Date: Wed, 2 Feb 2005 19:39:24 -0500 From: Mike & Bagger Subject: Mike Our Star Player II-6 Although sections of parts 3 and 4 were based on actually happenings this part is once again fictional. From Previous Part: When Mr. Mike became principal at New Town High, I (Marie) contacted the county to accept my services as a child psychologist without his knowledge. I did not want people to feel I was getting the job because we were related. Only after a few days on the job it was brought to my attention about the stress between the football members; especially between Mike and Mark. I contacted Marty to see if there was a way to meet with the two of them together to discuss what was causing all this friction. But, unfortunately before I got to speak to them my brother had to step in and suspend Mike for comments that where very homophobic towards Mark. I watched with keen interest as the team played their hearts out every Friday or Saturday to end the season with a 9-1 record and once again be eligible to participate in the state playoffs. The team was able to win the quarter and semi-finals with Mike once more back on the team. New Town ran into a much bigger team though in a hard fought championship game, and fell 14-13 in overtime. It was great to see both Mike and Mark were named to the All-State Team, but there was that visible distance between them when ever they were in the same area. I still wanted to get a chance to speak to the boys, and that is in part why Mr. Mike brought Mike to visit me at my home in order for me to talk with him. On With the story: I had been called in by the assistant principal to serve as a substitute teacher after the Thanksgiving break. This was unusual since I had not yet gotten my teaching credentials certified by the state of Maryland. I noticed that the picture of the family members of the principal Mr. Mike was draped in black when I passed by the principal's office. I went to the room and began to take roll during the first period; when an announcement was made that there was going to be a "Special" Assembly in 10 minutes. Once the county superintendent introduced some special counselors to the students, Ms. Roberts, the assistant principal, took the microphone and announced that until further notice Mr. Mike would be on extended leave due to the death of his baby brother on Thanksgiving. She was not able to give any date as to when he might return to work. What she did next shocked the hell out of me as she called Mike to the microphone to explain what had happened to Mr. Mike's brother, and why New Town had set the corner stone of the no tolerance policy of any form of bashing (verbal, physical etc.). Mike told the student body what had happened, not just to Mr. Mike's (the boy's nickname for him) brother that had recently passed away, but also his two other brothers that made up the set of triplets. While listening to him tell the students as well as the teachers the facts, I suddenly felt ill and had to run out of the auditorium to the bathroom so that I could throw-up. I was not sure if I was made ill because of what happened to those boys or the fact that my own son Mike was acting just as bad towards Mark starting in the summer, and through part of the fall. "That boy of mine has a lot of explaining when we get home," I said to the mirror. Some of the other players also had gotten sick by what Mike was telling the student body and heard me make the comment. "Coach, what does Mike have to explain?" one of them asked me. I replied, "His attitude towards Mark during the summer and in the early part of the school year, before Mr. Mike allowed him to return to the team for those final games." The day continued on with few problems, upon entering my home I saw the answering machine blinking. The only message on it was from Marie, "Marty, this is Mike's sister, Craig and I have a favor to ask of you when February arrives, please call us at 555-456-7890 so we can talk about the favor." I called the number only to have the call answered by Craig on the 3rd ring. "Hello may I speak to Marie please; this is Marty from New Town returning her call." I was told to hold on; the voice that came on the line sounded like it belonged to an angel. "Marty, this is Marie thanks for returning my call so fast." I asked her what I could do for her. "After Craig and I talking to Mike's family doctor, we have decided to allow him to return to his principal job at New Town after our return from a holiday in the early part of February. We would like for you to please keeping an eye on him, since he considers you a close friend, and to call us if there is any change in his emotions. I would also like to extra big favor of you and that is to let him and Bagger stay with you and the boys, because I do not want him to be alone." I responded that there would be no problem on either part. [The thought crossed my mind what if any of the other teachers or administrators found out he is living here with 3 gay men?] I told Marie to tell Mike to call me as soon as he felt comfortable to do so, and that I hoped what ever she and Craig had planned for the holiday that it helped all three of them. Before hanging up I told her to have a safe holiday season, and that I was looking forward to having Mike move in with us as soon as he was up to it. As I put up the phone I sat there for a few minutes thinking about Mr. Mike. Mark already knew that I had feelings for Mr. Mike, but my son Mike was still in the dark about my feelings towards the nice legally blind guy that was the school's principal. I would deal with that another day, right now I have to wait until Mike gets home to listen to his BS about his attitude toward Mark. I also know that Mike was trying to make up with Mark and I knew that he planned to take Mark out to the movies either tonight or tomorrow night. But I felt I needed to discuss his attitude with him to be sure he would not hurt Mark again. < I hope those that have been reading this story can figure out why it has taken me so long to return to writing it. Please re-read parts 4 and 5 if you do not because those parts are based on true events. I want to thank Richard, a friend, who also has been serving as an editor for the story. Thanks again Richard!! >