John Grisham - 2007 - Playing for Pizza.pdf - fuyuhoshikim

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The Bologna Warriors were in the Italian Super Bowl two years earlier with a forty-year-old quarterback who'd once played briefly for Oakland. He quit after two seasons and went to Canada. Sam turned the car heater down a notch and replayed the final minutes of the Browns-Broncos game. Never in his memory had he watched one player so completely engineer a defeat and lose a game that was so clearly won. He himself had almost cheered when Dockery was carried off the field. Nevertheless, the idea of coaching him in Parma was intriguing.
CHAPTER 3 although the packing and leaving was somewhat of a ritual, the departure from Cleveland was a bit more stressful than usual. Someone found out that he had leased a condo on the seventh floor of a glass building near the lake, and there were two shaggy reporter types with cameras loitering near the guardhouse when Rick wheeled through in his black Tahoe. He parked underground and hurried up the elevator. The phone in the kitchen was ringing when he unlocked the door. A pleasant voice mail was left behind by none other than Charley Cray. Three hours later the SUV was packed with clothes and golf clubs and a stereo. Thirteen trips-he counted them--up and down the elevator, and his neck and shoulders were killing him. His head ached and throbbed and the painkillers did little to help. He wasn't supposed to drive while drugged, but Rick was driving. Rick was leaving, running away from the lease on the condo and the rented furniture therein, fleeing Cleveland and the Browns and their awful fans, scampering away to somewhere. He wasn't quite sure where. Wisely, he had signed only a six-month lease on the condo. Since college he'd lived a life of short leases and rented furniture and learned not to accumulate too many things. He fought the downtown traffic and managed to glance in the mirror for one last look at the Cleveland skyline. Good riddance. He was thrilled to be leaving. He vowed to never return, unless, of course, he was playing against the Browns, but then he'd promised himself that he would not think about the future. Not for another week anyway. As he raced through the suburbs, he admitted to himself that Cleveland was undoubtedly happier with his departure than he was. He was drifting west, in the general direction of Iowa, not with any enthusiasm, because he was not excited about going home. He'd called his parents once from the hospital. His mother asked about his head and begged him to stop playing. His father asked him what the hell he was thinking when he threw that last pass. "How are things in Davenport?" Rick had finally asked his father. Both knew what he was after. He wasn't curious about the local economy. "Not too good," his father said. A weather bulletin caught his attention. Heavy snow to the west, a blizzard in Iowa, and Rick happily turned left and headed south. An hour later his cell phone buzzed. It was Arnie, in Vegas, sounding much happier. "Where are you, kid?" he asked. "I'm out of Cleveland." "Thank God. Going home?" "No, I'm just driving, going south. Maybe I'll go to Florida and play some golf." "Great idea. How's your head?" "Fine." "Any additional brain damage?" Arnie asked with a fake laugh. It was a punch line Rick had heard at least a hundred times. "Severe damage," he said. "Look, kid, I'm onto something here, a spot on a roster, guaranteed starting position. Gorgeous cheerleaders. Wanna hear it?" Rick repeated it slowly, certain that he had misunderstood the details. The Vicodin was soaking a few areas of his tender brain. "Okay," he finally said. "I just talked to the head coach of the Panthers,
Page 2 and 3: c Century London Published by Centu
Page 4 and 5: Playing for Pizza
Page 6 and 7: calling to warn me not to call them
Page 8 and 9: never heard anything like it. A cou
Page 10 and 11: CHAPTER 2 It was snowing and Arnie
Page 14 and 15: and they will offer a contract righ
Page 16 and 17: Give me some time stateside to asse
Page 18 and 19: CHAPTER 4 Coach Russo read the Gazz
Page 20 and 21: finally continued: "Most Italian ci
Page 22 and 23: CHAPTER 5 The Stadio Lanfranchi is
Page 24 and 25: ody needs, but food would be welcom
Page 26 and 27: Their table was near the fireplace.
Page 28 and 29: Panthers!" Paolo said with a laugh.
Page 30 and 31: points with these guys, and help th
Page 32 and 33: like the Steelers? I love the Steel
Page 34 and 35: Sure, Coach. A thousand plays. No p
Page 36 and 37: "I mean, the last time I saw you, y
Page 38 and 39: He strutted up and down the lines o
Page 40 and 41: take up the sport, especially ex--s
Page 42 and 43: time, and the Fiat was dead. His la
Page 44 and 45: license plates, then the rear. The
Page 46 and 47: surgeon, and Rick thanked him. "Ver
Page 48 and 49: CHAPTER 12 On a beautiful Saturday
Page 50 and 51: By halftime, he had two more touchd
Page 52 and 53: Sam stayed at his elbow, anxious to
Page 54 and 55: CHAPTER 14 Monday's practice was a
Page 56 and 57: start his Fiat, shift it quickly in
Page 58 and 59: it, especially when you were onstag
Page 60 and 61: un. He selected a place called Quat
Page 62 and 63:
and raced sixty-five yards for an e
Page 64 and 65:
audience as well. She reluctantly e
Page 66 and 67:
CHAPTER 17 At 18:00 Monday evening,
Page 68 and 69:
at two thousand euros a month." "Tw
Page 70 and 71:
CHAPTER 18 Rick and Sam waited like
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ones. There would be no problems. H
Page 74 and 75:
CHAPTER 19 The bus rolled into the
Page 76 and 77:
CHAPTER 20 Sleep, though, was impos
Page 78 and 79:
Interesting question with a complic
Page 80 and 81:
CHAPTER 21 "It's five o'clock in th
Page 82 and 83:
was really once again in Cleveland,
Page 84 and 85:
traveling alone on weekends because
Page 86 and 87:
two. Tell him to sue me and I'll fi
Page 88 and 89:
with each vault. His runs were beco
Page 90 and 91:
CHAPTER 24 Such less beer was consu
Page 92 and 93:
dinner." "Why not?" "I'm doing a ro
Page 94 and 95:
CHAPTER 25 Dergamo traveled well. T
Page 96 and 97:
The Panthers scored late in the fir
Page 98 and 99:
CHAPTER 26 They slept till noon in
Page 100 and 101:
CHAPTER 27 The oldest Panther was T
Page 102 and 103:
In their first meeting, Trey Colby
Page 104 and 105:
CHAPTER 28 In the early hours of Mo
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curiosity inspired him to use his b
Page 108 and 109:
CHAPTER 29 The sound was vaguely fa
Page 110 and 111:
CHAPTER 30 Last-minute wrangling wi
Page 112 and 113:
as Maschi hit him low. A perfect op
Page 114 and 115:
CHAPTER 31 They gathered triumphant
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John Grisham - 2007 - Playing for Pizza.pdf - fuyuhoshikim

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