rob you are ripped and in great shape and won't break any mirrors, and don't be offended but you are hot as hell. FYI, I'm not the type to hit on you, this all you. Just go with it. I skipped gym and went to the field house and did a light work out, coach came by and said, how is the foot? I said I think really good. Well have the trainer tape it and let's see you run and cut. It turned out to be good like I thought and coach said tomorrow it's defense only unless we get in a jam, I said your call and I joined the team for the walk thru.
When I got home, I grabbed an iced tea and went into dads office and called Tim. When he answered I asked if he had some time to chat, he replied Mike it your dime, what's up. Tim are my requests for the land and the building reasonable. He said Mike reasonable is in the eye of the beholder. There are a lot of ways to accomplish this; multiple dummy corporations, shell companies all legal. However, your approach is a perfect representation as to who, I think, you are. Basically here it is, take it or not but here it is. You play defense that way, you knock someone into next week, help him up, pat him on his helmet and do it again. If thats your business model, I'm good with it. Tim, is it a sound business approach, he said yes. Tim, you have to stop me when I'm about to fuck up, that's why you are there. Junior, I know that but I have not seen much junior in you yet. So relax and we can talk early next week. One more thing, I said what's that? Win tomorrow, good night and he hung up.
I looked in the refrigerator and found spaghetti and meatballs and a note. Enjoy dinner and make sure you win tomorrow. BTW Coltan said he enjoyed trying to change your image, Ryan.
I heated up the dinner, got more tea and started to eat when dad came in and joined me. We chatted about our day and then dad said, Tim talked with Brian today about the property and the building. Brian is less than pleased but can't find a real reason to argue other than to say you are a smart ass punk, but a very capable one. He wonders why you need legal representation. Dad that was not all me and Tim is firmly on my team. Well Mike, we are waiting for the lease and Tim a made 1.1 million dollar offer on the property all cash. Dad I know it will be what it becomes. Oh, Tim ok the 100k transfer from the Trust. You are no longer in charge of your brother, thanks for making me take over. With that I cleaned the kitchen and went upstairs to study.
In my room I opened my backpack and the extra math stuff fell out and I should not have but I started working on it. An hour went by and I was still at it and thankfully my phone rang and it was Jim. I said hi QB are you ready? He said fuck yes and by the way you dad and his attorney hired my dad. That's quite a project they have going on. Jim you have no idea and neither do they. I asked if there were plans for after the game and he said everyone is afraid to plan something, this is uncharted waters for all of us. I said ok QB, it is a game, like any other game, fuck the uncharted water BS and just play. We got this! Tell your dad congrats and he earned the job, dad is raving about him. I said get some sleep and hung up.
Then it was History and more industrial revolution, I was fascinated by all the local people like Carnegie, Morgan and a slew of others. This might be my favorite part of American history since the Revolution. Then I did some Spanish, I'm not a language person and I survive on my memory. The the phone rang again and it was Carrie. She said sexy boyfriend it is getting late so I thought I would call you to say good night and have a fun game. Everyone is going to hang out on the field after you guys win. Good night babe, Carrie there won't even be food there and she said silly boy the boosters are throwing a party for the team and whoever. Good night Mike.
I checked the clock and thought damn she is right it is getting late but that damn first math problem would not go away. I played with it for about 30 minutes and a light bulb went off and the answer appeared as if by magic. I took a quick very hot shower and jumped into bed nude and piled on the covers and slept like a new born.
The fucking alarm woke me up and damn it was game day 11. That is a first, Halloween and we are still playing football. I checked the weather and it was going to be dry and cold with temperature at game time around 45 degrees, perfect fucking football weather. I got to school and the place was different, sure there were classes and normal stuff but it was football, football and more football. At lunch Rob said, this is amazing, I've never seen anything like this even in Europe with their football. I looked at him and he said dumb ass that what they call soccer and I laughed. We went to the field house and there was food and soft drinks and game films and meetings going over keys and plays. Then it was time to get dressed and fuck there were new uniforms, none of us knew what to think, they had to have been order weeks ago. We went out for warmups and the fucking stadium was filled. It was sold out and we were on TV. Shit, that will complicate thing and make for a long night. Coach said Mike call tails and if that's the case we want the ball. Sure enough at the coin toss Jim called tails and was about to defer and I said Ref. we want the ball. Mike said dude you sure, we always call tails and defer, I said ask coach.
We got the ball and coach called the offense over, said Mike get over here and he called 4 plays and said. No huddle just run these 4 plays and see what happens. The first play was a pitch to me and I went around right end for 15 yards. On the second play Jim hit Ray for 20 down the middle on a great diving catch. Play 3 was a fake pitch to me with Jim keeping the ball and since everyone was all over me we could still be running and it was a 45 yard TD run.
We kicked off and I was right outside linebacker and they ran left for no gain, then threw left and the kid dropped the ball. I was starting to get the message and I saw something in the lineup that registered and I knew the play, it was a pass to my side on an out and up. I was all over it and it was a pick six and we were never challenged winning 35 - 7. After the hand shake a reported with a microphone and a camera came up to me and said Mike great game tonight, what does it feel like, this is the first playoff win for you school in a very long time? I said thanks but it was a total team effort, we have all worked hard all year to get here and we are not done. Mike, would you rather play defense or offense and I said I don't really care, just so we win. Then she said you have a number of offers is there a favorite yet and I said it is down to 4 schools and it is very much a work in progress, I said thank you and ended the interview and then it was Jim's turn and even Ray got a few questions. All the answers were non descriptive and politically correct. Then I looked around and there was a number of food trucks and it was indeed party on. I grabbed Ray and said hey asshole that was an outstanding catch on that second play, where did that come from. He said Mike forget the fucking catch, we didn't have a bet. I laughed and said damn Ray and the world did not come to an end. So where is Tammy, he said, I have no idea, we broke up because I wouldn't fuck her. Imagine that. Welcome back, once that gets out the girls will be back, and that's a bet. He smiled and said and that not a bet. I'm taking.
I found Carrie and we went and sat on the bench and were talking and trying to figure out where we would go next as it would be late and I still had to shower, we decided on doing nothing and spending all day tomorrow together and would work that out in the morning. Just then some guy, who I did not know, came up to me and started talking about my offers and and college choices. I said, dude who are you and Carrie whispered, Michael. He said he was he was with a Harrisburg newspaper and there is a lot of instate interest about you. I took a deep breath and said, ok you shouldn't be here but I'll answer a few questions. So Mike you have 4 well known offers, why not more? I replied I have the offers I want and I've shut down a bunch of schools. I'm all about education and football, if it goes that way, is icing on the cake. So Mike there is a possibility, you won't play college ball? I said yes. In that case where would you go and I said either CMU or MIT to study computer science. He looked shocked and said are your grades that good and I said very much so, do your homework. Carris squeezed my arm. Then he asked the usual question Offense or defense and got the usual answer. After a few more inane questions I said thanks and have a safe trip to Harrisburg. As he was leaving I leaned over to Carrie, gave her a quick kiss and said thanks babe. With that we all started towards the field house for showers and I said Jim how about we double tomorrow and spend a relaxing day. Think of something to do and we can talk early tomorrow. He said what about Ray and I said long story but he is girl-less again.
I showered and saw a voice message from Tim, it said great game but call me right away, I don't care how late. I finished showering and went to the car and called Tim. He answered on the first ring and said we have a counter on the property. I said how much, he said 1.2 what do you think? I said tell them1.1 cash or 1.125 with a mortgage. He laughed and said fuck, you are tough. Twenty minutes later he called back saying 1.1 cash and the soil test. It needs to close in 10 days? I said Tim is that possible? He said all it takes is a title search and tax receipts and a no lien letter and the cash. I have already had the soil test done, so yes. Great job, let me know what I have to do? He said have fun and don't do something stupid celebrating. I said Tim, I just pulled into the driveway, thanks again.
I went in and found dad who said shit son you are home early. I said yes the boosters keeping us on the field had to be coaches idea as it made it too late to get into trouble. Let's talk and watch the sports, I'm on TV. We went into the game room turned the late news on and in the sports went straight to our game with highlights and my interview, thankfully cut short and managed to get Jim and Ray in as well. I turned off the TV looked at dad and said dad Michael James Simmons is a property owner, or his Trust is a property owner. Mike, they took your 1.1 offer and I said yup there was a counter at 1.2 and we said 1.1 cash or 1.125 with a mortgage and they caved. Closes in 10 days and the soil test is done and clean.
Now dad you me, Brian, Tim and an architect need to meet. You able to set that up and I don't care who the architect is. I got up got two glasses and ice poured the scotch and said, dad there is to a fucking awesome night and to the best dad in the world. He smiled and we both laughed and drank. Dad, this should be a fun ride but while there is a budget, I want a smoking hot, exciting building. All glass, steel and very unique. Big enough to grow more and to rent the extra space out till we need it. I'm thinking a few tech startups. Mike, how do you come up with this shit? Dad, you have provided a great company to build around and I intend to invest what you build into something very, very big, think Carnegie and J. P. Morgan. Dad shook his head and said just don't aim so high you bankrupt us and he sorta laughed but I knew I had him more than a little worried. With all that I went up to my room stripped and piled the blankets on. Fuck this was a totally awesome day.