Undefeated

Pushing the deadline. F3 the prompt is:

“I slowly peeled back my eyelids and immediately wished I was still out for the count” I was staring into the face of a man I hadn't seen in almost 40 years “Coach...Coach Eaton, is that you.” Yeah Williams it's me, you took a pretty hard hit there, You might have a concussion.” “Benson you and Schober help him up to the nurse's office.” Larry Benson, and Steve Shober 2 of my best friends in high school. Exactly as I remembered them, sun bleached hair down past their shoulders, I realized mine was too. Like it was in high school when we spent most of our days down at Hermosa Beach, surfing, playing volleyball and watching the chicks. What the hell was going on?

“Larry, What happened, how did I get here.”

“Well you came down with that pass and that idiot Love hit you in the ankles on the way down. You hit your head pretty hard”

“What year is it?” I asked. What I remembered was closing down Captain Ron's as usual. I was the closing bartender 5 nights a week.

“Something happened on the way home” I said. “A real good thunderstorm, sheets of lightning filling the sky for seconds at a time. “I came up the rise at Hilltop and a lightning strike strike lit up a damn cow right in the middle of my lane. I panicked and pulled my car into the ditch, Slinging the steering wheel back to the left and I swerved back across the road, took out a mailbox... Then a tremendous flash of light and the next thing was Coach Eaton crouched over me. But that all happened in 2011 So what is it now 72?”

” “Whoa, bitchin' you really did take a good hit” Schober said. “2011, Were you driving a jet car, ha, ha,hah. What you been smokin” dude, I want some” “C'mon Steve we better get him up to the nurse' Larry said, 'He's hallucinating.”

The school nurse was a nice looking woman who looked to be in her early thirties. She had me sit down on the bed while she went over to the sink to wash up. I couldn't help but notice her splendid backside as she bent over the sink. Very fine... Aw shit, look at this, I'm getting a erection and the damn jock strap is killing me. Man, I haven't had one like this in years. It's been at least since the cancer 3 years ago. The doc said I could get some kind of pump to help. This was like a miracle.

“Michael are you okay, They told me you bumped you're head pretty hard. She stepped closer and I stepped back and fell back on the bed. She took my hand and helped back me up, noticing the bulge in my gym shorts. I turned scarlet and then she did. I laughed and then she did. “Sorry about that Mrs Anglin” “ Oh, don't worry, it's not the first time this has happened. “It is to me” I said. Well, let's check you for a concussion, Then she pulled out a small penlight and looked in my eyes. The smell of her perfume from this close was driving me crazy. I hadn't been this near a woman in a long time. “Well Michael I don't see a concussion, but I would feel better if you saw a doctor” “Uh Sure, my Mom works at a doctor's office, “Yes we have the number I'll call her. You wait here” with a grin she and her pert behind disappeared out the door.

So Mom had the doc check me out, nothing broken, Maybe a mild concussion but nothing to worry about. So I didn't. But 1972, That was hard to believe, my senior year in high school. In those days my Step-Dad was working nights. We usually just grunted at each other. The only thing we had in common was watching sports. He had the Dodger's game on. I said just to make conversation, “You think they got a chance to go all the way.” yeah a fat chance! They're 9 games out with 4 to play and the play offs start next weekend. Looks like the Reds will take the division. Over in the east the Pirates got it wrapped up” A glimmer of an idea “What about the American League?” I asked him. “Your mother told me you hit your head” Must have have been a good one. The A's of course and against the Tigers. The glimmer solidified just a little. This was 1972 there was only a 3 game division playoff in place. I was pretty sure both the A's and the Reds made the World Series and I was willing to bet I was right. The only thing was I couldn't remember who won the Series that year. Where was the internet now that I needed it? But still I knew the winner of 4 out 6 playoff games . And then it hit me smack upside the head. 1972. Oh, man the Miami Dolphins, undefeated the whole way even the Superbowl. I didn't have to know the scores I just had to know the winners. I could make a killing on this. “Dad I'm going over to Benson's can you have Don meet us at Shober's later. I heard a grunt which could mean anything so I left.

I met Benson at his house, He and I walked down the street to Shober's. Don had already showed up. “So what's this bullshit about 2011.” he said as I walked in. So I told them my story over again, for my brother's sake. “You know you're crazy if you expect us to believe that.”

“That's fair” but what do you have to lose. Here's what I was thinking. A little NFL History. The 1972 Dolphins win every game that... Er, this season. The only team to ever have no losses including the playoffs. This year's Dolphins. Bob Griese, Larry Csonka, Mercury Morris, the no name defense. Look we start small, pool what cash we got. And bet on the next game. Who they playing?”

“Some know it all, you are! They're' playing Houston at home. You know they win but you don't you don't know who their playing or the scores?”

Larry jumped in to cool things down. “Don they've already won at Kansas City.”

“What the hell do you want from me Don” For me this is 39 years ago. The only thing I know is that the Dolphins go undefeated. That's it! But it can be enough if we do this right. Steve I was thinking we get Marty to front for us , Steve's older brother spent most of his days and night down at Mr Tony's pool hall. We all had heard his brag about the bets he almost won.

   And so our test bet; Houston at Miami. We only put 25 down on Miami minus a touchdown. They won 34-10. The next week was Miami at Minnesota we took the Dolphins and the 3 points. Dolphins won 16-14 and I was sweating a bit. I thought maybe my going back had changed the past. That causality stuff. But they kept winning,  I had gained some believers and their confidence grew as the Dolphins continued to win week after week. We went ahead and placed our bets all the way through to the Superbowl, just picking the winners each week.

   Mean while I was back in high school. I was actually showing up more than I had when I was a senior. See there was this girl; Sandra. The first time around we had been friends but I was shy and though we talked every morning I had never gotten the courage to ask her out. Being 57 in a skinny 150lb body gave me a bit more confidence. So I started borrowing Mom's car and taking Sandra to movies, She liked ice skating, so did I. We hung out at the beach weekends. Well you get the idea.

    It was getting harder to get good odds by the beginning of December. The Dolphins were now favored in every game. Close to the end of the season Marty started to get greedy. One night at Tony's we found out why. Four big guys herded us in to the back room. Marty was already there with an older guy. “Mr Scotti would like to know where you're getting your information from “ Marty said.

Because I was a smartass I answered, “”I'm a time traveler from 2011, bet on the Dolphins and buy some stock in company called Microsoft”

“Very funny, wise ass.” said one of the goons. I saw a cue come at my head too fast to duck.

“I slowly peeled back my eyelids and immediately wished I was still out for the count.” I was in the middle of a two lane road and the damn cow staring right at me.