I was a champion. But not a legend.
My time of 4:13:13 at the
Washington State Track and Field
Championships was enough to grab
the gold medal. But it barely
raised an eyebrow anywhere outside
my little community. My abilities
got me a scholarship to Oregon. I'm
grateful. I truely am. But
something knawed at me long before
the state meet. In the final meet
of the season my coach, the great
Walt Simpson pulled me from
competition. I didn't need to run.
My team didn't need me to run.
Coach Simpson wanted to protect me
before the district meet. I know he
wanted the best for me. It was the
right move... For someone else in
my shoes. For me, it was a
violation of trust. I had one last
chance to break the 1600 meter
record on my home track of 4:12:5.
The record has stood since May 15th
1984. And Coach Simpson said no. He
was on that track on that day. But
it wasn't his record I wanted to
beat. The record belonged to Billy
Carter a senior transfer from small
town Georgia. Billy died on the
track just after crossing the
finish line. Collapsed in a heap
suddenly as he was lifting his arms
in victory. Some heart condition.
Probably would've been caught early
nowadays. I suspect coach Simpson
and Billy Carter had been friends.
Coach doesn't talk much about him,
but I've heard around town that
they were the only two black guys
in the school. So, yeah chances are
they were tight. But records are
meant to be broken. Coach says it
all the time. Every since I was a
Freshman I've heard him say that to
his athletes. He's said it too me.
Just not on this track. I've come
close. I went for it earlier in the
season 4:14:2. Coach barely said
anything to me about it. I'm not
sure if it's a loyalty thing for
him. Wanting his friends record to
stand forever or maybe he believes
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2.
ALEX (cont'd)
part of the legend. The myth. The
rural legend of Billy Carter. Coach
has scoffed at such notions before
and I've heard him dismiss
spectators who've mentioned it to
him as if they were fools. But he
always tells me to save it for the
final 400. That final 400 has
everything to do with the legend of
Billy Carter's ghost.
ALEX
I know coach doesn't approve of my
motivations for breaking the
record. I understatnd that. But we
live in a social media world and
with the new Name Image and
Likeness rules in place in college
sports breaking Billy Carter's
record could mean a lot of money
for me. There's no better way to
make money than cashin in on a
legend.
ALEX
The legend goes that if a runner
can cross the 1200 meter mark in
3:10 or better the ghost of Bill
Carter will appear and race his
challenger to the finish. My
grandpa said it actully happened to
Coach Simpson the year after
Billy's death and it freaked him
out so bad that he stopped running
and just watched his friend fade
into the ether beyond the finish
line. That would explain his angry
reaction when he discovered I was
going to try to make it happen
again. When I was asked why I was
doing it, I'd reference the part of
the legend that says that once a
runner beats Billy, Billy will be
free of the track's embrace and can
rest in peace. I'm the only one
that's come close in the last ten
years and if I can give Billy peace
than I say it's my God given duty
to do so. They always look so
choked up and touched by that line
of bullshit. I don't mean to be
mean but I notice the people who
get choked up with that idea are
the same who actually believe in
the legend. Let's clear this up
right now. I never believed. I set
out to debunk the legend. I was
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3.
ALEX (cont'd)
always the skeptic. I was doing it
for likes and shares and prestige
and hopefully a sponsorship or two
before my college career started.
What I know, and what my dad and
anyone who knows college track
knows is that I'm not all that
special. I'm good, could develope
into something. But guys like me
wash out all the time without ever
making any noise at the next level.
It's hard to project how an 18 year
old is going to develop. My best
chance to make this track thing pay
was to capture people's imagination
now after a big State Championship
win. It wasn't hard. It got kind of
out of hand and took on a life of
it's own. The entire town was at
the field as twilight began to set
over our small town stadium. No way
I was doing this in the daytime.
Not nearly dramaitc enough. These
people came here to get the tingles
during the build up and lie to
themselves after nothing happens. I
was about to destroy the legend,
the least I could do is let the
crowd have the right atmosphere on
this gorgeous Summer night. So long
as I cross 1200 meters by 3:10 and
finish at 4:12 Billy Carter will be
put to rest.
ALEX
I of course had to do something I'd
never done before in order to make
it happen. I had to run 14:12:5 and
1200 meters short of 3:10. So
success was hardly gauranteed. I
couldn't tell how my father felt
about the whole spectatle except
that he made me breakfast that
morning the same as he did every
morning I had a race. He lead me
through a short visualization
excercise the same as always. When
I left the house that morning he
told me that this wasn't going to
be a regualr crowd. The scene would
be much different than anything I
was used to.
ALEX
Boy was he right. I felt it as soon
as I pulled into the parking lot at
school. We were in our final days
(MORE)
4.
ALEX (cont'd)
before graduation and everyone was
already buzzing. All eyes were on
me as I entered the school. Far
more so than on the day of the
state meet. It was surreal passing
by people, hearing the whispers,
the comments, the encouragment.
"Raise the dead, Alex!" Became the
mantra. The religious ones in
school took a more respectful tone
"Free Billy's spirit!". It was all
so much. I got to my locker and the
thing was decorated in a Dia de los
Muertos theme. With black balloons
a pencil drawing of Billy Carter
standing next to coach Simmons and
a sigh reading, "Go Alex, go!" I
did this. I created this scene. I'm
the one responsible for making
these people embrace this
craziness. I did it for my own
benifeit. I grabbed my stuff and
went to find Gabby, my girfriend
since sophomore year that suddenly
stopped answering my texts this
morning after I shot down her
attempts to get me to cancel the
event. As if this day wasn't weird
enough. Now I have this to deal
with. I closed in on Gabby's
locker, no sign of her. I checked
my phone again. No response to my
morning greeting. I hung out by her
locker until the first bell rang.
We were getting our diplomas in a
week so nobody was taking classes
seriously. Gabby could be anywhere
and I didn't need any more drama
surrounding today. If she didn't
want to talk to me than so be it.
The relationship probably wasn't
going to last the summer anyway.
ALEX
Did a couple of interviews for
different friends social media
threads. Mutual interests. It gave
them something to talk about and
they spread the word far and wide.
Word was that some runners from
rival schools were talking about
wanting to participate. I got a
text from my frenemy Doug from the
school across town that he wanted
to run but had been drinking and
eating a lot of junk food since the
state tournament where he placed
(MORE)
5.
ALEX (cont'd)
4th. I told him I'd love to have
him but it had to go down tonight
as planned so if he was up for it
it was shapping up to be a wild
scene. It really was. I've never
seen this much excitment for a
track and field event and I was at
the center of it. Just after I shot
Doug the text I fielded another
interview from a Sophmore
journalism type who immediatley
asked about Doug's involvment. Word
was getting around fast. I told him
the truth. Doug had a better shot
at getting 1200 at 3:10 than I did
because that's the type fo runner
he was, but I had a better chance
of running 4:12:5. The Sophomore
seems to eat it up. It was bullshit
but anything that could had fuel to
the fire was good for me.
ALEX
Like Gabby my Mom wasn't a huge fan
of show I was organizing. She had
been on the same team as Billy
Carter and had always thought the
whole legend was tasteless. I think
I may have eased her mind with the
idea that I could end the legend
once and for all if I beat the
record and nothing happened. I
tried not to look at my social
media accounts because I didn't
want the distraction but it was
useless. By 10 a.m my engagment was
double what it had been the night I
won state. I pondered that for a
moment as I found myself in the
empty hallway leading to the gym
area. Everyone else was in class.
In our school we had a large lobby
area that connected to the
basketball gym. The walls of that
lobby were covered in photos and
trophy cases. So many black and
white framed photos line the walls
from the athletes of the past. I
never paid much attention to
them...except for my photo. Athlete
of the Month May 2023 and May 2024.
How have a never looked at any of
these faces before. I had seen my
mom's picture in one of the trophy
cases with the rest of the girl's
track team. But I never paid
attention to any others.in that
(MORE)
6.
ALEX (cont'd)
moment I went into an odd
meditative zone where I hovered my
attetion over each individual photo
from as far back as 1956. People I
knew from around town. People I had
heard of. A couple went on to big
time colleges and couple had
returned to teach. One of them was
in the state legislature. Then I
found Billy. He was holding up a
gold medal with a shy almost
apologetic smile. For some reason I
expected him to look older... Like
coacho Simmons. But here he was
just a kid like me. A kid who
caught a bad break. I must have
stood in front of that photo for
five minutes waiting for this black
and white memorial to talk to me.
Tell me to go for it. You're the
one Alex. You're the guy who'll set
me free. I felt in that moment that
I should feel gross for doing all
this. Using this guys legacy to
support me own. But I didn't. I
didn't feel anything negative at
all and if I had been one to
believe in all the superstitious
nonsense I might have made myself
beleive that billy was rooting for
me that day. The moment didn't last
as I turned around to see three
kids I didn't know taking pictures
of me in that sacred moment with
their camera phones. Somehow I knew
that those photos were going to be
all over social media and I was
glad that I didn't know they were
being taken. If I had known I
probably would have done something
cheesy and insincere to play up the
moment. I eased past the
photographers who stood in solemn
silence as if suddenly embarrassed
by their trespass. I didn't bother
acknowleding them I knew as soon as
I walked into the locker room
they'd be uploading those photos to
whatever platform would take them.
I was grabbing my warm-up gear and
running shoes and disappearing
until it was time to run. Didn't
know where I was going to go but I
didn't want to be here anymore.
Funniest thing, I felt fine about
the race, I felt weird about the
attention. Like if I had just gone
(MORE)
7.
ALEX (cont'd)
out to the track and ran the race.
Just me and Billy it may have meant
something, but instead I cheapened
it by trying to cash in on the
deal.
ALEX
The locker room was empty and I
could see from down the hall one
open locker. The same one I'd used
all year long. Felt like I should
be rushing to the scene but at this
point seeing my locker ransacked
would be just another symptom of
the weirdness I created. I
approached my locker with care as
if one wrong move would set off a
booby trap. My shoes were there.
The only thing missing was my track
uniform and warm-ups. I looked at
the combination lock hanging
unbroken, uncut. Someone used the
combination to get in. So it was a
member of the faculty who kept all
the combinations for just such
emergencies. Immediatly I blamed
coach but it could have been any of
the faculty who didn't approve of
the spectatle I created. I was
beginning to wonder wether the
athletic director or superintendant
was going to shut down the race
before it started. But I couldn't
worry about that now. I had to find
something to run in.
ALEX
I'll spare you the boring details
on how aquired the nessacery
shorts, shirt and warm-ups. I'll
just say that I was determined to
do this in my school colors
regardless of who disapproved. I
was able to find a matching donor
pretty easily as soon as I let
social media know what happened.
All I did was post a picture of my
empty locker and explain the
situation and in a second several
of my teamates offered up their
gear. It added another layer of
interest to the story as I saw
several threads emerge taking
various stances on the issue. It
was no surprise when I arrived at
the stadium to see a packed house.
I'm not kidding it was a playoff
(MORE)
8.
ALEX (cont'd)
football game crowd. Standing room
only. The lights were on as we had
arranged. Nobody had pulled the
plug so far so it looked like we
were going to have a race on our
hands. Three guys from other
schools showed up all state
qualifers. Doug the cross town
rival who I've never beat in any
race shorter than 1600 meters he
placed 2nd in both the 400 and the
800. Ajay Patel the 6th place
finisher in the 1600 and state
champion in the 800. And Tavaris
Sandow, a sprinter who set state
records in both the 100 and 200
meter. One other guy my my school.
Tommy, who didn't make it out of
districts and had no chance but
probably wanted some attention. I
guessed he'd start the race and
fake pulling up lame somewhere
around 400 meters. I shook hands
with all the guys and thanked them
for coming out. I think we all had
the same motivations coming into
the event. The social media heat we
created by having four different
schools participate in a friday
night ghost story was going to do
us all some good. Tavaris was going
to UW for football and I heard he
was getting some money for that but
him and his agent were interested
in generating income from two
sports and this event was getting
great heat. Everone's marketing
teams were sending out press
releases hoping to get the national
media to take interest in the
event. Ajay Patel was halfway to
medical school but his family was
not wealthy at all. So any dough he
could generate before leaving for
Stanford would be welcome. And
Doug, Doug had had his heart set on
Westpoint and hadnt bothered to
apply anywhere else. So he was
trying to regenerate interest from
any school that would give him a
full ride.
ALEX
One of my frieds agreed to MC the
event and made the introductions. I
scanned the crowd and spotted my
mom with my dad on the near
(MORE)
9.
ALEX (cont'd)
sideline. My mother waved and
applauded to show her support. No
sign of Gabby. Nothing. I saw a
patch of her friends in the stands
looking snotty and indignant but no
sign of her. How the hell was she
so offended by this that she
wouldn't talk to me or show up for
the event. Didn't matter I had a
race to run and the sun was dipping
toward the horizon of the open West
side of the stadium. Then a
surprise. My friend the MC
introduced Billy Carter's mother to
the crowd. I didn't know she still
lived in town but she waved to the
crowd as they gave her and massive
round of applause. She was smiling
as she waved at me and that made me
feel on top of the world. If she
was ok with all of this than any
haters could piss up a rope.
ALEX
We loaded to the starting line.
With so few runners their wouldn't
be much crowding. Everyone's goal
was to get to the 3/4 mark by 3:10
so the pace was going to be hard
and it'd be a gut check in the
final quarter...if Billy Carter's
ghost showed up. Fuck college, we'd
all be racing straight to the bank.
We got set. The pistol fires.
ALEX
As expected the pace was far ahead
of normal. Doug stayed with me. I
saw his strategy and expected him
to be by my side until the last 400
when he tried to separate. Tavaris
jumped out to the lead, we knew he
wound't last. But he could trigger
the legend if he got to 1200m by
3:10. Patel hung behind Doug and
me. Tommy came charging around Doug
wanting to challenge Tavaris. Doug
and I fought off smiles. Sure
enough Tommy passed Tavaris just
before the 1/4 turn and pulled up
clutching his hamstring. He'd spend
the rest of the evening soaking up
attention from whatever girls will
give him any and from what I've
heard fathering his first child.
Tavaris looked a little annoyed by
it but stayed focused. When it
(MORE)
10.
ALEX (cont'd)
comes to hitting 1200m in 3:10 he
was the only question because he
doesn't run distance. Pushing
toward the halfway mark Doug and I
were lock step. We knew Tavaris
would fade and Patel would make a
move when we're closing in on
1200m. I looked up at the offical
clock as we crossed the halfway
mark. 2:10. Ths was going to hurt.
We had to do the next 400 meters in
under a minute or all this had been
a waste of time. I picked it up,
Doug and Ajay follow suit. Could've
cost us a shot at the track record
but hitting 1200m at 3:10 is what
would bring Billy to the yard.
Tavaris fell behind. He was done.
Up ahead, people were coming onto
the track. I needed to focus but
these people were trying to botch
it. It was Gabby, coach Simmons, my
parents and several teachers. Why
were they doing this? I chugged
harder toward the three quarter
mark. I would not be denied this. I
didn't come this far... A struggle
up ahead people from the crowd
pulling gabby and my parents off
the track. Pushing Coach Simmons.
3:00 we got this. We had to make
it, Ajay drew even with Doug and
me. Coach and Gabby were fighting
back. A melee in the stands.
The lights' went out. One by one.
But the clock still ran. 3:05 the
last stadium light goes and several
screams rip out across the stadium.
I try to make out what's happening
with Gabby and my parents all the
while still barreling toward the
finish line. A loud gasping roar
comes up from the crowd. I look up
at the clock 3:12. what happened?
Did we get it. I look over at Doug
still by my side, Ajay is gone but
a figure moves into his place a
glowing, transparent apparation of
a young black man in 80s style
running gear moves ahead of Doug
and me. Doug stays focused, but I
know he can see. I can't feel
myself breath anymore, I'm just
(MORE)
11.
(cont'd)
going. Keeping pace, lost in the
moment. My focus narrows. I'm
running with a ghost and nothing
else matters except beating him to
the finish line. It's a dead heat,
until something hits me. I go down
on the track and feel myself skip a
couple times, the texture of the
track grats my flesh. My race is
over. My shot at the track record
and legenary status gone.
I eased up to my knees to watch
Doug cross the finish line a body
width ahead of billy carter's
ghost. Doug raised arms in the air
as his time flashed on the
scoreboard. 4:11.9. The record was
his. Billy Carter slowed to a stop
and faced Doug. The two looked at
each other for a moment before
Billy gave him a congratulatory
nod.
the ghost of Billy Carter turned
his attention to his mother who had
come out to the track with her hand
over her mouth. Her spectral son
lifted his hand up to her as if he
was waving through a window before
slowly fading into the darkness. He
was free. Billy Carter was finally
free. Mamma Carter dropped to her
knees on the tracks and raised her
hands in thanksgiving. The stadium
went silent except for her feral
howls of praise.
Then Doug collapsed.
ALEX
It took several seconds for anyone
to process what happened. Then
everyone in the stadium rushed to
Doug's aid. In moments I couldn't
see him through the crowd. I didn't
join them. There was no point.
Somehow I knew he was gone.
Somehow, Gabby was right. There was
more to this legend than I had
known. I looked over to the ground
next to me. There was Gabby holding
a tiny rusted over track medal from
another time.
12.
My girl.
The only reason I'm not a legend
today.
And she say to me
GABBY
It's not a legend. It's a curse.
ALEX
It's was a curse. And she saved me
from it. Gabby pulled up and
embraced me from behind.
GABBY
You didn't know. Billy wasn't the
first. He wasn't the first. You
didn't know. You didn't know.
ALEX
We sat there and watched in
silence until Doug was taken away.
So many scenes happenin at once.
Coach came and saide something. I
would talk to him later and
understand. My parents said
something, everyone said something.
I sat and stared with my girl
holding me up. A spotted Patel
still standing just past the 1200 m
mark. He was doing something with
his hands. Seemed religious. Not
sure what it was. So many people
talking trying to say something
that meant something. But I
couldn't talk. All I could do was
think. I brought Dougie into this
for my own gain. And now I swore by
all the gods that I never believed
in, I would find a way to free him