Bleachers by John Grisham is a tale of perspective. Time heals all wounds, but it also illuminates past follies. After the death of their old coach years after high school graduation, some former football players gather for his funeral, exchanging memories about the guy. The old man had pushed their boundaries and accepted nothing less of excellence, even pushing too far at times. Overall, however, they reflect more on the alarming transformative effect of time rather than their former coach's indiscretions. Crenshaw, the quarterback, delivers a moving speech in the old man's memory in which he credits his coach with the most dominant male influence in his teenage years. He says that he never for a moment has forgotten's his coach's teachings from high school, even if he had wanted to do so.
Intertwined with stories of juvenile pranks and admissions of failure, Crenshaw explains to his audience that his perspective today of those events warrants full consideration. His adult experiences have taught him to understand past events in a different light. He recognizes the heavy-handedness for which Rake should've been responsible. Of course he identifies the follies of his innocence, expressing a great deal of regret surrounding his naivety. Crenshaw's is a tale of bitterness, not the corrupting kind but the bittersweet sentimental kind. Through his and other alumni eulogies, readers are placed in Coach Rake's domain as well, able to see the legacy of an imperfect man.
