Story:Jhearett 1: Hearing The SilenT
Jhearett 1: Hearing The SilenT
Written by Madworld
(This is a story about Jhearett’s career, with childhood dreams and references between. Context: Jhearett grew up in Alabama, so Huntsville was his favorite team growing up.)
He read the words on the screen, fell into his couch, and smiled. His best pals, pressed against him, tossed him around like a bag of chips.
“…the team who drafted you seems to not appreciate how far you had taken them. You have my deepest apologies. Their loss. Please consider Huntsville as you look to the future. We're considering you in it.”
Then he called his momma.
“The Mayors! The Mayors!”
He flew to Alabama the next day and signed the contract without a second thought. As a kitten, he’d watched the games, the Finals series, the heroes… and now they wanted him to play for them.
… 1 YEAR LATER …
(quoted from an FBA reporter)
“Mandaville, what the fuck? Two straight top-two seeds and both times you get your shuttle wings clipped by lower seeds. Don't get shocked if the fanbase wants your head mounted on their fireplace. I heard Chet was even angrier about this than his own playoff exit, too! Shame on you, wasting all this talent on early exits. The Okayus joined you for a lot more than this, Rocket City! The Tides turned you away, and you've failed in your bid to be re-elected champions. Can't wait to see a 60-win campaign next year result in a first-round sweep, since your asses wanna keep exploring uncharted territory.”
… 1 YEAR MORE …
As the lower-tier reporter dialed his number, Jhearett dragged claws across his forearms to feel something. The local media were clowning the team on TV, and it was currently focused on Jhearett: a home-grown talent turns his back on Alabama, the Mayors, and signs with Tennessee. His cousins were roasting his choice on social media feeds – albeit he wasn’t on speaking terms with Josie. She wasn't there on draft night. This felt weird, nonetheless: it was the most attention he’d gotten in a while.
All he wanted to do is grab his stuff and get outta town. His agent was handling the condo in Nashville; the moving company took his furniture yesterday. But he’d agree to one interview per FBAPA regulations, and he wasn’t in the mood.
He swiped right to answer the video call, and before she could squawk one word, Jhearett mumbled:
“What more is there to say?”
On the other end, the pigeon reporter squirmed a little. She’d been told about Jhearett’s feisty spirit, that she was intercepting him at a challenging moment. But there was a job to be done.
“Understood, mister Tendua, but we're expected to get direct quotes, and you’re expected to answer these questions.”
“…”
“Off the cuff, then: how does leaving the Mayors feel?”
Jhearett groaned. “Like shit… like my heart got dragged across the floor.”
The pigeon straightens her shirt. “That’s a rather dramatic answer; aren’t you happy to be…”
She looked up from her notebook. The impending snarl said enough.
“Okay then, my next question is –"
“Hold up: I’ll do better. Moonshiners offered an opportunity, I took it. I read the contract and I signed it. I took that, I said yes to it. That’s it.”
“The Mayors… made a childhood dream come true. I played for my childhood team. Then… they took that dream, stomped on it, pushed it through that court floor into the Earth and buried it with Summers laughing over its dead corpse.”
“…”
“You know what else I learned?” Jhearett cried. “It ain’t about making childhood dreams come true. It’s not even about winning games. Winning games!!”
He drew his claws across his other forearm.
“Tell me what it is that’s eroded trust between you and the Mayors.”
The panther shook his head. “You’re not listening.”
“Yes, I am.”
“Then get your earholes cleaned.”
“… mister Tendua, everything here’s recorded. if I miss something, I’ll listen back after the call. No need to insult me, sir.”
Jhearett gasped.
“Uhh… okay. On Saturday you were unusually critical of the Okayus –“
The panther twisted his footpaw on the carpet as he cut her question off.
“Ma’am, my answer ain’t gonna change. It’s about making money. Nothin’ else… It ain’t about making dreams come true. It should be about winning, but it ain't; it about… about two siblings playing ball together, all the shitty nepotism, all that shit.”
“It’s all people care about. Chet’s not on ours’ team, and I’m tired of talking on that. I’m NOT…”
Jhearett hesitated.
“Do you think the system’s failed you, sir?”
“I’m not a benchwarmer.”
“With all due respect, sir –”
“None given.”
The pigeon paused.
“If you wanna write an article where you pull my tail through the sand while doing it, go ahead. Do it. I lived a… a dream for two years, it turned into a nightmare. It went to shit. They lied straight to my face and crushed me. The childhood dream is dead; I got paid to kill it.”
Jhearett breathed in, and continued.
“I worked so hard to…”
Jhearett stumbled again. This was the part that hurt most.
“…too hard. I… they never gave me a chance.”
The pigeon cleared their throat. “Speaking on chances, if you could say something to mister Mandaville, what would you say?”
Jhearett’s grip on the table hardened. He was seething.
“Thanks for the paycheck.”
Jhearett hung up the phone.
His momma put the panther on speaker and messed around the kitchen with a frozen pizza. His younger step-sister, who turned 11 last week, wouldn’t eat much else.
“… so it’s a five-minute drive from the arena. You can bring Staci up whenever, just call. Owner’s nice, they got a new coach…”
“Sounds nice, Jhear…”
That tone in her voice.
“What.”
“You really couldn’t work somethin’ out with…?”
“…”
“Ben says you don’t know what you’re doing, Jhear. He won’t shut up. You talking up a storm. Talkin’s gonna dock your tail off later, y’know!”
“Thanks, ma.” Jhearett scowled. “I really don’t care to talk about Huntsville anymore.”
“Hon…”
“… I don’t want to talk about them, and you'll respect that.”
“I know, but you need to -”
“Ma, can’t you… hear me?”
The line went quiet as the oven preheat signal went off. He let her be the next to speak.
“Sorry, Jhear, is just hard.”
“… Yeah.”
“What’m I ‘posed to say to the family?”
“I don’t wanna talk. I wanna play. Tell’em that.”
He heard a sigh over the line, and a frustrated “Alright.”
“Talk later?”
“… ‘Kay.”
“Love ya, hon.”
“… I know.”
The call ended, and he pocketed the mobile phone. Within moments, it lit up again. This time it was a Tennessee area code number?
… He wanted to ignore it so bad, but he had to answer. If they circumnavigate his agent, it’s important.
He swiped right.
“Jhearett speaking.”
“Jhearett? How are you doin’? Been going through your nutrition st--”
“Sorry, who’s this?”
“… It’s Cash Kincaid.”
“I don’t -- How’d you get this number?”
“Jhearett… I’m one of the trainers with the Moonshiners.”
He paused.
“I’d introduce myself formally but knew you wanted to get into facilities later this week so if you got a couple minutes, I need you to get you on board with our processes.”
Jhearett exhaled. He knew?
The painted horse cleared their throat, his booming voice clear but poignant. “You hear me well enough?”
Jhearett smiled as he withdrew his claws.
“… Hearing you just fine.”
Featured Characters
Jhearett Tendua The wikipage input value is empty (e.g. <code>SomeProperty::, [[]]</code>) and therefore it cannot be used as a name or as part of a query condition. The wikipage input value is empty (e.g. <code>SomeProperty::, [[]]</code>) and therefore it cannot be used as a name or as part of a query condition. The wikipage input value is empty (e.g. <code>SomeProperty::, [[]]</code>) and therefore it cannot be used as a name or as part of a query condition. The wikipage input value is empty (e.g. <code>SomeProperty::, [[]]</code>) and therefore it cannot be used as a name or as part of a query condition.