Alumni: Bobbi and Dee

Bobbi and Dee were sitting around in Dee’s house, bored on a summer afternoon, unable to think of anything fun to do. They had graduated a month earlier, and while they were happy to be rid of the drudgery of school, they missed the structure it had given them. They had both been athletes the entire time, and the absence of the physicality and regimen of daily practice and weekend games was beginning to be keenly felt.

“I miss hanging out with the team,” Bobbi admitted. “It really kinda sucks that we have to leave that all behind now.”

“I know!” Dee added. “I feel like we’re never going to see any of them again. I miss the coaches already.”

“You mean you miss Mr. Evans,” Bobbi corrected, “I do too.”

Mr. Evans had been their coach, and was a favorite of just about everybody. He had a good rapport with the kids, and was funny but in control at the same time. He was only in his mid 30s, so he wasn’t so old as to be disconnected, but he wasn’t as close in age to the kids as most of the assistants. Both Bobbi and Dee had been pals with him more than some of the other girls, and had spent much of their four years joking around with him before and after practice.

“We don’t have any excuse to hang out with him any more,” Bobbi continued, “We should find out where he lives and go see him.”

“I know where he lives. He just moved over kind of where you live. But what are we gonna do? Just go over and say ‘Hi, coach, we miss you and wanna hang out,’ you know, don’t you think it would be kinda weird?”

“You mean weird-weird, or you know, like really awkward weird weird?” she said, looking Dee in the eyes so she’d get her meaning. Dee returned the look and thought for a second.

At various times they had discussed that they thought Mr. Evans was cute. Not like their boyfriends were cute, but in an older man, inaccessible, unrealistic kind of way. They’d both caught him glancing at them in their uniforms in what could possibly be construed as something of a leer, but they never busted him on it, and he probably didn’t even know they’d seen him. He was always professional around them, and they felt safe, as did everyone, that the line would never be crossed, or even considered. It just wasn’t part of who he was. But still, they were pretty close with him, and more than once his fleeting glance was seen wandering.

They knew they were both thinking of this, when Dee let her smile show. “We should go see him,” she said playfully, “What do you think?”

Bobbi was a little surprised by the direction she thought Dee might be headed. “Uh, you mean like really go over to his house and say, “Hey, wanna hang out?” What are you thinking, you little perv?”

“I dunno,” she said coyly. “Maybe we just go over there and tease him a bit. You know how he likes these shorts,” she added, smiling. She was wearing the super high spandex shorts they used to wear at practice, and a t-shirt. Bobbi, by contrast, was wearing her baggy basketball shorts and a tank top.

“Oh, you are SO bad. But what do you think that’ll do to him. Don’t you think it’s kinda cruel to tease him like that?”

“Oh, come on, let’s go over there. He’ll be happy to see us; you know he will. Plus, you know you like him too, right? Let’s go.”

They got into Bobbi’s car and drove over to the street Dee had seen him moving to on her way to Bobbi’s a few weeks earlier. “There it is I think. Hey, there’s his car out front! Sweet, this is going to be so much fun!” She was fairly jumping out of the car.

“Man, you are way too looking forward to this,” Bobbi said as they walked up the walk. “I think it’s mean of you to lead him on like this.”

“Who says I’m just leading him on?” Dee quipped without looking at her as she rang the bell. Bobbi’s mouth fell open in surprise as she stared at her friend while the door opened.

“Hey, coach,” Dee said in her most unassuming tone. “We found out you had a new house and we’ve come over to make sure it’s the right place for you.”

His face lit up in surprise, happy to see his favorite girls unexpectedly on his doorstep. “Hi, guys. How’s the summer going? Have you really got so little going on that you had to come find me for entertainment? How sad,” he joked, opening the screen door to let them in. “You alright Bobbi? You look a little lost,” he said, innocent of the situation. He was happy for what he could only guess was a cordial visit (although his eyes did find Dee’s shorts right on cue). The truth was, he had been afraid he’d never see them again, like most of his athletes who’d moved on.

“Uh, no, I’m fine.” Bobbi said, walking in. “Cool place, when did you move in?”

“Right after the season ended. It seems like all I’ve been doing since then has been trying to get settled in. Have a seat.”

He led them to the living room where he sat down on one end of the sofa. Bobbi sat cautiously on the other end while Dee continued to walk around the room checking things out. They chatted about what they and other members of the team had been up to since school ended. Dee ambled about, making observances that kept her back turned to him, arching her back ever so slightly so that her cute little butt poked out from beneath her untucked tee.

Bobbi followed his eyes surreptitiously and confirmed that Dee’s ploy was working, but she wasn’t quite sure what to make of it. Mr. Evans was clearly trying to keep himself from being distracted with these two athletic young ladies in his living room. But while he generally maintained his professionalism at all times, it would have been all but impossible to not recognize their attractiveness. And since they had left and moved on into the adult world, he found himself in a bit of a quandary over how to behave. Dee wasn’t making it easier for him.

She had made her way over to the couch, and it appeared she was about to sit down between them when she bent over to look at the sports magazines on the coffee table, turning slightly toward Bobbi. This put her posterior right at head level and facing Mr. Evans, who, in distress, was trying not to stare right at it, but obviously wanting to. It was Bobbi who bailed him out.

“Dee, get your ass out of his face, you little tease, you’re wrecking his concentration.”

Mr. Evans blushed a crimson shade, and for the first time since they’d know him seemed to be at a loss for words. His genuine embarrassment endeared him to Bobbi, making her think he was probably a decent guy after all, however the afternoon played out.

Dee bounced upright, giggling a little. “Oops, sorry coach. Didn’t mean to force you to look at my butt like that,” falling onto the couch and glancing at Bobbi. “It’s a cute butt, though, don’t you think?” she added coyly.

“Um,…yes?” Still a little flustered, he was trying to shake it off.

“See, I told you,” Dee said.

“Wait, what! Told you what??” Mr. Evans interrupted, looking at them cautiously, wondering if he’d somehow just been caught at something. “What have you been talking about?”

“Oh nothing, really,” Bobbi said. “ We were just trying to figure out earlier if you were a boob man or a butt man. I wasn’t sure, but Dee swore you’d go for butts.”

Mr. Evans did his best comedic double take. “I’m not sure we should be talking about this…”

“Oh, come on, coach,” they both protested. “We’re all friends, right? Besides, you’re not our coach anymore, so you don’t have to be all politically correct around us. And it’s not like you don’t know we talk lik this, duh. We used to all the time at practice.” She paused. “So, you gonna answer the question or what?”

He was trying to play it cool, but his face was still slightly red. “What you guys talk about is your own business, and my personal preferences are mine, thank you very much,” he said with a false air of sincerity.

“Ha! Whatever,” Dee mocked, “I know you’re a butt man. I’ve seen you checking’em out at practice. You’re a terrible liar, Mr. Evans.” He blushed again. “See!” she said, lighting up with a smile.

“Wow,” he said, giving up.