The Throwback Special (20 page)

It occurred to David only now, outside the room, divested of his gear, that he could do this again next November with his own group of guys. He would not convene here, of course. He would meet in a better hotel, with a better conference room, a better breakfast. He’d use a projector and a big screen, a podium with A/V controls. He’d get new and better uniforms and equipment. He’d find twenty-one guys, the right kind. Certainly he would need a better field, with bright lights and chalked lines. His uncle was an assistant athletic director at a private high school. David nodded. That field was nice. He imagined wearing the old helmet with the single crossbar, breaking the close huddle, jogging to the line of scrimmage, calling the signals, the colors and numbers. He didn’t care about a lottery drum—that thing back there on the bed was ridiculous—but he could make something simple, a box with a small hinged opening on the top or the side. And the thing is, there had to be some kind of lottery system, with meticulous rules so that everything was fair. The same guy couldn’t be Theismann every year. Everyone would get a chance.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Lisa Bankoff.

Matt Weiland!

Sam MacLaughlin.

Dave Cole.

Remy Cawley.

Lorin Stein.

Nicole Rudick.

Michael Griffith.

The Sustainable Arts Foundation.

The Taft Research Center, University of Cincinnati.

Alice and Claire.

Jennifer Habel.

Kathy Buckley (1947–2014).

Alice Rightor (1920–2015).

Thank you.

Also by
Chris Bachelder

Abbott Awaits

U.S.!

Bear v. Shark

Copyright © 2016 by Chris Bachelder

All rights reserved
First Edition

Portions of this book appeared in a slightly different form in
The Paris Review
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The Library of Congress has cataloged the printed edition as follows:

Bachelder, Chris.
The throwback special : a novel / Chris Bachelder. — First edition.
pages ; cm
ISBN 978-0-393-24946-0 (hardcover)

1.  Male friendship—United States—Fiction. 2. Masculinity—Social
aspects—United States—Fiction. 3. United States—Social life and
customs—Fiction. I. Title.
PS3602.A34T48 2016
813'.6—dc23

2015028394

ISBN 978-0-393-24947-7 (e-book)

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