How very interesting. And how very true-to-life.
There are, unfortunately, high schools in the US where the athlete-centered culture is not only tolerated but passively encouraged. The educators have to claim that they're working for the betterment of the kids as adults, but so many middle-aged men and women who are now parents of football or basketball or baseball players or cheerleaders make that activity the most important one for their children, making the kids' academic achievements less than noteworthy. Every high school coach of any sport has had pressure put on him or her to play someone who isn't quite as talented as another, and it makes coaches a little nuts at times. They're paid to win - yet they're also pressured to play someone's little darling who just isn't everything Mommy and Daddy think he or she is. And someone who stands in the way of winning - be that person a teacher, a student, a law enforcement officer, or a judge, gets strong hints to "do the right thing for the team." The premise is not just believable, it's all too real.
As for the story - wow. The physical intimidation is a bit over the top, as is Tom Church's attack on Lois, but that kind of stuff happens. A couple of decades ago, there was a case in Texas where a cheerleader candidate's mother had another candidate's mother killed to take the other girl out of the running for the squad so her little darling would get the slot. I know, it sounds like a Lifetime movie, but it really happened. So when I write that the violence is "over the top," I don't mean that it's outside reality. It isn't.
I understand Tom's motivation in attacking Lois. That doesn't mean I endorse or condone it, I just understand it. He's trying to please Daddy, and he thinks the best way to do that is to be a gridiron hero. In his mind, Lois has taken away his best chance to be a good son, and he can't get outside that paradigm to see that sports isn't something that will carry him into adulthood. There are no forty-year-old running backs at any level of pro ball, and he thinks that he won't have to worry about that because Daddy will take care of him when his career is over. He sees Lois as the only impediment to that scenario, so eliminating her interference is his best solution.
Lois is showing determination and grit that vanishingly few high school students possess. The vast majority of them would behave just as her "friends" do here. The brains of teenagers aren't finished growing yet, so a lot of what they believe and decide to do is incomprehensible to mature adults. Lois has been forced to grow up quickly, and that's not necessarily a good thing. Neither she nor Clark will have a store of good "home" memories to draw on when they begin their adult lives. All Lois will know is what she doesn't want to be like, and that's not the best model for adulthood.
On the positive side, I like Lois' don't-quit attitude and her recognition that sometimes she needs help. She isn't pushing Clark away like she did in S1. And Clark has had some good role models, like Brother Wayman, to let him know what a good man is supposed to look like. So if they decide to become a couple (whether that means going steady, engagement, or marriage) right out of high school, they've got a better chance than most who take that route.
This is a great tale, Shayne, and you've crafted it well. It started gently, picked up speed near the beginning, set up and developed the dramatic storyline effectively, put Clark and Lois together without awkwardly pushing them at each other, and now they're developing a level of trust for each other which will eventually allow them to share their innermost secrets with each other. Most importantly, each one will have a safe place with the other, a confidence that no matter what insane or unbelievable thing one might say to the other, the other will listen and not judge the speaker of the secret. That's rare in any type of relationship, and I hope both of them will treasure the friendship they're building.
Once Clark is eighteen, the state of Kansas won't be able to reach out and grab him back. I doubt they would to that at this stage anyway, unless there are some criminal proceedings still pending in that state. I think he's going to have to choose between staying hidden and protecting Lois very soon, and I wonder which option he'll choose.
Nah, not really.
So when's the next part?
Last edited by Terry Leatherwood; 05/18/14 10:35 AM. Reason: bad spelng
