LJ Idol Week 17 entry

The tracks were just being cleared when Coach Hanson approached Coach Graham.

“Foggy day, isn’t it?” Coach Hanson scratched his almost bare head with his right hand.

Coach Graham nodded. He was watching the tracks carefully, where hurdles were being built up for 100 metres ladies run.

Coach Hanson was in his last years of teaching at this sport’s school, the years had taken his hair and provided him with a deeply sun-tanned, wrinkled, leather-like skin under which he had managed to develop a controlled temper.

This was useful, and by owning and maintaining this relaxed mode of mind, he made a difference to younger teachers and coaches, who still raised their angry voices over thrown down hurdles and failed javelin throws.

“Who is that?” asked Coach Graham when the ladies lined up. “I mean, number 3”, he added quickly.

“Deidre Heaton”, Coach Hanson replied, his voice seemingly expressing surprise about the fact that Coach Graham did not recognize her.

“Who is she?” Coach Graham raised one eyebrow.

“She is a substitute for Carla Erler.” Coach Hanson arranged the glasses sitting on his huge nose. “She fell from the stage during an experimental theatre rehearsal.”

“A substitute?” Coach Graham now raised the other eyebrow as well. “But this is…”

“The qualification run? Yes, indeed. Heaton’s first qualification run.”, smiled Coach Hanson.

Then they heard the shot. The run had started. While Coach Hanson took a pipe out of his pocket and lighted it, Coach Graham’s eyes widened as Deidre Heaton flew past the others, all muscles in her body working, her eyes only aiming at the finish line.

When she crossed it (it must have been only seconds, but Coach Graham looked as if time had stopped), people cheered and jumped from their seats.

“How…” began Coach Graham and Coach Hanson took a deep inhale from his sweet pipe.

“I told her there was no way she was going to qualify for the next round and that she was THE SLOW ONE”. Coach Hanson released his fingers from the pipe to form invisible quotes in the foggy air.

“For her, these words triggered the miracle that you just saw.”

“Get to know your team members, they will be yours someday.”

Coach Graham’s eyebrows were still high up towards his forehead. He took a deep breath of the sweetened air around him and walked towards Deidre Heaton, who stood beside the track, blushed and as astonished as he was.