Running Loose

On Monday, as Louie gets to class, Carter gives him a thumbs-up and discreetly passes him a note. The message says that Coach Madison wants to meet with him. At lunchtime, Louie heads to Madison’s office, where Madison proposes the idea of Louie joining the track team for the two-mile. Louie says he can’t since Jasper and Lednecky have barred him from participating in sports. However, Madison shares that, when he was young, sports helped him cope with the loss of a girlfriend in a tragic accident: “If I hadn’t had something physical to concentrate on, I’d have gone nuts” (125). Madison then admits that the Washington incident stripped away the joy of sports, but now, he’s committed to restoring integrity to athletics. Encouraged by Madison’s sincerity, Louie agrees to join the track team. Together, they resolve to discuss the matter with Jasper and Lednecky.

Jasper and Lednecky sit in Jasper’s office and are surprised by the unexpected visit from Madison and Louie. Madison tells them about Louie’s interest in joining the track team, but Lednecky insists he can’t. Madison argues there’s no written rule against it. Lednecky says that Louie’s actions have disqualified him from representing the school as an athlete.