Verbal Smackdown
September 8, 1978, Friday, New Paltz High School
Please listen carefully to the following school announcements:
This is Principal Salinger. Good Morning everyone and welcome. We’re happy to have everyone back and look forward to another great year.
Coming up this week on Saturday the football team will take on Rondout in their first game of the season. We look forward to everyone coming out to support the team.
Also, your boys’ soccer team played a preseason game against Ellenville, losing 3-2 with team captain Conor Walsh scoring both goals.
Finally, a quick reminder that the library is for research, and the easy chairs are not meant for napping during less popular classes. Thank you.
∞
Conor went through the gym on the way to practice and he stopped in his tracks. Thirty football players were sitting against the gym wall watching volleyball practice. They weren’t interested in serves or spikes; they were only interested in Kai Adams.
She had given up on the oversized sweats and was wearing a light blue t-shirt that seemed a size too small. She could not help but stand out. With all the commotion, Conor had trouble getting her attention. Instead, he watched Aaron walk up to her.
Aaron was the quarterback of the football team, QB1 on the depth chart. Conor played with him on the basketball team junior year and knew what an ego-driven ass he was. With his spoiled demeanor and 6’3,” 225 pound size, he usually got what he wanted. Not one to shy away from an audience, Aaron was prone to putting people on the spot with his self-absorbed charm.
“Hi there, uh, Kai isn’t it? Looks like you had a great summer.” Aaron said in a voice loud enough for all to hear.
Kai, trembling a bit, stood staring up at him.
Eyeing her up and down like a trainer judging horse flesh, he said, “You look great. We should hang out. We can go driving in my convertible after Saturday’s game. You should get to know me better.”
Again Kai said nothing and seemed nervous. Her eyes were beginning to rim with red, her head started aching and she began rubbing the back of her neck.
Moving his hands mimicking a large chest, Aaron said, “Also looks like you’ve grown up and out quite a bit. Especially the out part!” Staring at her chest, he licked his lips and said, “You know what I mean?”
Kai’s eyes fluttered rapidly and then she blinked them shut and slowly opened them with a vastly different demeanor. Her face darkened, her lips drew a stiff straight line, and her eyebrows lowered over her eyes. Her nervousness transformed into one truly pissed-off girl.
Oblivious, Aaron looked to his audience and back to Kai as he spoke, “We’ll stop at my house for a swim, only the two of us. I bet you can really fill out a bathing suit. We can fool around or whatever,” he said with a wink. “I’ll pick you up around three.”
Kai was seething.
“What do you say, uh, it is Kai right?”
Most expect a nobody would surely want to party with QB1, yet what happened next was beyond unexpected.
Kai seemed to grow a few inches, and her body flexed with confidence. She finally replied with a clear and forceful voice.
“You can be sure that I absolutely look amazing in my hot red bikini. My 34D breasts are barely covered by the top, and my slim 26-inch waist and 32-inch hips round out the bikini bottoms perfectly.”
“The thing is you’ll never see any of this, Aaron,” Kai waved her hand seductively over her body and added, “and you know why? You’re a misogynistic, self-centered, testosterone-hugging prick who isn’t worthy of it. Crawl back under your misguided egotistical cloak of absurdity and jerk off by yourself since no one will ever be able to do it as well as you.”
You could hear a pin drop, and all eyes were on Aaron to see how he would respond.
With a forced laugh Aaron glanced around at the audience he created. He stammered and struggled to reply with a high chirping voice, “th, th, that’s a good one,” with more stammering, “I, I, I, bet you laid in b, b, bed all night thinking that up.” His face was bright red, and he seemed to shrink in size. He looked from side to side for some sort of lifeline that wasn’t appearing.
A murmur rose around the gym as Kai stared him down with a look of utter disrespect and rejection, not saying another word.
Right then the outside gym door slammed open, and the assistant football coach entered the gym and bellowed,
“What the hell is going on here? You’re looking at two laps for every minute late and we’re at seven minutes late and counting. Move it!”
Like a dam had opened, everyone began moving at once. Aaron sneered at Kai and joined the exodus through the gym's double doors.
Conor stood by the door as the gym emptied and Kai saw him. She looked over with a wry smile and shrugged her shoulders. Conor was amazed by what he’d seen and smiled back at her with sheer awe as he was swept out the gym doors by the crowd.
∞
“Kai, it’s all over school about you and the quarterback! I heard you made him cry, what happened?” Kiki asked.
“It was nothing like that, I was merely pushing back on a reaction to my um, new, uh, physique,” Kai replied into the phone.
A new voice chimed in, “Better get used to that.”
“Is that you on the line, Kate?” Kiki asked.
“Yeah, and from what I’ve been told, it was an awesome verbal smackdown. He is a total dickhead, and I wish I were there to see it,” Kate said.
“I don’t know Kate; somehow I think you were there. I felt like I was channeling what you’ve drilled into my head all these years,” Kai admitted.
“If nothing else, all the guys know about your huge jugs. You’ll get a ton of dates now!” Kiki said, putting a sexy spin on things.
“There’s really only one guy I’m interested in,” Kai said.
“Conor! Has he said anything to you about your run-in with Aaron?” Kate asked.
“He was there and saw the whole thing. After it ended, the look he gave made me want to run over and jump into his arms. It sounds stupid, but it was as if he was looking at his star.”
“What the hell, why didn’t he run over and punch Aaron’s lights out?” Kate asked with indignance.
“I bet he would Kate, yet he didn’t have to, she slayed him without any help!” Kiki answered for Kai.
“I shrugged and smiled in his direction like it was no big deal. He was near the doorway when the football coach came in yelling at everybody and was pushed outside by the crowd. He kept jumping up to see me over the big football guys until he was fully out of view. It was kind of cute,” Kai gushed.
“I can’t wait for you to get him in the sack, and I want all the details!” Kiki exclaimed.
“Be careful, Kai, people love their football, and you may get some unwanted feedback. I can’t always be there to have your back,” Kate warned as she hung up the phone.
September 11, 1978, Monday, New Paltz High School
Kai was settling into her seat in Mr. Masson’s homeroom. It only lasted long enough for him to call the roll and for the school announcements to be heard over the loudspeaker. Thankfully, Ashley was in the same homeroom. Ashley was a cheerleader and had been Kai’s best friend since grade school.
“Kai, what’s the matter, you look like you’re going to cry?” Ashley asked.
“Don’t worry, I’m not going to Ash.”
“What happened?”
Kai sighed, “When I opened my locker this morning, I found this.”
She opened her backpack and showed Ashley an extra-large bright red bikini top.
“What? How did that get there, who did it?”
“Who knows, it’s someone that can pick a lock. They also left a note,” Kai replied.
She showed Ashley a card that read, “I bet you can fill this one out!”
“You have to take it to Principal Salinger; this is not right.”
“Can’t do that Ash. After the scene in the gym, I see people I don’t know looking at me and whispering as I walk by. If I make a big deal about this it will only get worse.”
Kai reached out and held Ashley’s hand, “All this will pass, I need to lay low.”
Kai and Ashley listened to the announcements that morning, realizing the world can sometimes shine on those least expecting it.
Please listen carefully to the following school announcements:
Good morning everyone and welcome to Monday.
On the gridiron this past weekend, the football team had a tough opening game against Rondout. After throwing a team-record eight interceptions, they squeaked out a 7-6 win. Hopefully, we’ll complete a pass this Saturday at Pine Bush.
The Varsity Boys Soccer team came in second at a Kick-Off Tournament at Hudson. Conor Walsh scored all three goals for the team. Their league schedule starts this Friday at Highland.
The girls' volleyball team will play their first game of the season this Thursday in the gym against Coleman, let’s give all our teams your support.
Finally, a reminder that only tobacco cigarettes are allowed to be smoked in the smoking lounge. Thank you for your attention to this matter.