Football

Marvin adjusted his helmet so his view was not obscured by the facemask. Jonesy, the quarterback and holder, came out of the play of scrimmage with the ball and knelt down to place it on the ground. Readying himself, Marvin strode towards the ball and kicked it with his strong right leg. The ball sailed high into the air, slightly spinning, and floated through the middle of the goal. Another field goal! The small crowd seated around the field jumped to their feet and cheered loudly. As the placekicker and punter, Marvin was the star of his junior American football team, the Northern Mongrels, and boy, did he know it. He could kick the ball well over fifty yards and had a field goal percentage of 92.5%. However, on this ominous day, little did Marvin know that this would be his final game.

As was his custom after making a field goal, Marvin went into his celebratory dance. He spun around in circles, strutted on the field and bobbed his head like a chicken, and ran a lap around the field, lifting his knees high and screaming at the crowd. Although he performed this celebration every game, today, something was off. Perhaps he screamed too loudly, or his chicken strut was too much like the real thing. Whatever it was, it unsettled Rufus, the team mascot dog. As Marvin ran his lap, Rufus took to the field and chased after him. The crowd started to cheer even louder. Thinking they were cheering for him, Marvin stopped and took a bow, and that’s when it happened.

Rufus leapt upon an unsuspecting Marvin and latched his jaws around Marvin’s right ankle like he was gnawing on a discarded chicken bone. Marvin immediately let out a piercing screech and dropped to the ground. The waterboy ran onto the field and, after a futile attempt to detach Rufus’ jaws from Marvin’s ankle, waved a hotdog in front of his nose. The dog relented and released his hold, greedily gulping down the hotdog. Marvin looked down at his ankle to survey the damage. His sock had been chewed through and his ankle had several deep lacerations. Unable to stand, Marvin slowly crawled over to the team bench and hoisted himself up.
“Coach,” he moaned. “I’m done. I’m out for the rest of the game.”
“I don’t want to hear it,” replied the coach. “We are two points down with two minutes on the clock. I need you back out there.”
“But coach, I can’t even stand,” protested Marvin.
“Shut it, Cranford. We’ll strap up that ankle and then you are back on.”

Marvin was helped back onto the field, supported by a teammate on either side of him. As the scrimmage started, Jonesy placed the ball on the grass. The two team mates ran towards the ball, dragging Marvin along with them, his legs limply trailing behind him. They reached the ball and one of the players swung Marvin’s right leg like a golf club. It made contact with ball and Marvin let out an almighty yell, fracturing his ankle, and falling backwards to the ground. The ball flew awkwardly through the air, almost in slow motion, and sailed through the goal, narrowly missing the left post. Marvin had done it! He won the game for the Mongrels. Marvin lay unconscious on the ground, his leg bent in an awkward sideways position. Oblivious to his current condition, his teammates ran around the field for a victory lap, the crowd applauding wildly. As Marvin lay peacefully on the football field, Rufus trotted up to him. Sniffing his fractured ankle, the dog lay down next to him and placed its small head on his chest and fell asleep. It was a touching moment that signalled the end of his football career.

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