Marathon
The coach Rake had established a marathon which was held every year in the beginning of August. Each participant had to run at least twelve circles around the field, under the beating sun. The circles were counted by “the assistant coaches” who were sitting “in the air-conditioned press box”. The author creates such an irony to show how really hot it was, that even people “counting the circles” could not stay under the August sun. But sportsmen had to go through this challenge, as the one who did not run those twelve circles could never be accepted into the team.
A very talented teacher
Sitting on the bleachers the former players have noticed a man who was called Rabbit. “He taught me history,” Teague said. “And he taught me math,” Couch said. But later it turned out that this “teacher” had never finished even the ninth grade. It is ironic that being uneducated a person still can accomplish tasks which are supposed to be accomplished only by people with education. Still the coach Rake intervened when the truth turned out, and made Rabbit an assistant athletic director. Since then Rabbit did nothing but took orders from Rake – he drove the team bus, cleaned uniforms, maintained equipment, and most important supplied Rake with all the gossip.
Irony of life
Neely always thought that he hated Rake, but only after the death of the coach he understood how mistaken he was. Rake had never showed his true essence, behind the mask of iron there still a heart was beating, and this heart was attached to each of his players. The greatest irony of life is revealed – there is only one step from love to hatred, and from hatred to love, and a person never knows when this step is crucial.
