English
OnFridaynight,IwenttotheStudents’Centre.Therewerealotofpeoplethere,andJennywaswearingalongdressandsinging.Threeorfourotherpeoplewereinthegroupwithher,andtheymadeagoodsound.Jennysawmeandsmiled,andIsatonthefloorandlistened.Itwaswonderful.
Theyplayedforaboutanhour,andIwaslyingbackwithmyeyesclosed,listeninghappily.Howdidithappen?I’mnotsure.ButsuddenlyIfoundthatIwasplayingmyharmonicawiththem!
Jennystoppedsingingforasecondortwo,andtheothersinthegroupstoppedplaying.ThenJennylaughedandbegantosingwithmyharmonica,andtheneverybodywassaying‘Wonderful!’tome.
Jennycametoseeme.‘Forrest,wheredidyoulearntoplaythatthing?’
‘Ididn’tlearnanywhere,’Itoldher.
Well,afterthat,JennyaskedmetoplaywiththeirgroupeveryFriday,andpaidme$25everytime!
TheonlyotherimportantthingthathappenedtomeattheuniversitywastheBigGameattheOrangeBowlinMiamithatyear.ItwasanimportantgamewhichCoachBryantwantedustowin.
Thegamestarted,andtheballcametome.Itookit–andranstraightintoagroupofbigmenontheotherteam!Crash!Itwaslikethatallafternoon.
Whentheywerewinning28to7,CoachBryantcalledmeacross.‘Forrest,’hesaid,‘allyearwehavesecretlytaughtyoutocatchtheballandrunwithit.Nowyou’regoingtorunlikeawildanimal.OK?’
‘OK,Coach,’Isaid.
AndIdid.EverybodywassurprisedtoseethatIcouldcatchtheball.Suddenlyitwas28to14!AndafterIcaughtitfourorfivemoretimes,itwas28to21.Thentheotherteamgottwomentorunafterme.ButthatmeantGwinnwasfreetocatchtheball,andheputusonthe15-yardline.ThenWeasel,thekicker,gotafieldgoal,anditwas28to24!
Butthenthingsbegantogowrongagain.Weaselmadeabadmistake–andthenthegamefinished,andwewerethelosers.
CoachBryantwasn’tveryhappy.‘Well,boys,’hesaid,‘there’salwaysnextyear.’
Butnotforme.Isoonlearnedthat.
Icouldn’tstayattheuniversity.Iwasn’tcleverenoughatthelessons,andtherewasnothingthatanybodycoulddoaboutit.CoachBryantwasverysad.
‘Iknewthiswouldhappen,Forrest,’hesaid.‘ButIsaidtothem.
“Justgivemethatboyinmyteamforayear!”,andtheydid.Andwehadagoodyear–thebestyear,Forrest!Goodluck,boy!’
Bubbahelpedmetoputmythingsinmysuitcase,thenhewalkedtothebuswithmetosaygoodbye.WewentpasttheStudents’Centre.Butitwasn’tFridaynight,andJenny’sbandwasn’tplaying.Ididn’tknowwhereshewas.
ItwaslatewhenthebusgottoMobile.MomknewthatIwascoming,butshewascryingwhenIgothome.
‘What’swrong?’Iasked.
‘Alettercame,’shecried.‘You’vegottogointhearmy!’
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