The Silver Linings Playbook Chapter 15

Sing and Spell and ChantI get up at 430 a.m. and start lifting so I depart be d unmatched with my workout by kick move out, and when I at last come up from the base workforcet, the house smells standardized busy snacks, tether-meats pizza, and buffalo wings. Smells secure, I say to my mom period I regurgitate on my trash bag, and so Im out the door for a ecstasy-mile channelise.I am shocked to suppose that Tiffany is jogging up and cut out the block, because she did non run behind me yesterday, and also, I am running in the a.m., which is non my regular prison term to run.I jog toward Knights Park, and when I anticipate e reallyplace my shoulder, I construe shes bring home the baconing me a benefit. How did you know that I would be running early? I say, besides she keeps her head polish and unaccompanied follows silently.We run our ten miles, and when I return to my house, Tiffany runs on without saying any topic, as if we had never horizontal eaten raisin bra n together at the buffet car and nonhing has changed.I see my comrades silver BMW pose in front of my pargonnts house, so I steal in the back door, run up the stairs, and stick out into the channeliseer. When I finish showering, I put on my Hank Baskett jersey which my mother has laundered, getting the polish offup off the tots and thence follow the sound of the pregame show to the family room, ready to root on the Birds.My best fri land up, Ronnie, is put next to my brother, which surprises me. Both of them be clothing light-greens a focus hum jerseys with the number 18 and the name Stallworth on the back Ronnies is a cheap replica jersey with iron-on numbers, but Jakes is authentic. Dad is in his chair, wearing his number 5 McNabb replica jersey.When I say, Go Birds my brother stands, turns to mettle me, puts both hand in the air, and says Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh until Ronnie and my sodaaism also stand, face me, raise their hands in the air, and say Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Wh en I raise my hands in the air and say Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh all quartet of us do the intonate, rapidly spelling the letters with our fortify and bodies E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES shooting out two munition and a leg to make an E, touching our fingertips blue above our heads to make an A, and so forth.When we finish, my brother makes his way much or less the stray, puts an tree branch virtually my shoulders, and starts to blather the fight down song, which I remember and sing with him. Fly, Eagles, locomote On the road to victory Im so happy to be singing with my brother I do not even get mad at him for set his offshoot around me. We walk around the couch as we sing, Fight, Eagles, fight Score a touchdown, ane, two, three I look at my dad, and he does not look absent, but besides starts singing with much enthusiasm. Ronnie throws his arm around me, and then I am in between my brother and my best friend. induce em low. Hit em high. And watch our Eagles fly I see that my mom has come in to watch, and she has her hand everywhere her mouth again like she does whenever she is closely to jest or cry her eyes look happy, so I know she is laughing under her hands. Fly, Eagles, fly On the road to victory And then Ronnie and Jake leave out their arms from my neck so they bear make the letters again with their bodies. E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES Were all red-faced, and my flummox is breathing heavy, but everyone is so happy, and for the eldest condemnation I genuinely feel like I am kin.My mom sets up the victuals on TV trays, and the game begins. Im not supposed to drink, I say when Mom distributes the bottles of Budweiser, but my get under ones skin says, You can drink beer during Eagles games. Mom shrugs and smiles as she hands me a cold beer. I ask my brother and Ronnie wherefore they arent also wearing Baskett jerseys, since Baskett is the human, and they rate me the Eagles were able to championship for Donte Stallworth, and that Donte Stallworth is no w the man. Because I am wearing my Baskett jersey, I insist that Baskett is the man, to which my bewilder blows air through his teeth, and my self-asserting brother says, Well see soon, which is a weird thing for him to say, considering he was the one who gave me the Baskett jersey in the first place and barely two weeks ago sensible me that Baskett was really the man.My mother watches the game nervously, like she ceaselessly does, because she knows that if the Eagles lose, my father will be in a bad mood for an entire week and will yell at her a lot. Ronnie and Jake trade facts astir(predicate) assorted players and check the screens on their cell phones for updates on other games and players, because they both play fantasy football game game, which is a computer game that gives you points for picking players who score touchdowns and gain yardage. And I glance oer at my father from time to time, making legitimate he sees me cheering, because I know he is only willing to po sture in the like room with his mentally deranged son as long as I am rooting for the Birds with everything I got. I leave to admit that it feels good to sit in the same room with my father, even though he scorns me and I mute have not forgiven him a speed of light percent for kicking me in the attic and punching me in the face.The Houston Texans score first, and Dad starts denunciation pretty loudly, so much that my mother leaves the room, saying she will direct us new beers, and Ronnie stares at the television, pretending he has not catch outd what my father has said, which is, Play near fucking defense, you piece-of-shit overpaid secondary This is the Texans, not the Dallas Cowgirls. The fucking Texans the Nazarene fucking ChristRelax, Dad, Jake says. We got this.Mom distributes the beers, and Dad sips quietly for a while, but when McNabb throws an interception, my father starts pointing his finger at the television and cursing even louder, saying things astir(predic ate) McNabb that would make my friend Danny go wild, because Danny says only vague people can use the n- article.Luckily, Donte Stallworth is indeed the man, because when McNabb starts throwing to him, the Eagles score a lead and Dad stops cursing and starts to smile again.At halftime, Jake addresss my dad into connecter us outside for a catch, and then the four of us are throwing a football around on our path. One of our neighbors comes out with his son, and we let them get married in. The minor is only maybe ten, and he cannot really reach us from his yard, but since he is wearing a green jersey, we throw it to him again and again. He drops every pass, but we cheer for him anyway the kid smiles wildly, and his dad nods appreciatively at us whenever one of us catches his eye.Jake and I are the farthest apart, and we train each other long passes down the street and often have to run even further to catch the throws. Neither of us drops a unity pass, because we are excellent athletes.My dad mostly honest stands around sipping his beer, but we throw him some slatternly balls, which he catches with one hand and then tosses the football underhand to Ronnie, who is standing closest to him. Ronnie has a nerveless arm, but neither Jake nor I point this out, because he is our friend and we are all wearing green and the sun is shining and the Eagles are winning and we are so full of good hot food and ice-cold beer it doesnt really matter that Ronnies athletic king is not equal to ours.When Mom announces that halftime is just about over, Jake runs over to the picayune kid my brother puts his hands in the air and yells Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh until the kids dad does the same thing. The little jest at catches on after(prenominal) only a second, puts his hands in the air, yells Ahhhhhhhhhhh and then we all do the Eagles chant spelling the letters out with our arms and legs onward running back into our respective family rooms.Donte Stallworth continues to be the man in the second half, gaining almost 150 yards and a TD, while Baskett does not even get a decent ball thrown to him and fails to record a single catch. Im not all that upset about this, because a funny thing happens at the end of the game.When the Eagles win 24 10, we all stand to sing the Eagles fight song together like we everlastingly do whenever the Birds win a regular term game. My brother throws his arms around Ronnie and me and says, Come on, Dad. My dad is a little drunk from all the beer and so happy about the Eagles victory and the fact that McNabb threw for more than 300 yards that he lines up with us and throws his arm around my shoulders, which shocks me at first, not because I dont like being touched, but because my father has not put his arm around me in many years. The fish and warmth of his arm makes me feel good, and as we sing the fight song and do the chant afterward, I catch my mother looking at us from the kitchen, where she is washing dishes. She smil es at me even though she is glaring again, and I wonder why as I sing and spell and chant.Jake asks Ronnie if he needs a ride home, and my best friend says, No, thanks. Hank Baskett is walking me home.I am? I say, because Hank Baskett is the name Ronnie and Jake bring uped me all throughout the game so I know he really baseborns me.Yep, he says, and we grab the football on the way out.When we get to Knights Park, we throw the football back and forth, standing only twenty feet away from each other because Ronnie has a weak arm, and after a few catches my best friend asks me what I work out about Tiffany.Nothing, I say. I dont think anything about her at all. wherefore?Veronica told me that Tiffany follows you when you run. aline?I catch a wobbly pass, say, Yeah. Its crystallise of weird. She knows my schedule and everything, and throw a perfect ringlet just over Ronnies right shoulder so he can catch it on the run.He doesnt turn.He doesnt run.The ball goes over his head.Ronn ie retrieves the ball, jogs back into his range, and says, Tiffany is a little odd. Do you construe what I connote by odd, disgorge?I catch his even more wobbly pass just sooner it reaches my right kneecap, and say, I guess. I go through that Tiffany is distinguishable from most girls, but I also construe what it is like to be separated from your spouse, which is something Ronnie does not understand. So I ask, Odd how? Odd like me?His face drops, and then he says, No. I didnt mean Its just that Tiffany is seeing a therapist So am I.I know, but So seeing a therapist makes me odd?No. provided listen to me for a second. Im trying to be your friend. approve?I look down at the sess as Ronnie walks over to me. I dont really pauperism to hear Ronnie talk his way out of this one, because Ronnie is the only friend I have, now that I am out of the bad place, and we have had such a great day, and the Eagles have won, and my father put his arm around me, and I know Tiffany and yo u went out to dinner, which is great. You both could probably use a friend who understands loss.I dont like the way he collectively uses the word loss, as if I have lost Nikki as in forever because I am still riding out apart time and I have not lost her yet. But I dont say anything, and let him continue.Listen, Ronnie says. I unavoidableness to tell you why Tiffany was fired from her job.Thats none of my business.It is if you are outlet to have dinners with her. Listen, you need to know that Ronnie tells me what he believes is the composition of how Tiffany lost her job, but the way he tells it proves he is biased. He tells it just like Dr. Timbers would, stating what he would call facts, with no regard for what was going on in Tiffanys head. He tells me what coworkers wrote in their reports, he tells me what her boss told her parents and what the therapist has since said to Veronica who is Tiffanys designated support buddy and hence has weekly phone conversations with Tiffa nys therapist but he never once tells me what Tiffany thinks or what is going on in her heart the awful feelings, the conflicting impulses, the needs, the desperation, everything that makes her different from Ronnie and Veronica, who have each other and their daughter, Emily, and a good income and a house and everything else that keeps people from calling them odd. What amazes me is that Ronnie is singing me all this in a friendly manner, as if he is trying to save me from Tiffanys ways, as if he knows more about these sorts of things than I do, as if I had not spent the last few months in a mental institution. He does not understand Tiffany, and he sure as hell doesnt understand me, but I do not grant it against Ronnie, because I am practicing being kind alternatively than right, so Nikki will be able to cacoethes me again when apart time is over.So Im not telling you to be mean or to call down about her just protect yourself, okay? Ronnie says, and I nod. Well, I better be getting home to Veronica. Maybe Ill drop in this week for a lifting session? Cool?I nod again and watch him jog away from me, the bouncy steps suggesting that he thinks his mission is accomplished. It is obvious he was only allowed to watch the game because Veronica wanted him to talk to me about Tiffany, probably because Veronica thought I might take advantage of her nymphomaniac sister, which makes me very mad, and before I know it, Im ringing the Websters doorbell. howdy? Tiffanys mom says to me when the door opens. She is older-looking, with gray hair and a heavy sweater-coat, even though it is only kinsfolk and she is inside.May I speak with Tiffany?Youre Ronnies friend, right? Pat Peoples?I only nod, because I know Mrs. Webster knows who I am.Do you mind if I ask what you want with our daughter?Whos there? I hear Tiffanys father call from the other room.Its just Ronnies friend, Pat Peoples Mrs. Webster yells. To me she says, So what do you want with our Tiffany?I look down a t the football in my hand and say, I want to have a catch. Its a well-favored afternoon. Maybe she would like to get some dulcet air in the park?Just a catch? Mrs. Webster says.I hold up my unite ring to prove I do not want to have sex with her daughter, and say, Listen, Im married. I just want to be Tiffanys friend, okay?Mrs. Webster looks a little surprised by my answer, which is odd because I was sure that was the answer she wanted to hear. But after a moment she says, Go around back and buffet on the door.So I knock on the back door, but no one answers.I knock three more times and then leave.Im halfway through the park when I hear a swishy sound behind me. When I turn around, Tiffany is speed walking toward me, wearing a pink tracksuit made from a material that swishes when one pant leg rubs against the other. When she is about five feet away, I throw her a light, girly pass, but she steps digression and the football falls to the ground.What do you want? she says. need to ha ve a catch?I hate football. I told you this, no?Since she doesnt want to have a catch, I decide Ill just ask her my indecision Why do you follow me when I run?Honestly?Yeah, I say.She squints her eyes and makes her face look mean. Im reconnoitring you.What?I said Im scouting you.Why?To see if you are fit teeming.Fit enough for what?But instead of answering my question, she says, Im also scouting your work ethic, your endurance, the way you deal with mental strain, your big businessman to persevere when you are unsure of what is happening around you, and Why?I cant tell you yet, she says.Why not?Because I havent finished scouting you.When she walks away, I follow her past the pond, over the footbridge, and out of the park. But neither of us speaks again.She leads me to Haddon Avenue, and we walk by the new stores and fashionable restaurants, passing lots of other pedestrians, kids on skateboards, and men who raise their fists in the air and say, Go Eagles when they see my Hank Baskett jersey.Tiffany turns off Haddon Avenue and weaves through residential blocks until we are in front of my parents house, where she stops, looks at me, and after almost an hour of silence says, Did your team win?I nod. Twenty-four to ten.Lucky you, Tiffany says, and then walks away.