All American Boys

had the back of his friend, Paul

knew that Rashad was innocent

just got on with his life

walked down the middle and didn't disturb anyone

Dwyer's father

The local beat cop

Quinn's older brother

Guzzo's brother

out of sight and out of mind

out to sea with the garbage

under the rug of "oh well"

away in the trash

a set-up

a sit-in

a die-in

a lie-down

worry about anything but the parents coming to the football game

think about anything but the team and basketball

buy snacks at Jerry's, where the arrest had taken place

get involved with more fighting about the riot

the day of the beating, he'd seen Paul arguing with someone else

he'd seen Paul's temper go off several times

he might not have been on the video, captured watching what was happening

years before, Paul had beaten up someone on behalf of Quinn

because he wanted someone to admit that what happened to him was wrong

for all the people who came before, fighting this fight to be an all American boy

hoping someone somewhere would listen and hear the message

with his family and friends, so it would look good at the trial

God was with him

there was no excuse for Rashad's stealing

God had turned his back only for a moment to help someone else

there was no excuse for the policeman's actions

was trying not to let anyone see it

was wrapping an ace bandage around his knickles

kept it in an ice bucket next to the grill while he cooked

kept it hidden in his pocket most of the time

it was a gimmick he came up with to be different

he liked having a smaller area for his picture

he could get more drawn in a circle than a square

it changes how someone sees the picture