America 1982

Otilia Farrell looked directly at Dennis, who was sitting opposite her, smiling expectantly at her, and spoke in a helpless tone:

"Dennis, I don't think you need advice or guidance on college recruiting right now."

"Please, Mr. Farrell, I have always wanted to go to college. I want to be a rock singer, so I want to know which school can..." Dennis said without changing his expression under Farrell's direct gaze.

But before he could finish speaking, Pam poked her head out from the corridor outside: "Dennis, we made an appointment in ten minutes and I will ask Mr. Farrell to give me some advice on college entrance exams. Teacher, which college do you think I should go to?" Only by studying can you become a train driver..."

"Shut up, Pam! Don't ruin my path to knowledge! Don't make me hate you a second time!" Dennis said without looking back, and then continued to look at Otilia with a serious expression - Farrell.

Otilia Farrell gently touched her forehead with her hand, and was silent for a moment before saying to Dennis: "First of all, Dennis, I think rock singers must at least know how to create, and if you have a reading score of only D, let alone writing lyrics, I'm afraid It’s a bit difficult to read the lyrics. Secondly, to the Pam Marvel classmate outside, I would like to advise you, who takes off your glasses to be blind, that you should change your career in the future, for your own sake and for the sake of other American citizens who need to take trains.”

She can understand the fundamental reason why many boys come to her for advice on college. Because she is very beautiful and gentle, and the age gap with them is not too big, so these adolescent boys will like to come and talk to her. chat.

Otilia was still a little excited about this, because she was not a formal teaching teacher, but only an administrative teacher at the school. She could make students who rarely meet her remember her. From a side perspective, it was also a blessing. An affirmation from her.

So in order to get closer to her, these big boys expressed their intention to enter the university and asked Otilia to give her advice. She was very happy. She originally thought that she could rely on her charm to influence these students who had no intention of continuing to study to work hard and finally get admitted. University.

But she soon discovered that it was just her unilateral fantasy. These guys were not trying to get into college, and they didn't want to be influenced, but they were simply trying to sit in front of her for a while and have a happy chat with her about any topic. Everything is fine, except studying.

The typical figures among these boys are these two guys now, Dennis Herbers and Pam Marvell.

When Dennis met her for the first time, he said seriously that he was going to be admitted to Princeton University. At that time, Otilia felt that this boy's dream coincided perfectly with hers. She knew Princeton University very well. After all, she had done a lot of homework in order to be admitted to Princeton University. I just happened to share those thoughts with Dennis.

Then Pam Marvel, who was in line behind Dennis to receive instruction, told herself the truth by the way when she was asking herself which university to go to to study to be a chef. Dennis learned from Tommy Hawke that he had not been admitted to Princeton that year. It's a pity, so I used this reason to gain some goodwill.

Otilia also learned about the grades of these boys. Frankly speaking, 90% of them have not even completed high school credits, not to mention going to college, so they are skeptical about whether they can obtain high school diplomas.

No wonder Mr. Williams deliberately introduced Tommy Hawke to her on the day he arrived. Now it seems that, at least this year, he is the only student at Lincoln High School who really needs college recruitment guidance.

Otilia was very happy when she thought of Tommy Hawke. The big boy's AP exam results came out not long ago. Five subjects scored 5 points and one subject scored 4 points. He ranked more than 7,000 among more than 20,000 high schools in the United States. For Lincoln High School, this result is indeed very good.

Noticing that the corners of the beautiful teacher's lips suddenly turned up, Dennis crossed his arms: "Miss Farrell? Are you thinking of Tommy again, right? To be honest, I have discovered a pattern. When talking about college recruitment, there is only Tommy. Just because he's the only student who needs your help planning college?"

"Yes." Otilia did not deny it, and said seriously to Dennis: "Tommy works very hard, Dennis, and I am very grateful to you and Pam for persisting in using various excuses to chat with me every day, but based on your achievements, I can't give you any college guidance, so take a page from Tommy and study hard, and one day you'll have a transcript in your hands instead of a Playboy poster, and you won't have to make up your college major, but Be confident that when it comes to future planning, I will do my best to help you.”

"Is it because Tommy got good grades in the exam he took in Boston? Miss Farrell?" Pam poked her head outside and asked with a serious face.

Otilia nodded: "Yes, Pam, college preparatory course exam."

"I understand, Miss Farrell, I will come back with excellent results." Pam said with certainty.

Otilia responded by giving him an encouraging smile: "That's right, Pam, I believe you can do it."

"Dennis, don't waste time. Let's find Tommy first and ask him to help take two more exams and come back after getting the results." Pam then greeted Dennis who refused to leave.

Otilia lowered her head in despair and exhaled: "Pam, that's cheating."

"That's right, Tommy shouldn't have time to help us take the exam now. That guy was forcibly taken to a small bar to watch the football game by his father and Tony. I heard Tony said that if he caused them to lose money again, his father would take Tommy Give it to the hospital for free so that the hospital can use Tommy to research AIDS." Dennis also said.

"What did Tommy do?" Otilia frowned slightly and asked curiously: "Shouldn't he be reading the book I gave him now, and then come to talk to me about his summer arrangements in the afternoon?"

"Obviously his family had other plans for him."

…

The small bar has no official name. Anyway, this bar has been called a small bar since Tommy Hawke can remember. Although the name is small, it is not small in fact. It has two floors. The downstairs is the bar and the lobby. The upper floor is a semi-covered booth.

But the booths are never empty. The customers who come here to spend money are more accustomed to spending time in the lobby, regardless of their worth.

It was one o'clock at noon. Although the air-conditioning was open not far away, it seemed to have no effect on Tony. He stared at the TV screen and wiped the sweat that was constantly leaking: "Italy! Italy!"

A dozen drinkers in the bar and Keith, the bartender and owner, were all staring at the TV like Tony. On it was the broadcast of the 1982 World Cup group stage, the last game of the first group, Italy VS Cameroon.

"I have advised you." Ruby held up a bottle of beer and said while watching the game: "We are Italians, and it is understandable to love our motherland, but if you make a bet, it is best to proceed from reality. If you are here with me It’s too late to go back on your bet now, but you chose to listen to Tommy and call those regular companies in Las Vegas to place bets.”

Colin Hawke was sitting side by side in front of the bar with Officer Lenny Kerton, who happened to be patrolling the streets. He was holding his hair with both hands and staring at the TV without even blinking.

Tommy Hawke, on the other hand, was surrounded by Morin, Wilson, Green, and Hull, all of them strong men who only followed his father's lead. There was no possibility of escaping.

Whenever Tommy made the slightest move, eight eyes with murderous intent would immediately stare at him.

"You'd better sit tight, kid, we're just sitting here watching two boring football games, and we've already lost the money for dozens or hundreds of fucking beers!" Wilson said to Tommy Hawke with a sullen expression. .

"Mr. Wilson, I told you not to be too impulsive. It's best to wait until the finals to make some pocket money by betting! It was you and my dad who insisted..."

"Son, I have to give everyone an explanation. It's been an hour and I don't see Italy having a chance to win." Colin Hawke rubbed his face and turned to look at Tommy: "You said this bad team Italy will win. ball, and then we believed in you three times and we didn’t win even once.”

"Wow!" Before Colin Hawke could finish his words, everyone around him suddenly cheered excitedly!

Colin turned his head. On the TV, in the 60th minute of the game, Italian forward Francesco Graziani scored a goal. Italy led Cameroon 1:0!

With this goal, the atmosphere in the entire bar became lighter.

"The guy who shot just now saved you, son." Colin breathed a heavy sigh of relief and said to Tommy.

Then he stood up with the beer in his hand and shouted: "I'll take this round!"

There was an enthusiastic response from everyone in the bar, and the bartender and barmaid immediately got busy serving beer to the guests.

"I just said Italy will definitely win." Tommy wiped his sweat and said with relief.

As soon as he opened his mouth, on the TV, Cameroon forward Mbida Gregoire scored once to complete the counterattack against Italy!

"Jenny, let them pay the bill themselves." Colin Hawke immediately changed his words.

Two goals in one minute brought the score between the two teams to 1:1, which remained until the end of the game.

"Tommy, I'm sorry." Wilson stared at the score for a long time, then suddenly turned his fierce face and said to Tommy Hawke.

Tommy looked at Wilson blankly, wondering why the other party wanted to apologize.

"Because after the last incident, I doubted you, and suspected that you were not Colin's son, because I thought it was impossible for that guy to give birth to smart children, but now I believe that you are his son and the tadpole in his body. Come out, because you are no different from that bastard of yours! Every time you show up, it makes our situation worse!" Wilson said: "Just because I believed you said Italy would be the champion, I lost the game I wanted to lose. A hundred dollars to replace the tires on the truck, and now my only option is to go to Rogers' house and steal the tires."

"Everyone, at least they didn't lose, right? Italy didn't lose, it just tied again. The game is over. Can I leave? I'm going to school today to discuss college issues with the teacher." Tommy said carefully. Standing up with everyone watching.

Colin Hawke nodded: "Of course, son, go ahead. I'm in a bad mood right now and don't want to talk. Also, remember not to mention supporting the Italian team to everyone again."

"Why? You lost a lot?" Tommy looked at his father and asked tentatively.

Colin Hawke took a sip of beer depressedly: "I didn't touch the deposit and only lost fifty yuan. But I'm not sad about losing the money, but because the check for fifty yuan was sent to me by the sperm donation company. Yes, what I’m sad about is that there are billions of tadpoles as smart as you, and the other party just paid me fifty fucking dollars. You should have been admitted to college early. Maybe then I can still give birth to a college student son and take the tadpoles away. Sell ​​it for a high price.”