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I didn’t ood old-fashioned bar brawl After all, I had played football up until I had dropped out of college at the end of my freshman year I was still built like an athlete even if on the outside I looked more like James Dean I was taller than most of therown andbloodshed and broken knuckles that would mean I couldn’t tattoo was obviously the better option

Jet looked over reement, only our decision to depart ca toward the door, eyes up and alert, when the men decided they couldn’t just let us walk away I stopped and Jet paused next to me ere suddenly faced with three fairly drunk,manual labor The one that had flipped me off made it a point to scan me from the top of my head to the toes of my worn black cowboy boots He made a face and elbowed one of his buddies in the ribs hard enough to runt

"Who do you think this joker is supposed to be? Elvis?" His gaze flicked over to Jet "And who are you supposed to be? Ozzy Osbourne? Marilyn Manson? Someone needs to remind you boys that Halloween is in October"

I felt Jet tense next todid it take you make your hair all fancy like that? It would be a real shame if someone went and messed it all up"

I had awesoer than I liked to adht he was putting his hands anywhere nearto tell him that we didn’t want any kind of trouble, that ere happily on our way out the door, when I saw his arrab his wrist and tell hied in the ribs beat me to the punch

He reached out and smacked his mouthy buddy’s hand out of the way and pointed at me

"You look faed

"I don’t see how It’s our first--and last--tiuy considered ot kind of aard The guy with the awker suddenly snapped his fingers and broke out into a huge grin

"I know! You played college ball for Alabanized me fro past and I had only been on the field for one season

"Uhh" I heard Jet snicker a little next toa clean escape "I did play, a very long tiraduated from the University of Alabaion You were a running back I re that you had a boatload of potential I re you in first string You were fast, fast enough to help theht?"

I reached up and rubbed the back of my neck The rest of the superfan’s cohorts had fallen quiet and were now looking atlike football to soothe the raging blue-collar beast

"Rowdy St Jaht Rowdy, because you ild and unpredictable No one could ever tell what kind of pattern you were going to run Soh I don’t rea about you on ESPN You just vanished and everyone wondered why"

That was not souys that had been all too eager to start shit a second ago

I shrugged and forced a sheepish grin "Well, you know, the pressure got toshow It just wasn’t meant to be"

A professional football career really wasn’t in the cards forto do withinvested in it But I wasn’t about to share that with these guys

"You were a talented kid It’s a sharittedto do with follow-through and everything to do with the fact I nearly beat the starting quarterback to death with a its head and refusing to stay in the dark where I left it?

There was only one ere getting out of here I reached out and clapped the superfan on the shoulder and hollered as loud as I could, "ROLL TIDE!"

It was iuy that recognized e football and the Big Ten, which of course transitioned into talk of the Broncos and their tragic loss in the Super Bowl earlier in the year Before the guys had noticed, Jet and I uingbehind us

In the parking lot Jet doubled over in laughter and I couldn’t help but smack him on the back of his head as we er he drove

"Shut it"

"What the fk does ‘Roll Tide’ even mean?"