Big Leather Couch

Drifting off to sleep that night Bobby made a decision to talk to his best friend from High School, Tommy Beacon. Tommy was the catcher on their high school team and Bobby was a pitcher, so they had made friends early on.

After high school, Tommy had gone to school at CCCC and gotten his AA in Criminal Justice and then joined the Hillsdale police department.

The next morning on his way to work, Bobby called Tommy. “Hey Bobby, what’s going on dude?”

“Listen Tommy, I need to talk to you, can you come to campus and meet me for lunch around noon?”

“No problem brother, meet you at the Ratskeller around one?” “Sounds good Tommy, and thanks.”

When Bobby got to work, he checked the work board and picked up his assignment for the morning. He avoided his FIL/B and headed over to the main cafeteria where the incinerator was malfunctioning.

On his way across campus, his mind was still on yesterday in the bathroom and what he had witnessed. “Bobby-boy…hey Bobby-boy!”

Bobby turned to see Tim fast walking toward him from across the quad. “Whaz up witch ya Bobby? Yas gets sick yesterday an leave dat mess in da badroom fer me ta clean. I’s hope ya feelin’ betta. Well ya mus be orin ya wooden be here would ya? Nope ya wouldn’t.”

“Yeah Tim, sorry about that. I am fine, thanks.”

“Wear yas off to taday? I’s gots to go ova to da main buildin’ seems da winda in da cafeteria done got broke. Dese kids got no ‘spect ya know? Well we walk t’getha sins you gots ta fix da incin’rator”

Bobby shook his head and laughed to himself. Tim asks where he was going, but knew the whole time. Then Bobby decided to take a chance.

“Hey Tim, remember back awhile ago, you were telling me you saw Alex Stern in the administration building basement with some guy and the guy gave him a vial?”

“Now, Bobby-boy I’s tol ya dat in the hush-hush, why ya askin’ ‘bout it? Well course I member, I ain’t like ole Georgie Calhoun. Ya knows Georgie, he a bit touched in da head, since he gots kicked by his mule Sally. I’s always tell Georgie, I says ‘Georgie, ya don wanna be standin behin any mule when ya gotta shoe ‘em, but he no listen an one day Sally reared back and got him righ’ in da head. Doc Applebie say Georgie lucky be alive. Now, ya tell me, is bein’ live when ya sit in da Rose evera day drinkin’ da hootch? I don dink so. I’s tell Becksue, I’s say ‘beck, I gets kicked like dat, ya do me fava and maken sure dey don’ try’n save me, no sir, not tall. So, Bobby-boy wat ya askin’ bout da quaback bout now?”

“I was just, um, wondering what the other guy looked like. I think I saw a guy on campus the other day and he looked like he was up to no good and I wondered if it was the same guy is all,” Bobby semi-lied.

“Leds me dinks, been while now, an ya knows I ain’t as youngen I use ta be.” Tim stopped walking and closed his eyes, trying to concentrate. “Yeah yeah, I’s member, he bout 6 foots or so and he had dis long hair down his shouldas like dose hippies dat used to burn dere bras and stuff in da sebenties. Well not da guys, causen guys don wears bras, well some maybe should dey look so much like gurls anyways. But less see, yeah long hair and he had a long black coat on, and I members dat causen it was liken one of doze like da cowboys wear in da westerns BecSue likes ta watch.”

Bobby, felt pretty sure that the guy Tim had seen giving a mysterious vial to Alex, was the same on that Bobby saw kicking Alex’s ass in the bathroom the day before.

As they walked into Gleason Hall where the cafeteria was located, Bobby saw Alex Stern standing talking to a few girls. Bobby noticed Alex had a cut on his forehead and a small shiner under his right eye. As he and Tim walked past he could hear Alex saying, “Yeah, well you need to see the other guy. Last time he will try and pick a fight over the last slice of pie.”

The girls’ ooo’ed and aaaaah’ed at the big quarterback and hung on his every word. Alex looked over at Bobby as they walked past and then diverted his eyes. This shook Bobby up a bit, could Alex have seen him in the bathroom the day before? He was almost positive he had not been seen, but the look he had just gotten made him think that maybe it wasn’t the case.

It took Bobby about 2 hours to fix the incinerator and then he headed across campus toward the Ratskeller.

When he got there Tommy was sitting at a table flirting with three girls who seemed to have a fixation on the local police office. Tommy looked up and saw Bobby approaching and said to the girls “Well, ladies, my friend is here, but I am usually over at the “Ten Pins” Bowling Alley on Tuesday’s, so if you want to continue this, come on by sometime.”

He got up from his chair and shook Bobby’s hand. The went over and each ordered a hamburger, fries and a Pepsi. When they got to the cashier, Bobby insisted on paying since he had asked Tommy to talk. They made their way to an unoccupied table over in the corner of the on-campus pub and sat down.

“So, Bobby, having a problem at home?” “No, Tommy, why do you ask?”

“Well, something is wrong, I have known you for almost nine years and when one of my pitchers has a problem, I always know.”

“Look Tommy, I am not even sure if I should be telling you this, and right now I want to talk to my friend and not Officer Beacon, OK?”

“Hey Bobby, always friends first, spill.” Tommy dragged three French fries through the pile of ketchup on his plate and slid them into his mouth.

“OK, one of the guys I worked with told me about something he had seen about eight months ago down in the administration building. When he told me, I just let it go and totally forgot about it, but then yesterday something happened and I just can’t keep it to myself, because I think someone might be in big trouble.”





“Whoa, Bobby, let’s start at the beginning,” Tommy said as he took a big bite of his hamburger.

“OK, well this guy I work with told me he saw Alex Stern down in the basement…”

“Alex Stern, the quarterback?” Tommy asked.

“Yeah, him. So anyway, this guy told me he saw Stern with this guy with long hair and the guy handed Stern a vial. The way he described it, it sounded like a vial that doctors use when they give you a shot. So, I just let that go, because this guy who told me, well, sometimes I think he isn’t quite completely there, ya know. He is a nice guy and all, but he lives in this strange little world sometimes. Anyway, I had totally forgotten about it until yesterday.”


“I had to go over to Emmons Hall. See, one of the toilets was clogged.”

“Umm Bobby, I only get an hour for lunch, so if you have a point, time to get to it...”

“Sorry Tommy. Well anyway, I was in the stall working when I heard some voices …”

Bobby Simmons then proceeded to tell his good friend everything that had happened in the bathroom the day before. As he spoke, Tommy Beacon put down his hamburger and fries and listened closely.

When Bobby was done with his tale, Tommy sat and stared for a full minute. “Wow, Bobby, you sure neither one of them saw you?”

“Well, I am almost positive, but I saw Stern earlier today and he looked right at me.”

“So, he looked at you, no biggie.” Tommy said.

“No, Tommy, you don’t understand, around here, no one ever notices the maintenance staff, ever.”

“Look Bobby, I am sure you are exaggerating, but OK, do you now think that maybe this Stern guy knows you were there?”

“I don’t know Tommy, but I do know that this guy is bad news and that Stern is in over his head. I didn’t know if I should say anything to my father-in-law about it. I could never go to the coach; he would laugh me out of his office with this tale. What do you think I should do?”

Tommy took another bite of his hamburger and as he did his eyes wandered across the room and Bobby could see something change in them.

“There’s your steroid-using Quarterback now.” Tommy said. Bobby turned his head to see Alex Stern at the cash register paying for his lunch and he was looking right at them sitting in the corner. There was a flash of anger in his eyes, but it disappeared quickly.

“Did you see the look he just gave us?” Bobby asked.

“What look Bobby, are you going paranoid on me now?”

“Look, its Tuesday, let me talk to the Sarge about this and see what he says. I mean, there really is no evidence to support this and if it comes down to it, it ends up being your word against his. Now bobby, I believe you, but I am not sure everyone will. So, do me a favor and just keep this to yourself for now and let me get back to you.”

They finished their lunch talking about a new girl that Tommy was seeing. When they finished they walked out and Bobby left Tommy at his cruiser. “Just lay low and I will get back to you.”

Bobby walked back to the maintenance office and got his assignment for the afternoon.

The next day Bobby wondered why he had not heard from Tommy yet. It was only 3 days until the game against State and Bobby was nervous about what might happen if Alex Stern didn’t throw the game.

He was heading over to the Athletes dorm to check on a complaint about the heating on the third floor.

When he got there, the place was quiet as everyone was either in classes or at the gym.

Walking around the third floor checking the vents in the hallways, Bobby was lost in his own thoughts, thinking about the comedy he and MaryJane would be seeing that evening. It was the newest by the comedian they both loved.

It was too late before he realized a door had opened to his left and as he turned to see who was there he was grabbed from behind and shoved into the room and thrown on the floor.

Looking up he first noticed Alex Stern standing over him. He opened his mouth to speak when Alex spoke first. “Just shut up and listen Mr. Fix-it. You thought I didn’t notice you in the bathroom the other day did you? Well when you are lying on the floor, you can see under the stalls and I saw your feet and your tool belt. Then you stuck your head out before I left. I don’t know what you heard or what you think, but I can tell you one thing, you better keep your mouth shut.”

“I saw you in the Ratskeller the other day talking to that cop. What the hell were you saying to him?”

Bobby thought quick and blurted “Look man, he is a friend from high school. We have lunch once a week, I didn’t say a word to him, and you gotta believe me. I don’t want to get involved in your business.”

Bobby began to get up off the floor but was pushed back down by the Quarterback.

“Why don’t I believe you townie? Why do I think you want to make a name for yourself? What do you think, you can make a stink and then maybe you don’t have to stick your hand in toilets anymore?”

“You do not know what or who you are messing with. Now just forget what you heard in the bathroom the other day and go clean up a mess somewhere.”

Bobby got up and walked out of the room.

Once outside he took out his cell phone and began to dial…



CREDITS:
MUSIC CODES: Best Audio Codes

SONG FOR MY FATHER: George Benson; Composer: Horace Silver
PASSION, GRACE & FIRE: Al Di Meola; Composer Al Di Meola

BANNER: Redkid.net;