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The boys rowed quietly back to the dock as Bobby sat in his seat, staring down at the megaphone in his hands. The only sounds coming from the boat were the splashes coming from the oars as they dipped into the water. Bobby sighed and glanced up, but all of the boys had their eyes everywhere but on him, which was understandable considering the awkward silence. It had not been a good practice, to say the least, and they all knew Bobby was not happy. Bobby leaned back slightly, taking one of his hands off of the megaphone and gesturing to the sides with both his hands.
“Alright, so what are we thinking?” he asked. The boys’ eyes all snapped to him as they stopped rowing. Don had his typical frown on, and Joe was looking at Bobby with a frustrated furrow in his brow.
“I know you know as well as I do that today’s practice was crap, and you all know better,” Bobby continued. “And you all know it’s not just today, don’t you? It’s been this whole entire week! You all just can’t seem to get in sync. Do we know why that is?”
“They’re rushing the slide!” Chuck called up, gesturing his arm towards Joe and Don in a frustrated way. Don’s shoulders stiffened as Joe turned back to glare at Chuck.
“You’re blaming this on us?” Joe shot back. “We’re not rushing anything; you guys just aren’t paying attention!”
“Oh, it’s always our fault back here, isn’t it?” Chuck fired back angrily. “Never the precious stroke boys, oh, no. Pardon me for accusing the stroke princes of wrongdoing!”
“Come on, Chuck,” John groaned, rubbing at his face. “It’s been a long practice and we all just want to go home.”
“You’re not annoyed that they’re blaming us?” Roger asked, raising an eyebrow and looking around Chuck to glance at John. “They always try to blame it on us!”
“At this point I think we all just want to shower and go home, and you’re just prolonging that,” Shorty replied, turning slightly to send a glare towards the bow. “So no, I don’t really care whose fault it is right now.”
Chuck crossed his arms. “You wouldn’t be saying that if they were blaming you.”
Don threw his arms out to the side, frustrated.
“You just blamed it on us!” he exclaimed. “You’re complaining about the very thing you’re doing yourself.”
“You know Hume, I really do like it better when you don’t talk,” Chuck retorted, looking away.
As more comments were made at the same time, Bobby had had enough.
“Okay, break it up!” he exclaimed, tapping the sides of the boat with his wooden pegs. To his surprise, they actually did all stop. Eight frustrated and angry faces stared his way as he thought for a moment.
“Just row back,” he said, gesturing to the dock and rolling his eyes. He had to fix this, and fast, or Ulbrickson wouldn’t be happy. Heck, he already wasn’t happy. Bobby tried to defend his boys any chance he got, but at this point? He was running out of excuses for them.
As they neared the dock, he suddenly got an idea. It was either brilliant, or it could potentially make things worse. But he figured the odds were in his favor, and his plan would work perfectly.
“Alright, listen,” Bobby said as they all exited the boat. The boys glared at each other, but to their credit, they gave Bobby their attention.
“I don’t want you guys going home just yet,” Bobby continued. His comment earned a couple of quiet groans and some questioning looks. He lifted his hands in front of him. “Don’t get rude with me, just listen. After you clean yourselves up, meet me in the stretch of grass next to the shell house.”
He gestured to the side of the shell house, where there was a stretch of grass and a couple of trees between the water and the building.
“No later than 4:45, got it?” he told them, raising an eyebrow. They all nodded, but they still didn’t seem too happy. Bobby shrugged and started to walk away.
“See you at 4:45.”
Bobby leaned against a tree by the river, waiting for the boys to show up. Don, of course, was the first one. He came out of the shell house and rushed up to Bobby.
“Sorry I’m late,” he said as he got closer. Bobby glanced at his watch.
“But you’re five minutes ear- oh, nevermind. You’re fine.”
Joe soon followed a couple of minutes later, and soon seven of the eight rowers were waiting around the tree. Bobby glanced at his watch again as Chuck came up to join them.
“I said no later than 4:45, Day,” Bobby said, shaking his head. “It’s 4:53. What took you so long?”
Before Chuck could answer, Roger sniffed the air slightly and shook his head.
“Had to get that stress relieving smoke or two in first,” he said, his arms crossed. Chuck gave him a look.
“Whose side are you on, Morris?”
Roger laughed. “Not the cigarette side. You know that’s a disgusting habit.”
“Anyway,” Bobby said, slightly louder than before. He gave a pointed look to Roger and Chuck. “Chuck’s rotten habit aside, we have something we need to discuss. There have been too many arguments in the boat lately, and we’re gonna solve them all today.”
“You finally telling Rantz to stop rushing the slide?” Chuck interrupted, nodding his head towards Joe.
“Isn’t this Ulbrickson’s job?” John asked, leaning against the tree. Bobby shrugged.
“If you don’t get your crap together, it will be,” he replied, crossing his arms. “The fact is none of you are doing what you’re supposed to be doing, and you’re all blaming everyone else for it.” He pointed at Chuck. “You’re catching too high! We’ve been over this since day one. You need to catch lower.”
He glanced over at Joe, who was covering his mouth with his hand.
“I don’t know why you’re smirking, Rantz; you need to keep your head in the boat. McMillin, you sky the blade way too often. We’re not reaching for literal stars here. Hume, you need to keep your eyes up. And the rest of you need to pay better attention to what’s going on in the boat. Don can’t be doing all the work!”
“Don’t we all wish we were Don Hume,” Chuck muttered as Don shoved his hands into his pockets, looking uncomfortable. Bobby rolled his eyes.
“Don’s no Saint by a long shot, but at least he keeps his head in the boat. We’re not talking about that right now though. Today, not only did you push off the dock before I gave you all the go ahead, you were feathering way too early, and all at different times. I don’t know how many times I’ve told you, like. A. Team.” He tapped the side of one hand against the other with each word for emphasis. After a brief pause, he smiled mischievously.
“And I have the perfect way to fix that.” He pulled out some cloths from his pocket and held them out for them to see.
“Matching handkerchiefs?” Shorty asked, eyeing the cloths suspiciously. Bobby gave him a look.
“What? No, of course not. We, or should I say you, are going to do a three legged race.” Bobby crossed his arms and smiled smugly, watching their reactions.
“What exactly is the point of this?” Roger asked with a raised eyebrow. Bobby shook his head.
“I would’ve thought that would be obvious,” he replied. “It’s a team building exercise. You know, to make you guys look and feel like a team. There’s way too much tension in the boat.”
He received a few groans as he gave the cloths out to the boys.
“But before you pair up, I’m making things interesting,” Bobby said, noting the look Joe and Don gave each other. They knew if they were paired together, they’d more than likely win. “I’m not pairing you in order.”
“What?” Chuck asked, tossing his arms out to the side. Bobby grinned.
“Don, Roger, you two are partners,” he said, pointing to the two of them. “Joe and Chuck.”
Joe held back from rolling his eyes as he walked over to tie his leg to Chuck’s. Of course the little runt would put him with Chuck on a day like today.
“I say we toss him in the water after this,” Chuck whispered to Joe. Joe smiled.
“I’m on board with that.”
“Shorty and John,” Bobby continued, “and Jim and Gordy.”
“And before we continue,” he added, reaching into his pocket as the boys tied their ankles together, “I’m going to make this even more interesting.”
He pulled two knitted crew socks from his pocket and held them out. Bobby’s younger sister knew that he tended to lean more on the cold side than most, and took it upon herself to make sure she knit him a new pair (or pairs) of socks every Christmas. One of the latest pairs, however, were ones Bobby just couldn’t bring himself to wear. They were a whole rainbow of colors, with stripes ranging from soft pink, to vibrant blue and bright orange, with what Bobby thought was every color in between. (Obviously she had been using the leftover bits of yarn from past projects, and Bobby more than appreciated the thought and work that went into the socks his sister gifted him; however, he couldn’t help but wonder if she’d been giggling to herself as she knitted the little rainbow socks and sent them to her older brother.)
“The losing team has to wear these to practice for the whole week,” he said, wiggling the socks back and forth in his hands. The boys all stared at him with very annoyed expressions on their faces.
“You have got to be joking,” Shorty said, standing up. “Those look like socks for a little girl!”
“Am I laughing?” Bobby asked with a smirk. “Line up, boys!”
They reluctantly lined up, grumbling to each other and sending glares Bobby’s way.
“Trust me, “ Bobby said, placing a hand on his chest and leaning forward slightly. “You all are going to thank me later when Ulbrickson is so pleased with how well you’re rowing together!”
“I wouldn’t count on it, Moch!” Chuck retorted. Bobby pointed to him.
“You. Hush. You all ready? The finish line is that tree down there.” He pointed to a tree several yards away near the river.
“He is so going to pay for this,” Joe muttered, glancing at Bobby’s smug expression.
“Go!” Bobby shouted, watching as the boys begrudgingly started running. Or tried to, at least. Bobby had a very hard time holding back laughter as he watched the eight boys stumble forward. Some were doing better than others; Johnny and Shorty were doing pretty well, as were Don and Roger. Until, that is, Don suddenly pitched forward, taking Roger with him and nearly flattening him! Bobby nearly doubled over with laughter once he was sure Roger was uninjured- because wouldn’t that injury be interesting to explain to Ulbrickson. Jim and Gordy were making steady progress, but what surprised Bobby the most was Joe and Chuck. The two who had been arguing the most in the boat, (and quite frankly, driving Bobby crazy the most) were the ones in the lead, working surprisingly well together. Bobby couldn’t help but smile smugly. He was a genius.
Don and Roger had managed to get up out of their tangle of limbs to get running again, but Joe and Chuck were quickly reaching the end, followed by Johnny and Shorty who weren’t too far behind. Bobby started walking towards them as Joe and Chuck passed the tree, slowing to a stop. Johnny and Shorty followed soon after, then Jim and Gordy. Bobby held back a laugh as Don and Roger passed the tree last. Don’s face was red with embarrassment and Roger looked plain annoyed.
“Well, I would say my plan was a success,” he bragged as the boys untied their legs. “Honestly you guys looked more like a team than you have in the boat lately. We should do this more often!”
“No!” most of the boys replied, huffing slightly. Don and Roger looked at each other, hoping maybe Bobby would forget what the “prize” (or penalty, depending on whether you ask them or Bobby) was for coming in last. Unfortunately for them, Bobby was reaching into his pocket as he approached them.
“Your prize, ladies,” Bobby said, holding out the socks to them. Don took a sock with a roll of his eyes before stuffing it into his pocket.
“What??” Roger exclaimed, snatching his sock from Bobby. “But Hume nearly flattened me! That’s the only reason we came in last. That should count for something!”
“Last is last, Morris. You either win or you lose. And you?” He patted Roger’s and Don’s shoulders. “You lost.”
“Do we get anything for winning?” Chuck asked with a hopeful smile, his hands on his sides. Bobby came up to him and put a hand on his shoulder.
“Just the satisfaction of having beaten the rest of the boat with Rantz,” he replied with a shrug. He patted Chuck’s shoulder. “Which is worth so much more than any prize, am I right?”
Joe rolled his eyes as Bobby started to walk away.
“I’ll see you guys tomorrow, and Hume! Morris! I expect to see those socks.” He turned around with a smirk. “Or there WILL be consequences.”
As he turned back around, the boys shared a look before running after him. Bobby gasped in surprise as they picked him up and tossed him into the river. His head popped above the surface a moment later and he spat out water; he glared at the boys, who of course, were laughing.
“Go. Suck. Rocks,” he said, annoyed, as he treaded water. The boys shrugged with little satisfied smirks on their faces. Joe smiled and leaned over to hold out a hand to Bobby. Bobby glared at him, but accepted this hand to get out of the water.
“You all are rotten,” he said, shaking water off of his hands and looking down at himself.
“You deserved it, Moch,” Chuck replied, pulling a cigarette out of his pocket.
“Gross, go do that somewhere else,” Roger remarked, giving the cigarette a disgusted look. Chuck rolled his eyes and stuck it in his mouth anyway.
“I’ll see you ladies tomorrow,” Bobby said, rolling his eyes. “If I don’t catch pneumonia first,” he added, looking pointedly at the ones who threw him into the water.
“It’s 70 degrees, man,” Shorty replied with a shrug of his shoulders. Bobby raised an eyebrow.
“Don’t care. Now, go do something constructive.” He turned to leave then paused, turning around. “I’ll bet you guys will be more of a team tomorrow, right? And remember the socks, Don and Roger!”
Don and Roger looked down at the socks and silently groaned.
“I really hope nobody else sees these,” Roger muttered to Don as Bobby walked away.