The dreaded Monday has arrived... but here I am hope you had an awesome weekend!!!!! For me I am just going to push on with the story, so here goes...
As Peter dives for the line he can feel a tackler grabbing him from behind. For just a fleeting moment the cool air rushes past his face, his body bracing for impact. Peter falls down like a bag of potatoes, tackler holding on to him, a surge of adrenaline pumping through his veins. He jumps up, "you did it, you did it!!!! " the crowd goes wild. Peter jumps up, all he can see is his team mates rushing towards him. "you did it, you did it". Everyone in his team grabs him, high fives him, pat him on the back. He knows he just scored the winning try, he is smiling, from ear to ear would be an under statement. They all run to their starting positions as the fly-half takes the ball to kick for goal. He is taking his time as there is just only a minute or so on the clock left. "Peter, Peter, Peter, Peter" Peter can't believe his ears. The fly-half places the ball and the crowd goes silent. One step back, another step back, two to the side, looking towards the ball, focus... and he kicks. It went over. The final whistle blows and the crowd goes wild, " we won, we won, Peter, Peter, Peter..." Peter gets grabbed by his team mates and lifted on their shoulders and carried of to the team rooms.
John looks as the fly-half kicks the ball, "go Patric, you can't miss" John thinks to himself. Patric has always been good to John, being a black rugby player in a white dominated sport isn't that easy. You can perform better than most players, but still only be chosen for the team as a backup. John has played rugby all his life, ever since he saw a re-run of Chester Williams playing in The World cup of 1995, he always wanted to play. "Peter did well, coach" John says to Derick, the assistant coach. The two of them walk slowly as hordes of fans follow the mob, with Peter carried on some player's shoulders. "yes, he did score the winning try, but I do think that you are supposed to be man of the match". "Why? coach , I just did my job" "look at these stats, you ran furthest with the ball, you missed the least tackles, you made the most tackles, you really performed the best over all". No such luck for John this time, or any other time matter of fact. He has consistently out performed any other player over this whole season. Every time some other player won man of the match. They enter the Team rooms they hear shouts of joy" hip, hip, hooray, ... hooray for Peter,... hip, hip, hooray, ... hooray for Peter!!!" The head coach, Jan Visagie, has been coaching this team for over twenty years, a hard man, not easy to please. "quiet down" he hisses towards the players " Today, was a good day, beating The Rascals was sure luck, but you guys pulled together, worked together. Now don't let this match go to your heads. We still have a couple of matches to play before we can rest. Know that there are also some scouts, watching you. So look after yourselves. Aaaaand, I think we can all agree that Peter is man of the match" the guys already half naked, starts chanting again." Peter, Peter, Peter.." "quiet down, quiet down..." coach hisses at them again. " ok, so no funny business tonight, no drinking and driving, and keep your pants on..." the celebrations start as a couple of beers are opened and the guys start pouring it down their throats. John sitting quietly next to his locker, rubbing his aching muscles. "you want a beer, John?" a player shout from the other side of the room. " No thanks, I have to study tonight!" John shouts trying to be convincing. " John, please come see me in my office!" The coach shouts over all the noise. "Sure thing, Coach" He struggles as he gets up. "I surely over did it today", John thinks to himself. He walks over to the coaches office. "Please close the door behind you" John closes the door and sits in a chair next to Derick, who is already in the office. "John, do you like playing rugby for us?" the coach asks."yes sir" John answers without even having to think about it. "Good," The coach says "I also like you as a player, but what I saw today, I never want to see again." "what was that coach?" John asks wide eyed. "I do not like when my players are slacking off, do you hear me?" The coach's voice is getting louder and loader. Derick tries to interrupt "But coach, John out per..." "DERICK IF I WANT YOUR OPINION, I'll GIVE IT TO YOU" The coach cuts him off "NOW JOHN, YOU CAME OUT OF THE LINE OUT TOO SLOW, YOU DIDN'T GIVE IT YOUR ALL, IF I SEE YOU DO THAT AGAIN, YOUR DAYS OF RUGBY WILL BE OVER, DO YOU HEAR ME?" The coach bellows at him. " yes sir, no problem sir" John isn't scared of confrontation, but he knows that to say anything other than that would be suicide. "NOW, GET OUT OF HERE". John doesn't say anything but as he opens the door and walks out side, the whole team room looks at him with big eyes. He just drops his gaze to the floor and closes the door. Even though it is muffled they can still hear coach shouting at Derick.
Thanks guys, I think I am going to stop it here.. too much to do with just too little time... but thanks, see you all tomorrow.
