A.J. and Bennie just ran like madmen. Golly. We knew we had that all the time, but it sure was good to finally see it.

We knew he was explosive, because last year as a sophomore he could jump up and dunk a basketball like it was nothing. Guys like that usually run faster because they have that fast-twitch muscle thing going for them.

He had been sleeping the whole time and was totally disoriented,

We all knew something was up, but we weren't sure exactly what.

I wasn't too sure (about starting). I knew that I had done everything I could to put myself in that position.

I have long known about madmen and kings; I have long known about feeling real. I have long been lucky enough to feel real, no matter what diminishments or depressions have come my way. And I have long known that the moment of queer pride is a refusal to be shamed by witnessing the other as being ashamed of you.