Boys

It has been raining since four in the morning. The rain is steady and constant, pouring down my front window. I got up early and read an article in Harper's while I waited for "my girlfriend," the paper delivery woman, to bring me my sunday paper, drinking strong coffee in the dark.

We went to the state middle school cross country meet yesterday, as I mentioned. Yesterday it was misting and cool, a perfect day to run. The course at Saydel High School in metro Des Moines, is pretty visible and allowed us to enjoy more of the race than usual. We know these boys pretty well, since Walker participates in a lot of sports, and there are always the "usual suspects." Here the suspects are forming a semi-human pyramid, working off nervous energy while the coach looks on, hoping they are not injured prior to the action.

Walker is in the striped hat.

The course was wet, and the path through the woods had roots and rocks, marked with orange paint, but rocks and roots nonetheless. The boys in 8th grade are allowed to wear spikes. Very vicious.
Walker got trapped in the back of the pack and didn't get off to a good start. He ran well, though, starting in a field of 150 with only about 4 boys behind him and finishing 70th. It was not enough to contribute to the team score, but he did the best he could with what he had, and the boys have to get used to running in such a crowd.

Jacob Aune, a kid Walker is on a lot of teams with, is third in the picture above. He has just thrown an elbow to get in front of the kid behind him. Just missed the elbow, dammit. Aune is very cocky but pretty talented. There is such a thing as too much self-esteem.


Walker's friend Jamison lost his shoe early, but kept running, placing in the top 15 with a "flat tire." He has a big crush on Caitlin and kept lookng at her when she cheered for him.




















Walker kept passing people right until the end. Here he comes up the big hill before going down into the woods. His father would have long since been vomiting in a bush. As you know from yesterday's post, puking is a very honored form of expression in cross country. Then the hit the snack table and gobble "puppy chow.

I work with unhappy people (my clients, I mean). It's good to enjoy thing and hang out with kids and families who, ostensibly, seem to work well together. Our young men are growing up, their voices are changing and their bodies are taking on angles and lines they once did not have. The tent smelled like boy funk and tennis shoes after the race and they all gathered around to celebrate their win (first place 8th grade 4A).

They crowded around a game boy and passed the time until the awards ceremony. Some things don't change.