Ralph and His Camera

Ralph had found a way to get himself into a mess of trouble. He was the photographer for the high school?s newspaper, and had gotten a lot of pics at Brooks Mountain?s opening home game against Charles Hill Academy. One of them was of the quarterback Jack Horton?s girlfriend?s minidress and panties. That wasn?t so bad; a lot of girls had worn minis to the game, and probably one or two even wanted to have her undies photographed. Ralph?s decision to put the pic on the Internet at some porn site was not so good, however, and by the following Wednesday, Jack was ready to find Ralph and ram his camera down his throat.

Ralph had sense enough to keep a low profile, and since he had no classes with Jack, that wasn?t too hard to do. Jack grew more and more frustrated at the lack of an opportunity to rearrange Ralph?s face. But Jack knew that Ralph would be at the home football game the following Friday when Brooks Mountain played Snowy Canyon.

The game was close throughout. Ralph wandered along the visitors? sidelines, trying to get the perfect shot, but neither team was able to arrange a spectacular play. The score was tied at twelve apiece early in the fourth quarter when Jack saw his chance. Ralph had his back turned to the field, apparently changing a roll of film in his camera. Jack had been moving the ball down the field, and had a first-and-ten at the fifteen. He knew he had four chances to score, or at least get the ball to the five. Seeing Ralph?s back, he called a passing play, then dropped back and threw the ball, as hard as he could, at Ralph?s back. Sure, he?d waste a down, but it didn?t matter.

Bucky Fields, the tight end and one of Ralph?s friends, was lined up near the visitors? bench for this particular play. He was supposed to run a crossing pattern through Snowy?s puny linebackers, but got hung up with a defensive end at the line of scrimmage. As Jack released the ball toward Ralph?s back, Bucky got free of the defender and caught a momentary glimpse of the ball zipping through the air. Almost by instinct, he reached out and grabbed the ball, finding himself just twelve yards from the end zone. Ralph turned around with his camera and began shooting even before he could aim it?and got the greatest picture of his life. Bucky was stiff-arming two defensive players with one hand while one was grabbing Bucky?s face mask. In the background, Jack could be seen making a fist and turning his head in disgust. Bucky scored the game-winning touchdown on the play as Brooks Mountain went on to win, 25-12.

Jack and his girlfriend broke up soon after. Why? Who knows? She married Bucky; Ralph was the official photographer at the ceremony.

Š1999, Story Page

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