I was in my office when someone suddenly pounded on my office door. "Come in it's open." I said.
Pamela and her daughter Marla came in and she looked pissed as hell. "Jack did you really cut my daughter from the team?!" She snapped. Out of all the soccer moms I've had to deal with Pam was the worst of the lot.
"Yes Pam I most certainly did." I said looking dead at her. I wasn't scared of her nor her husband's money.
Pam folded her arms, "Are you crazy? Why would you do that?!"
I calmly leaned back in my chair and pointed my finger at her, "You're the reason why Pam."
"Me?!" she scoffed.
"Yes you!" I snapped. "You put Marla up to hurting an opposing team member at our last game." I slapped my hand against the desk and both mother and daughter jerked.
"I..." she stuttered and I knew she was trying to deny it.
"I had to go and apologize to coach Ray. Do you know how embarrassing that was for me. It's negligent parenting on your part Pam and poor sportsmanship. So yes I've cut Marla from the team for the rest of the season."
"Oh Mr. Gordon, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to hurt the girl..."
I raised my hand to stop her and shook my head, "Marla come on now you laughed at the poor girl while she was down."
"Carl and I have donated thousands of dollars to this rec center, Rick. Can't you just give her another chance...Please."
It was funny watching Pam beg. The bitch had been giving all my coaching assistants hell the entire season. "Just admit it Pam you put Marla up to dead legging that girl. I want to hear it from your mouth."
"Will Marla be allowed to return to the team if I do?"
I didn't say anything, but just stared at her.
Pam finally dropped her head and looked at the floor, "Okay I might have suggested that the little shit needed to be put out of the game."
"Mom that's not what you said you told me to dead leg her!"
"Marla...SHUT UP!" Pam snapped.
Marla started crying.
"Marla why don't you go out to the field and practice your goal kicks."
The young girl looked at me with hope in her blue eyes, "So I'm back on the team?"
"Maybe." I said and looked up at Pam. "It all depends on your mother."
Marla nodded and looked at her mother before leaving my office.
"So is she or is she not back on the team, Rick?"
"As I said it depends on you, Pam." I smiled.
"Okay I see how it is?" she reached into her purse and took out her check book. "I can write a check for a thousand dollar donation to the rec center and not a penny more."
"I don't think so. Not this time Pam." I said shaking my head. Then I opened the bottom draw of my desk and took out my trusty red ping pong paddle. Well it wasn't mine I don't know who it belongs to because I found the darn thing on my field. So I just picked it up and threw it in my desk in case someone came looking for it.
Pam brushed back her shoulder length blond hair and looked down at the paddle, "So...what's that for?" she asked giving me a confused look.
"This is for you, Pam." I winked.
Her eyes went wide, "You can't be serious, Rick?"
"Oh I'm quite serious. You caused that little girl a good bit of pain. Do you fucking know how much it hurts when someone dead legs you?"
Pam didn't say anything.
"Of course you don't. You were more than likely a prissy little cheerleader in high school."
She raised her chin, "Yes I was, thank you very much and I'm proud of it. And I have had quite enough of this sir!"
She turned to leave.
"Well take your daughter and go then, Pam."
She spun around, "What do you want from me, Rick?!"
I picked up the paddle and pointed it at her, "You call me sire!"