Chapter Twelve

At the game

Ben, Alain, and I were the three outsiders in our boot camp class. That night, I met up with Alain to watch the final winter soccer game. The match-up was the PF vs. SIS. We were frequent spectators for Ben, our PF star player.

When I arrived at the stadium, I spotted Alain in his seat, but not his wife. He was so tall that his knees touched the seat in front of him.

"Where's Carol?" I asked.

"She joined a women's group at the Church," he said sadly. "That's where she spends most of her time now."

I sat down with a seat in between us, to account for his large composition.

"It cannot be too bad. At least she is keeping busy and adjusting to life better."

He leaned over and whispered. "You don't understand what those people are like.  They do not want you doing anything except with the Church. She will not go anywhere with me anymore unless it is a Church function. I am happy she is making some friends. Now I am concerned she'll end up like them." He shook his head.

His concern was not only for his young wife. He did not want anyone overhearing what he said.

"I don't know what to say, Alain. I am not exactly in anyone's good graces right now either."

He sat back. "Because of the meeting?"

"You already heard about that?"

"Everyone knows about it. Police Force, anyway. Well, I am glad you're still here. I need someone with a clear head to talk to once in a while."

The game started. Our eyes followed the teams onto the field.

I fiddled with the straw in my cup. "You thought I would not be here?"

"I thought maybe you would quit and leave the city. I am pleased was wrong."

"You're not worried about being seen consorting with a troublemaker like me?"

"Don't be stupid. Why would you say that?"

No one had sat in the seats in front of us, so I put my feet up on the seat. "Ben doesn't act the same way anymore around me."

"He changed towards me too. I do not know what is going on. He hangs out with a different crowd. It is almost as if he's turned into one of them."

I wanted to expound upon his reflections, but not at the arena.

Halfway through the match, SIS had a huge lead. The stands emptied. They put in players who normally did not play much. Close to the end of the second half, I watched Ari sprint onto the field. My heart jumped. I had not seen him since the night at the club.

Alain smacked my arm. "You like him, huh?"

My face burned. Was it that obvious? "What?"

"It's OK. I will not tell anyone. Nice to see you interested in the opposite sex."

I opened my mouth but could not think of anything to say at first. "What is that supposed to mean?" I scoffed.

"You just didn't seem to be intrigued by men."

"Because I don't run around having sex with anyone who offers?"

"No. You just..." He threw his hands up in the air. "Nevermind. I didn't mean it as an insult."

I huffed. "We knew each other growing up. We spent some time together, but he thinks I am paranoid."

"Give it time. The good ones figure it out quickly."

We sat in silence for a few minutes. SIS scored a goal.

"Don't let anyone tell you to change. You are a good man; you are leading a good life. Are you still working the same beat?" I inquired pointedly.

"Hey, don't say it like that. I like where I work. I got to move Carol here so we can be married. We wouldn't have this life together if I stayed on the farm. I like the people I work with. We are all the same; we want to live a simple life. I do not have ambitions. You and Ben are the ones with ambitions."

"Yeah, a lot of good it has done me now."

"Don't let them push you down. The good people in this city need someone to stand up for them."

"Alain, I am not a leader."

"Are you kidding? You stand out from the crowd. You're not afraid to speak your mind."

"In case you forgot, they assigned me to head up cargo security because there aren't any people around I can contaminate."

"They said that?"

I crossed my arms. "No, of course not. They do not have to; I understand how they think. I realize that I am the one with the problem. I expected too much."

"We need reform. There are rumors of tension in the outer cities."

"That is what they say."

He bent forward to look me straight in the face. "Don't put yourself down. You are the leader this city needs."

I waved him off. "I'm not."

"Well, let's get out of here. Thanks for listening to my rambling," he said.

"Give Carol my best. Tell her I wish she would have come."

"I will." He gave me an open-ended hug and trotted toward the exit.

He was wrong. I was not a leader; I worked better from behind the scenes. There were better choices. Like, Chief Smith. The escalating problems did worry me. I needed to talk to Kevin sooner than later.

I took one last glance to the field and recognized Brent's familiar figure strolling toward the Police Force sideline. Why would he talk to them and not the SIS team?