Junior Year Box Set

“I’d suggest that you keep extra cash and valuables in your hotel safe. Men shouldn’t put their wallet in their back pocket, and women should watch their purses. I would use a debit card with a low balance or credit card with a low limit that can be canceled if stolen. Don’t walk at night, even if it’s a short distance. We will drive you. For someone like David, there’s a risk of kidnapping,” Fritz explained.

◊◊◊ Tuesday August 2

“Chuck!” I called out in surprise.

He’d been my security when I first got started and there were issues with me being cyberstalked, as well as concerns when I traveled to larger cities. I always teased him because he dressed like he was with the Secret Service.

“Hey, David.”

“Are you one of the people Fritz hired?” I asked.

“Yeah. I was shocked to hear your mom recommended me. I guess I survived her tormenting me, so she thought I’d be a good fit. That’s all I can figure,” he explained.

I took him inside so he could get some coffee. While I ate breakfast, Yuri, Roc, and Phil all showed up with their moms. We planned to leave for the airport from here. I was amused when the mothers cornered Chuck and explained that he was responsible for his charges.

I could tell he was about to step into it when I heard, “I’m not a babysitter.”

“Hey … uh … I think it’s time we go. I’ll make sure Chuck and everyone else knows what’s expected of them,” I said, pulling him out of the living room. “You go make sure the SUV is loaded up.”

I turned back to look at the moms as they eyed me. I could tell they weren’t done giving instructions.

“Look, everything will be fine. They know there’ll be hell to pay if they get out of line. I promise I won’t get them liquored up and buy them hookers,” I said with my best angelic face.

Mom looked like she was getting one of her headaches.

“Just get out of here before none of you can go,” Mom suggested.

I threw in an ‘I love you,’ gave my mom a hug, and kissed her cheek. The other moms took that as the cue that they needed to say goodbye to their sons. Chuck was smart enough to be in the car when they came out.

Yuri called shotgun, but I explained that we had to ride in the back. I wanted them to get used to having security. Phil and I ended up in the middle row, with Roc and Yuri in the rear. Chuck had a little smile when I explained everything about working with security and to let them do their job.

“So, you’re not trying to be a big shot when they open your door to get out of the car?” Roc asked.

“No. They have a routine where they observe the area as they pull up. If it looks safe from the car, they’ll get out and walk around to identify any possible trouble. If all is clear, they’ll open the door and let you out.”

“But we should be safe in Houston, right? It’s not like Mexico,” Yuri observed.

It sounded like my mom had informed their parents about Fritz’s concerns. That might have been why Chuck had been ambushed.

“Houston is not like where you live. Bad things can happen there, just like Mexico. Realistically, bad things can happen to you even in a small town. Just keep your eyes open and listen to me or the other security people,” Chuck said.

◊◊◊

Everyone was flying in today so we could start practice first thing in the morning. The plan was for the team to get together for dinner and get a good night’s rest. It was good to see everyone. Coach Kingwood was happy to see that his new batboys fit in with the team. I did miss seeing M.E. She and I had become friends over the summer.

Everyone wanted to go to a Mexican restaurant for dinner. I would rather have had steak since we were in Houston. Besides, I figured we might get the genuine article in about a week. But that was crazy talk, according to Allard. The restaurant we ended up at was a mom-and-pop joint not too far from the hotel.

I tried something new, quesadilla sincronizada. It’s made with ham and Oaxaca cheese, which are put onto a tortilla and fried until the cheese melted. They cut it into wedges and topped it with avocado, sour cream, and salsa. I’d never had ham as the meat in a Mexican dish before.

◊◊◊ Wednesday August 3

I suddenly woke to the sound of vomiting in the bathroom. I’d roomed with Phil because both Yuri and Roc refused. Phil still didn’t believe he snored. I planned to get the video proof, as they’d put video cameras in my room again.

I’m not the best when it comes to people barfing. Having a bunch of little ones running around had toughened me up some, but I decided Phil was on his own. That was until suddenly my stomach rolled over, and my mouth fill with saliva. Houston, we have a problem.

I barged into the bathroom and saw that Phil had made a mess in there, which didn’t help.

“Move, or I’m throwing up on you,” I announced.

Phil barely got out of the way in time. When I was done, we both laughed at our predicament.

“I never thought we would have our own vomitorium,” Phil said.

“You think it was something we ate?” I asked.