Hero Worship
By Larry J. Hall
By Larry J. Hall
Our story starts at Angel Grove High's football practice field. Tommy Oliver was the quarterback wearing #12. He was practicing his throwing and passes with the team, giving his arm a workout. While he was practicing, Kyle (the water boy) took pics of Tommy in action.
Tommy took a break when the defense was practicing up. Kyle handed Tommy some orangeade to drink.
"Thanks, Kyle."
"Tommy, why don't you practice running for a touchdown? Makes a great action pic!"
"Next time, Kyle."
As Tommy watched the defense practiced, he went to his sports bag and got out a pair of drumsticks and started drumming on his right padded leg. When Kyle saw this, he thought, "Cool, I never knew Tommy could drum!"
Kyle sneaked up and got a picture of Tommy drumming on his football uniform. Tommy turned around and asked, "What's the big idea taking pictures of me?"
"I didn't know Tommy Oliver could drum. I think that's really cool!"
"You and I are gonna have a talk about this," said Tommy. "I got to go back to practice. No more pics." He put the sticks down and grabbed his football helmet.
A few hours later at the juice bar, Kimberly and Billy were impressed as Kyle showed some pics of Tommy's football practice. Just then, Tommy entered the juice bar.
"What's going on?" he asked.
"Kyle was showing us some football pics of you," said Kimberly. "You look great in that drum pic."
"Kimberly, Billy, I want to talk to Kyle alone," said Tommy as Billy reasoned with him.
"Tommy, Kyle's going through a stage of hero worship. With you on the football team and being a cool student, he wants to be just like you."
"I'm just surprised that he doesn't know I'm the White Ranger, then he'll really bug me," said Tommy.
Billy said, "He also has a White Ranger collection. Got a couple of cool posters of you driving the White Shark Cycle and the message driven poster where you play the tympani."
Tommy went to get some smoothies and went over to Kyle at his table, sitting down as Kyle said, "I'm sorry for all the pictures. I guess I came too strong on you. You can have the pics and negatives."
"Keep 'em," said Tommy. "I know you're going through a stage of hero worship. I was that way with a karate teacher and he taught me a lot about karate. Why do you like me? Karate, football?"
"Drums!" said Kyle, "I play bass guitar and sing. I always wanted to have a band and you would be perfect as my drummer."
"I got an 8-piece set of drums in my garage," said Tommy. "Maybe we could jam if I could get Billy to join us playing electric guitar and singing. But you gotta do something for me."
"Stop following you," he sighed.
"That," Tommy said, "and let me teach you how to get girls. It will just be like 'My Fair Lady', are you willing to be changed?"
"Just don't make me sing and recite 'The Rain In Spain'!" as they laughed and shook hands.
The following school days, Kyle learned how to be cool like his hero, Tommy Oliver. As he was going through the halls, a stranger came up to Kyle saying, "Don't turn around! You wanna be muscular like your hero, Tommy Oliver?" He shows him a clear bag of cocaine, "Try this, you'll get all the babes with this stuff."
"NO!" yelled Kyle. "Even I know drugs are wrong! Get away from me! I'm drug free!"
The stranger turned out to be Tommy.
"Good job, Kyle! Even I know drugs are wrong."
Miss Appleby saw what happened, misinterpetted the whole incident and grabbed the bag.
"I'm shocked that a jock like you uses drugs to get high!" she said furiously. "I'm taking you to see Mr. Caplan, have you expelled and off the football team!"
"Relax, Miss Appleby!" said Tommy. "This is only a bag of flour! I'm only teaching Kyle to say no to drugs."
Miss Appleby checked the bag out and indeed Tommy was telling the truth when she smelled the flour (AND IT'S FLOUR!) and sneezed!
"I apologize," she said. "Great way of teaching your friend here. Changing the subject, you still need to pass your history exam if you wanna play in the big game against Imperial Valley High."
As Miss Appleby left, Kyle told Tommy he was willing to help him tutor for his exam.
At the school library, Kyle tutored Tommy for his big exam. But some of the other football players got the wrong idea. When Kyle left, some of the football players heckled him.
"How does it feel to have Tommy as a boyfriend?"
"Why not ask him out on a date?"
"Yeah, even the prom!"
Kyle lost his temper saying, "SHUT UP! I'm only doing this for the team!"
The players laughed at him.
"It's not what you think!" he yelled. "I'm helping him study for a history exam. If you want him to quarterback Friday night, you better leave me alone!"
The players surrounded Kyle and started beating up on him! Then Tommy came by to fight those wise guy players.
"Kyle's hero to the rescue!" quipped one.
"Back off!" yelled Tommy. "Kyle's only helping me out! If you don't want me to quarterback, I'll fail the exam, not play in the game and lose the playoff spot!"
Mr. Caplan came by and saw what happened.
"What's going on? Save the fighting for Imperial Valley High! If I catch you fighting outside the football field, I'll suspend all of you!"
That Friday afternoon, Tommy took his history exam test. About 45 minutes later, Miss Appleby was thrilled grading his paper.
"Looks like your friend helped you," she said. "But I got bad news and good news, bad news, you got a B. Good news, you get to play in the game!"
"YES!" exclaimed Tommy.
In the locker room, those same hecklers were suiting up for the big game.
"So, did your boyfriend help you pass?" asked one.
Tommy grabbed him and shoved him in the lockers and said, "First off, Kyle's a friend and only a friend! Got it!" He nodded. "If it wasn't for him, you wouldn't have your star quarterback! You pick on Kyle, you answer to me!"
That night at Dacoma Stadium, there was a football game between Angel Grove vs Imperial Valley. Tommy Oliver played a well-fought game as Kyle took pictures of the game, including the cheerleaders.
"Kyle," said one of the hecklers. "We apologize for those remarks. Thanks for helping Tommy out. We're leading 17-6 in the 2nd Quarter!"
In one play of the 2nd Quarter, Imperial Valley had the ball and it was intercepted by an Angel Grove player who was tackled at Imperial Valley's 4 yard line. Tommy told Kyle, "Take a picture by the goal line, this one's for you!"
Tommy ran out into the field and huddled with the other players saying, "Quarterback Sneak!"
They broke huddle as Tommy snapped the ball. Then he ran it in for his first touchdown as a quarterback! Kyle took pics of him scoring, spiking the ball and dancing in the end zone! Score (after extra point): 24-6.
"Cool play Tommy!" yelled Kyle.
About 90 minutes later, it was the 4th Quarter. Angel Grove was leading 45-13! Tommy earned a break from the football field as his back-up quarterback played. Tommy grabbed Kyle & said, "Wanna snap a dream pic? Come with me!"
Tommy saw a pair of tympanis that the Angel Grove Marching Band used, grabbed a pair of mallets and played thunderous music in between plays when Angel Grove had the ball in the 4th Quarter, played a drum roll whenever a kick was made. Kyle took pics of Tommy, in football uniform, playing the tympani. Then the coach approached them,
"If we weren't leading by such a big margin, I'd kick you off the team for playing a musical instrument! That's cool spirit you got there, Oliver!"
Tommy continued to drum until the game was over, which Angel Grove won the division by a score of 59-19! Kimberly and Billy were excited after seeing that good football game.
When Tommy came out of uniform, Kyle congratulated him on his athletic and musical performance!
"Now I'm going to try to teach you how to get girls so you could have a date for the homecoming dance."
"Tommy?" asked Kyle, "Do you think I'll ever meet the White Ranger driving his Shark Cycle?"
"It's possible," he said as he winked.
It was a week before the homecoming dance and Tommy was helping Kyle trying to find a date. However, no girl would have the guts to date the water boy, because it would be just like dating a nerd.
"It's no use, Tommy," sighed Kyle. "No one wants to date a water boy. So what if I like to read, use my brain, play the bass guitar. The only sport I'm good at is bowling."
"Stop it Kyle!" snapped Tommy. "You're a real caring person. You helped me out on that history exam and were in the playoffs! Maybe if you put some cool babes up on your wall and take down those White Ranger posters, you'll grow up! Don't tear em up, just save them, they may be worth something later."
"The day I take those posters down is if the White Ranger visits me!" said Kyle.
That night, Kyle was home alone (his parents went to a dinner function) doing his homework until he heard a motorcycle approach the driveway. It was the White Ranger on his White Shark Cycle! Kyle went out to meet the White Ranger!
"Hey Kyle, you wanna go fo a ride?" he asked.
Kyle grabbed his helmet from the garage as the White Ranger took him for an unforgettable motorcycle ride! They cruised the streets of Angel Grove, speeding down I-409 West. As he speeded, Kyle yelled, "Awesome!"
Then he went down U.S. 467 North and pulled off at a rest area. That's when he talked to Kyle.
"Tommy told me that you're a cool friend!"
"Yeah!"
"Now that I took you on a motorcycle ride, will you promise to stop hero worshipping me?"
"You'll always be a hero to Angel Grove, White Ranger. Wish I was like you."
"Work out, lift weights!" said White Ranger."You might play football next year. I think bowling's cool, nothing to be ashamed of."
"All right," sighed Kyle. "I'll tear up, I mean, put away the posters. Tommy told me they might be worth something. But I wish I had that video where you played the drums and tympani."
"Tommy told me to tell you two things. First, he arranged it with Mr. Caplan to have you, him and Billy playing at the homecoming dance. And second, Kimberly has a female cousin you might want to take to the dance. Her name's Emily Jo, you'll like her."
"Cool!" exclaimed Kyle.
The White Ranger took Kyle back on his Shark Cycle going down U.S. 467 South to I-409 East back home. When they arrived home, Kyle waved good-bye to the White Ranger. He went to his saddlebag and gave Kyle that same home video he mentioned, "The White Ranger; From Drugs To Drums!" Then he went up to his room and started taking down the White Ranger's pics down and storing them in his closet in cylinders for safekeeping. Then he looked at the video as the White Ranger talked to kids about saying no to drugs and how drugs can harm. He also played a couple of drum soloes on his set of drums as well as a tympani solo.
That night at the homecoming dance, Kyle was dressed in a green tuxedo. The boys started their gig as a band with Tommy playing drums, Kyle on bass guitar and Billy playing electric guitar and lead singing. They were good.
During a break as taped music was played, Kyle bumped into Emily Jo, who was in a blue dress.
"Cool green tuxedo," she said. "You must be Tommy's friend Kyle. I like the way you play bass guitar."
"Thanks," he said, offering her some punch. "Wanna dance?"
Kyle and Emily Jo slowed danced as Tommy was pleased with the results, dancing with Kimberly and Billy and Marge were dancing as well. Kyle got his first kiss from Emily Jo and he was in love.
They left the dance floor and out to the gazebo.
"Kyle, Tommy told me you're a good bowler. I'm visiting Kimberly this weekend, how about we go bowling tommorow?"
"Cool, but I average 167! I learned by watching the pros on T.V. I never miss a match!"
"Me neither!" she said as they were about to kiss, but Tommy interrupted them.
"Kyle, we got to work. Our next set's up."
Kyle surprised Emily Jo when he asked the others to do "You Really Got Me!" Billy and Kyle took turns lead singing and Emily Jo was impressed with Kyle's singing as well.
Nine months passed. Kyle worked out on weights and dated Emily Jo a lot. Then he made the football team wearing #81, he was the wide receiver who caught Tommy's passes. Tommy was impressed with the new and improved Kyle.
During a break in football practice, Tommy and Kyle jammed as Tommy played the tympani and Kyle played the snare drum. They ended playing drum rolls! Then the new water boy came up to Kyle saying, "Wow! You're my hero. Not only are you a great wide receiver, you're a cool drummer!" taking a picture of Kyle playing his snare drum, then he left.
"OH NO!" exclaimed Kyle.
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