24. The Purse

“Coach Walker! Coach Walker!”

I move out of the way just in time to avoid getting bulldozed by a bunch of kids in blue football jerseys flocking to Jude.

Coach Walker?

What am I missing?

“Hey buddies!” he greets them, high fiving everyone in the group. “How’ve you been?”

The boys and girls who all look below ten years old talk over each other to answer his question. Somehow, he hears what each of them is saying and offers compliments where necessary.

“Are you ready for today?” he asks them when they are done telling him about the developments in their little lives.

“Yes!” they all cheer in unison.

“Let’s get them,” he says, and the kids cheer again.

A middle-aged man with greying hair in a tracksuit that matches the kids’ jerseys approaches, a smile on his face as he addresses Jude. “I think my work’s done here,” he says. “Seeing you is all the motivation they need to get in there and kick some.”

“Chandler,” Jude says the man’s name in greeting, and they shake hands. “It’s nice to see