Bruno had this nagging feeling that something was wrong. He couldn't figure out why though. He had won his first swim meet, and he was part of the championship football team, his grades were good, and everything seemed to be going right. But still something was missing. He headed out the picnic tables to join some of his teammates for lunch.
He sat down on the far end of the bench leaving space for someone else to sit between them.
Rick turned his head and asked, "Why are you sitting so far away. Bruno?"
"Because Chad always sits between us," Bruno answered without thinking.
"Chad, who's Chad?" Rick asked.
Rico and Bruno blinked, and said in unison, "Chad. Where's Chad?"
Rod looked concerned as he half remembered, "Chad? Yeah, Chad should be here too."
Just hearing his name revealed clouded memories for Rico and Bruno, and partially penetrated Rod's memory, but Rick was totally oblivious.
Bruno said, "I remember hearing that he was going to meet a secret admirer at the Field House on a Friday afternoon, but that was weeks ago."
Rod looked worried, "This is some bad juju. I only seem to remember him in the corners of my mind."
"Black Magic," Bruno hissed clutching the gold talisman that always hung from his neck, he closed his eyes, and uttering a prayer in a foreign forgotten tongue. In his mind there was a golden light. He opened his eyes, "wicked oriental black magic," he said softly.
"What are you guys talking about? Magic Chad?" Rick asked shaking his head.
Bruno slid next to Rick and grabbed his arm.
"Do you remember winning the football championship, Rick?"
"I should, I made most of the touchdowns. MVP, Top Receiver," he said smugly.
"Good, so who threw you those touchdown passes?" Bruno asked pointedly.
"Huh? Does it matter who threw them? I caught them and made the touchdowns. "
"Think hard what was the quarterback's name?"
"Quart-er-back?" Rick asked like he had never heard the word before.
"Wicked witch really did a number on Rick," Rico said leaning in to sniff Rick.
"Someone or something sure did on all of us," Bruno said.
Rico sat back down, "Not witchcraft, sorcery like the kind you smell in Chinatown," he said decidedly.
Rod asked, "They smell different?"
"Yeah, something my grams taught me," Rico said suddenly uncomfortable about revealing his heritage.
"Why don't I remember who threw me the passes or who ran the final winning touchdown?" Rick asked uncertainly.