In late June, I was honored in our new home with a birthday party for my 19th year. Sometimes I forget how old I am as almost everyone I deal with is older than I am. It is refreshing to have Sandy around since she is a little over two years younger. While we were happily celebrating, I reflected on how much had happened since my seventeenth birthday and coming to the university. There had been a lot of water flow under the bridge.
The basketball coach caught me in the weight room and asked if I had been on the courts much. When I told him not at all he told me try to come by the gym every day for an hour or so to shoot some baskets and get in shape for the coming season. Rats, less golf, more basketball. The football coach caught me in the gym shooting some baskets and reminded me that practice started in August so get in shape and be ready.
The second summer session was going to be another classic biology course. Lecture for two hours three days a week then lab three to four hours in the afternoon. Good luck came my way, Sandy was taking the same biology class and we instantly became lab partners. Her being there shortened the day by at least an hour and all but guaranteed me an "A" in the class again.
The girls and I used the break between summer sessions to paint most of the inside of the house. We also put new tile down in the kitchen and the bathroom. We had a neighbor who was a cabinetmaker, put new tops on the counter plus he made a little "L" on it so we could put three stools up to it instead of using the little table. The table was fine for studying but the counter was better for morning coffee and snacks.
I had replaced the roof of the garage and staked out an addition so we could have a three-car garage. I was thinking that we should build a garage apartment on top and rent it out. The rent would pay for taxes, utilities and some cash to George.
Dan and George said they thought I had a good idea and that I should get some bids. I really hadn't thought of bids, I was going to do most of it myself.
First I dug under the corners and the middle of the concrete block wall of the garage and poured three-foot footers to hold the extra weight of the rooms over the garage. Then I poured another footer for the expansion including deeper concrete at the corners. I found a guy with some steel beams that I had delivered to the house then borrowed a neighbors gas welder to cut them to size and put large stand plates on them.
It was at this point that I told George and Dan I was going to buy a cheap pickup truck to use around the house. I found an old Chevy pickup for one hundred-fifty bucks. It cost sixty for insurance for the year and eighteen dollars to get it registered.
I found some more beams at a welder's shop and rented some floor jacks to lift the roof up so I could put the support beams in place and weld them altogether. I'm not any good with concrete block so I paid another neighbor who was good at it to lay the blocks for the addition. We put in a door and couple of windows in the original garage while were at it. Next I framed the outer walls of the addition then framed some corner braces to lift the roof onto. I built a stand that looked like the braces for an umbrella. Using two large floor jacks I jacked up the roof three feet, moved the next jack onto a higher platform then jacked it up three more feet. I had placed two by sixes notched like stairs on all four sides. Each time the roof would go up about eight inches it would catch another notch. It took me all day to get the roof up high enough and the corner braces in place then let the roof back down on the corner brace studs. It all fit. The next day I framed in the rest of the outside and framed the rooms.
I knew how to do the plumbing but I didn't know how to get the waist pipes connected to the city sewers. I roughed in the bathroom and kitchen pipes and had the big waist pipe into the floor of the new addition and dug in all the way to front of the house. I piped water from our basement to the garage and put fitting for a hot water heater in the back corner of the garage addition. Next was electrical. I knew how to do it but was a little uneasy about it so I found a neighbor a block over that was an electrician. He made me a deal if he could do it after hours. We had it done in two evenings ready for the first inspection. We didn't have to pull permits just file an intention to build. Electrical and plumbing were inspected for safety measures. The girls and I dry-walled the place in three evenings and that included putting insulation above the ceiling and below the floor. I found a place that sold small heating units that would work perfect for the apartment and installed it in the garage next to the water heater. I had forgotten to run a gas line for the kitchen so I did that while I was hooking up the heater.
Finally we did all the painting and put in tile and carpet. We went to a flea market and bought a nice looking refrigerator and stove plus found a deal on a set of kitchen sinks. We had the final inspection then had the electric and gas company come out and put up meters on the garage just for the apartment. Not bad, we had a rental apartment in just two months without spending more money than I had saved up. Plus, we now had a big utility sink in the garage and the means to heat the garage it if we ever wanted.
We had done this while going to school and while I practiced basketball and football. We also did get some golf in, but not much.
The girls were proud that we had been able to build it ourselves. They had many hours of labor into making our garage addition and an income-producing apartment. George and Dan applauded our efforts and the result. They finally understood how much a kid can learn growing up on a farm. Farmers built everything they had by themselves. If they had kids, then they had apprentices who learned on the job.
The rent was going to be enough to pay for all of our utilities plus make a nice donation toward what our rent should be. I was excited to finally contribute to our surroundings.
George and Cecile surprised me. They had some contracts drawn up that were for the purchase of the house. The painting and garage was listed as the down payment with an extremely low monthly payment for the principal. I don't know whether it was smart or not but the new owners were listed as us three in a resident partnership agreement. I sure hoped we could swing this, as our income level was really low, like nothing.
The first thing I did was to go over the pickup mechanically then I painted it. It takes forever to sand, primer, sand a couple of more times then brush paint then sand and paint and sand some more. It can be done and it can turn out nice. When I was done I had a bright red pickup truck for sale. A neighbor bought it for four hundred dollars. A nice two hundred fifty dollar profit after using it to build the garage. I went to the insurance company and canceled the insurance and received thirty-five dollars back. It was nice to have some money back in the bank.
The girls were disappointed that we didn't have a truck any longer and wanted me to go out and find another one right away. I told them that if we needed one again, I would find one and buy it but we didn't need the expense of another vehicle right then.
The short vacation between the second summer session and fall semester came at just the right time. I think we three needed the break. Sandy came with to the country club for a Saturday of sun and swimming pool. The second day, we played golf in the morning before church then we all went to the lake for an exhausting day skiing. We had a blast trying to teach little Sandy how to ski. She did finally get up on them and skied for a while but was practically drowned by then.
Monday morning we played golf in the morning with the Moms, Terry and Fred. That afternoon, while I was at football practice, the girls were learning what was expected of them in their new grad staff positions. We met at the cafeteria for super thinking we were in for another grueling fall.
During the rest of the week, we golfed in the morning, swam for about an hour then ate lunch and prepared for our afternoon activities at school. This was the first time since they had started kindergarten that Trish and Delta were not together all day. Trish had one group of classes to teach and Delta had another so they didn't see each other for three to four hours. If you had seen the two of them running back to each other and hugging, you would have thought they had been separated for months. It was going to be an adjustment.
Sunday we celebrated by going to church real early then going to the lake for a picnic and some skiing. We also lounged around in the backwaters fishing a little but didn't catch anything. We were getting ready for the grind with a smile.
The first week of school was like a wind up. The second week smacks you on both butt cheeks yelling, "go." We had a football game at home Saturday and practiced like demons during the week. On Thursday evening after supper, the library and walking home, we were surprised by cars in our driveway. Inside were George, Dan, Cecile and Carol but with them was the big surprise, my mom and dad. George handed Trish, Delta and I a beer then I had to find out what my folks were doing.
"We came to see you play football Chuck," my mom said. "I want to see how a basketball player does it on the field."
"Your mom has been wanting to come see you play since your first year. I thought it would be nice to come while the weather is still decent to see you play. How do you think you'll do this weekend?" Dad asked.
"We're playing Northern Illinois in a non-conference game. They are a tough team. We have watched a couple of game films of them and know what they can do but not how we're going to do against them," I said.
"Bet you do great," Dan said raising his beer with George nodding next to him.
"Do you guys stay at school this late all the time?" Dad asked.
Trish filled him in on our schedules and study group. This was how we had accomplished everything up till now.
When Dad was asking about the apartment, he let it slip that I had built the chicken house and one of the back barns by myself. He told George and Dan that he had only helped when I couldn't lift something by myself or I didn't know how to do something. George told Dad I had sold a perfectly good pickup truck when I was done building.
"Bet he sold it all painted up and made a profit on it too," Dad said.
"I don't know whether he did or not," Dan Said. "Chuck, how did you come out on the deal."
"Let's see. I bought it for a hundred-fifty, insured it for sixty then used forty dollars in parts and paint to fix it up. I sold it for four hundred then got back about thirty-five from the insurance company. So I made right at a hundred eighty five plus used it for two months to get the garage done," I told them.
"You doubled your money?" George said.
"And he used it to do what he needed to do," my dad smiled.
George then started in on the garage. "So how much did the garage cost. You had guys doing stuff for you and I know you bought a lot of materials."
"It really wasn't too bad," I said. "The steel would have been expensive but Ted's welding shop had a bunch of steel beams that were rusting out back. He gave me those cheap. Actually I welded up some plow shears for him and sharpened them for his customer. He gave me the beams and plate for the work I did. All the plumbing stuff came from that used place over by the rail yard. They have tons of stuff that's almost like new. We also got the hot water heater, fridge and stove there too. I had to buy the solder, some of the copper pipe and all the drain and soil pipe but that's not too expensive. The concrete block, lumber, drywall and paint were a little steep but I bought it all from a contractor who had overbought for the apartments on Main Street. The concrete wasn't too bad because we mixed it ourselves. The cabinets, doors and windows came from the flea market. They were used and only needed cleaning up. We did the whole thing for under two thousand."
"Two thousand?" George stuttered.
"No way," Dan agreed.
"Bet he can show you his receipts and an itemized list," Dad said.
"I want to see it," George said.
Trish got up and went to the desk. She pulled out a fairly large account book and brought it to her Dad. She flipped through the pages till she got to the garage addition. She pointed at the total.
"Holy shit," George exclaimed. "One thousand, nine hundred seventy-two dollars and sixteen cents. He has it down to the penny. Look at this Dan."
"He learned that from the farm," my mom told them. "On the farm every penny counts. If you don't keep track, you don't know whether you made ten cents or lost ten dollars when the year's over."
"An addition like that would cost somewhere between five to six thousand just to get it up, much less raising the roof on two thirds of it," Dan exclaimed. "And you did it for under two thousand. I see you didn't list the truck in this. You could reduce the total cost by almost two hundred more."
"George, our kids are in good hands," Dan said smiling.
Dad was grinning, "I think Chuck is in good hands too."
Delta said, "we're proud of what we have done. Now all we have to do is for Chuck to figure out what he's going to do. Did he tell you, the dean of the school of chemistry offered him a graduate fellowship."
"What about the dean of the math school. He offered Chuck a fellowship too but said Chuck should apply for medical school the same as Sandy," Trish added.
George said, "you should get your MBA then you'll be wanted by every major company around."
Carol said wistfully, "Chuck would make a good lawyer. He has common sense and likes to help people. He could do well in law."
"I know what he should do," Dan interjected. "Finish school and start a band. Record lots of good music and retire by thirty."
"Well you could always be a farmer," Dad said. "Or you could help me build subdivisions and shopping centers."
Mom was laughing at everyone's guess at my future. "If he's like he's always been. He'll tell you the day before graduation and then the next day he'll be doing it. He'll figure it out."
"Okay everyone. The three of us need to get to bed. Mom and Dad?" I asked, "do you guys want to use the bed and the girls and I will use the couch."
"No, no, no," Cecile said. "They're staying at our house while they are here this time. Your Mom even said she would play the piano with me while she's here."
"Let's get then. Chuck, you did a hell of job on that garage. I still can't believe you got the whole thing done under two grand," Dan said.
"That and all the work from the girls and Chuck," Dad said. "That's what makes it a great deal. They did it themselves."
All the company left, leaving us to clean up the living room, clean ourselves, brush our teeth then collapse into bed.
Friday, I talked to the coach to tell him that I had an off campus house and was staying there so he wouldn't panic at bed check that night. I told him to let me know when he and his wife were available and we would have them for dinner. He asked me to keep my living status quiet among the players and made me promise to get to bed early on home game nights.
That evening we ate at Delta's home. Carol was providing the gourmet evening meal. It was humorous that the final entrée was meatloaf, much to Cecile and Carol's displeasure. Too bad she asked my dad what he wanted. He quickly answered meatloaf and was seconded simultaneously by George and Dan. So we had meatloaf, mashed potatoes, gravy, string beans, some great dinner rolls, and some kind of fancy wine that Carol wanted to try.
During dinner, George and Dan said they couldn't believe how well my mom and dad skied. The whole bunch of them had been out on the water for most of the day. They were impressed with Dad's barefoot skiing. Dad had taken a big part of the time showing the guys how to do it. Both George and Dan were able to ski a couple of minutes barefoot before the day was over.
After dinner, Cecile and Mom played a Beethoven piece then Carol and Mom played another. After that we played and sang a few oldies but goodies until it was time for me to get home and get to bed before bed check time.
While we lay in bed snuggling, Trish and Delta were talking about our future. What we were going to do to earn a living. Our nest building had aroused the girls' interest in a secure future and they were trying to come up with a plan.
I flipped over on my hands and knees then pulled the two beauties together side by side with me on my hands and knees above them. I kissed each on their foreheads, their eyes, nose and then their lips saying to each, "I love you."
"You know we have about a year to do a lot of planning for our future. All three of us are undecided as to what our future holds and what we want to do as a vocation. But let me state one important fact," I said redoing the kisses on both girls. "As soon as I begin bringing in an income, you are both going to be too busy raising babies to worry about anything."
As soon as I said the magic word, "babies," arms came up to drag me down onto them while they showered me with kisses. The planning discussion degenerated into a practice mating session.
When we were sated, Trish said she had another plan. "Delta you and I can plan this so that we both get pregnant at the same time. Right now our periods come at the same time every month, which means we probably ovulate at the same time. We could chart our cycles and hold off a week before the optimum then both get pregnant at the same time."
Delta shivered with excitement, "oh Trish that sounds so neat. We could do the ultimate woman experience together by being pregnant and having our babies together. That is really exciting."
"Let's get some sleep so we can discuss what I really need to concentrate on to graduate next year," I said trying to snuggle between the two.
We assumed our position of me on my back with a head on each shoulder, their arms thrown over me touching each other and one of each of their legs over one of mine. I lay awake a few minutes trying to make sense out of my future. The effort put me to sleep.
We woke up late as planned, fooled around a little then cleaned up and headed to Trish's for breakfast. We had a feast of breakfast meats, potatoes, milk gravy, and biscuits. I filled up, as I wouldn't get anything till after the game. At eleven, the girls drove me to the locker room to get taped up and dressed. It was strange not seeing them in cheerleader uniforms any longer. Now they were honorary advisors for the cheer group, no longer able to show off before a crowd. They didn't say they missed it but I know they did.
We had been practicing run blocking off the line to take advantage of the other teams undersized defensive linemen and slow linebackers. Our defense held the other team to a three and out on their opening drive then we marched down the field running the ball from our twenty-five all the way to the goal. I had some good blocks so my folks were able to see me contribute.
The defense held them again but this time the first two plays all eleven defenders smashed into the line covering the runner gaining about three yards total. Our offensive coordinator called for a spread offense with three wide receivers and one tight end, me, across the middle. We were at the line early, so the defense shifted to spread. Our quarterback called an audible to bring everyone back to what looked like a running formation with a split end set up as a running back. When the ball was snapped, I hit the defensive end as hard as I could. He didn't see it coming and fell on the legs of his tackle. My position was to run straight down the middle and check for a pass on three. Football players can count to three, but that's about all. Anyway, on three I turned my head to see the ball coming my way but really high over the hands of the defensive backs. I jumped as high as I could and was able to catch the ball and bring it to me before landing on my still churning feet. My forward momentum sprung me from the group of linebackers and safeties converging. I ran as fast as I could till I was dragged down at their fifteen-yard line. The next play should have been defended against easier. I lined up on the left side then ran to the right side of the end zone. Again the defense thought we would run but a nice high-arced pass dropped into my hands on the count of three and a half. This was our favorite play between ten and fifteen yards.
Our third possession took us into the second quarter but had us running the ball with ease again. My contributions were again line and downfield blocking. We had one pass play to a split end that gave us twenty-five yards but the rest of the plays all the way to the goal were run, run, run.
On the downside, two linebackers went down with injuries and were out of the game. We were already low on healthy linebackers and safeties, as several had been injured in practice and the previous week's game.
After half-time their defense held us at their forty on our first possession then we punted and didn't cover very well. They started at the fifty and came out blazing, throwing the ball very accurately to loosely covered receivers. They scored quickly making it now 7 to 28 in our favor. Again coach opted to try to run three straight times and all we gained was six yards. This time we covered the punt better and they started at their eighteen. On the first play, one of our linebackers tackled the receiver hard sending the ball into the air. We recovered the fumble but one of the offensive players speared our linebacker in the back and he was down. He was carried off the field then we began our offensive set. We ran for nothing, passed for five yards to a running back then set up for the play in the corner again. The defense didn't remember and I caught the ball completely untouched in the corner of the end zone.
When it was time to set up for special teams for the point after conversion, the coach subbed me and pointed to the defensive coach. Jake put his arm around my shoulder and asked, "do you think you remember how you played linebacker last year in practice?"
I laughed, "sure coach. Isn't that where all you do it hit people, tackle people with the ball and try to knock down passes?"
"I'll have the middle line backer give you your position and what you need to look for on every play. Then just do what comes natural for you. They are burning us on our left side so when you see the quarterback go back to pass left, look for a potential receiver. Knock the ball down if you can, if you're not there fast enough, take down the receiver. Thanks Chuck, now go get 'em."
I was on kickoff special teams but was last to get to the ball carrier that was down at the twenty. On the first play they ran the ball to my left but gained only an inch or so. The next play the middle line backer told me to watch for the pass and back pedal quick if the quarterback dropped back. He told me to watch the quarterback's eyes, which should tell me where the ball is going to go.
Sure enough the quarterback dropped back looked to my right then to the left and cocked. I was already backpedaling and turned to find an open receiver near me. The intended receiver was running near me on the sideline when I headed to intersect with him and checked for the ball coming toward him. I stuck my hand out and pulled in the ball and held on. My momentum carried me out of bounds right into the fat head coach of the other team. He had made the mistake of trying to catch and hold me. I didn't mean to but I flattened him. He cushioned my fall nicely. When I got up and offered him a hand up, he was kind of green. He had gotten the wind knocked out of him.
When I got to our sideline, the defensive coach congratulated me on the reception and pointed to the field as I was supposed to be a tight end. They sent me on three successive pass plays that were knocked down because they were to low, then we kicked a field goal.
Then kickoff special teams, then defending, then offense, then special teams, then defending again, then special teams, then offense again. We won the game, them seventeen, us forty but I was so tired I thought I could just stand in the shower and take a nap.
Just outside the locker room, the reporter for the student newspaper and the sports guy for the city newspaper stopped me to talk about my game on both sides of the ball. A couple of key tackles, the interception, some good blocks and three touchdown receptions. I told them I had been lucky and been at the right place at the right time. The team won not one guy.
Right behind the two news guys was my fan club. Trish, Delta, their folks, Sandy, Misty, Cherry, Sarah and my folks with my mom beaming and dad with his chest pushed out.
My Mom gave me a hug on one side and my Dad put his arm up on my shoulder. "You really learned how to play football. That was great watching you out on every play of most of the third and all of the forth quarter. Your mom and I wanted to see you play and we sure did get to see you perform today. Great game Chuck."
All the others just watched as my mom and dad hung onto me a few seconds. Trish and Delta were next to jump all over me then they let the other girls get close enough for a congratulatory hug. George and Dan finally shook my hand and said they were impressed.
"How about, let's eat. I'm starved," I announced to all, which caused them all to start laughing.
George said, "he just played an all-American record setting game and all he can think of is food. Why do I think he may still be a growing boy."
"Man, Daddy, growing man," said Trish.
We went straight to the country club where the alumni were celebrating the victory. While most were sucking up booze I was stuffing my face and drinking gallons of water and lemonade. I ate so much prime rib I thought I was going to be sick. It was so good I had to go back for fourths. When I was finally full, I settled down at a table with the two beauties who were holding court for a bunch of young men trying to get their attention. Trish brought us all a beer. I didn't think it would hurt to have one or two with all the food I had eaten.
The evening wore on, by ten I was yawning at the table. The girls noticed and told all the folks we were heading to the house as I was bushed. At home, we dressed for bed then snuggled up for a good night's sleep.