MILKSOP Chapter 4

Lockers
courtesy free clip art

The summer classes were not easy for they were college prep subjects which Archie realized he could have waited and taken them in his senior year.  

But now the difficult classes were behind him and that was good.

He was enjoying running track and was pleasantly surprised by his progress.

Other than track the only sport he wanted to play was baseball. The baseball coach wanted taller players in the outfield so Archie tried to make it in one of the infield spots.

He finally was selected to be the backup catcher which meant he would warm up the pitchers, and be there for batting practice except he wouldn’t play in the games themselves.

His only chance to play was if the regular catcher was injured or sick. That was okay with him, because anyway he was a member of the team.

Archie had been living with his Aunt for longer than he lived with his mother.  While she hadn’t been thrilled at him coming to live with her, by now she felt like his mother, and was pretty much demanding as to his conduct.

The summer vacation passed, and it was time to hit the books again notwithstanding Archie had taken some summer classes.  Agnes had been busy in the R.O.T.C. and they hadn't seen much of each other due to scheduling.

Something unexpected happen during the summer, and that was Archie had started to grow again.  He had been less than five foot tall, and now he had gained a good three inches. That was still short by some standards, but Archie was proud of his growth.

Archie met up with Agnes at school and was surprised that she had lost several pounds.

 

All that marching and drilling had caused her to lose at least twenty pounds. He had greeted her with a big hug and they went to their home room to get their schedule of classes.

They knew the layout of the school from last year so things were easier to get settled in. 

   

Archie found his locker and was opening it when the same guys that roughed him up last year came by and started to push him around like last year.

This time Agnes wasn't around so he thought; “Now I am in for it.”

About that time a girl his age came up and said. “How about moving away so I can get to my locker,” and she stepped between Archie and the bullies as she just stared at them.

They told Archie, “We'll get you later, Sucker.”

Archie grinned at the girl and said, “I think you saved me a beating right here in the hallway, but you took a risk in doing it.”
 

Lineman
courtesy photobucket.com

She said, “If they had hurt me in any way, my older brothers are linemen on the football team, and they would have settled it with them.”

Archie said, “Well thanks anyway and by the way my name is Archie, and you are?”

 

She answered and said, “Its Nancy and most just call me Nan.”

Archie said, “Tomorrow Agnes will be back, and you should meet her for she is a good friend of mine, and you two should hit it off right away.  Let’s check our schedules and see what classes we have together.”

She said, “Okay, let’s see... we have four classes together of course we don't have gym class together unless you can figure a way to work that out.”

Archie said, “No, no I won't try to do that.”

Archie made his way home and was glad he met Nan for she was quite a spunky girl.

His Aunt met him as he came in the door, and wanted to know how his first day went.  

He answered to her saying, “Well we got through orientation, and tomorrow the teaching gets started.”

To be Continued