Mordecai's Soccer Showdown Spring Camp!

I felt the wind slam into me and my leather seat. My hand went for just a moment to my suit jacket, giving it a quick tug to put it in place. After another quick adjustment to my tie, I slid my hand through my hair, letting out a sigh. This was the fourth city in just two days. I couldn't wait to get through Dallas and on to Austin. Then we would finally take a good long rest at Lyndon's ranch. I glanced behind me, seeing the rest of the parade preparing for the drive as well. The Johnsons were in the next car behind us, then a bus of officials followed by the usual bus crammed with press workers. The local police department was all on motorcycles, the early morning sun glinting off of their dark sunglasses and bright white helmets as they got ready to follow us in our 1961 Lincoln convertible.

I smiled at my wife, Jackie, as she slid into the seat to my left. She immediately brought her hands down to her skirt then up to her hair, wanting to look her best for the waiting crowds. Someone earlier this morning had told me that some two hundred thousand Texans had showed up today. They would be lined up the whole eleven mile route, cheering and screaming. In front of me sat the governor-what was his name again? Governor Connally, that was it. He was sitting in front of me, while his wife was in front of Jackie. With a strained smile at the Secret Service Agent driving the car, we began the parade, closely following the Dallas police chief in his car. The miles seemed to fly by as I constantly turned my head from left to right, waving and smiling until I could barely feel my arm-or face, for that matter. Every once in a while, Jackie would try to put her sunglasses on, making me turn to her. Though the Texan sun was bright and the sky cloudless, what the staff called "Kennedy weather", I wanted her to keep her shades off. That way, I could show her off to the public, perhaps to gain more support for the upcoming election, if not just a little boost of self esteem for myself.

"Mr. President," Mrs. Connally said, turning in her seat to face me. "You can't say that Dallas doesn't love you." I leaned in to listen to her and I smiled, stretching out my arms a little as we came near to the end of the trip. The crowds were thinner now, most of the civilians having been nearer to the front of the drive rather than the end.

"No you certainly can't," I replied coolly. A few moments after we turned the corner, time seemed to slow suddenly. I heard two loud noises in rapid succession. I wondered what they were, about to turn my head. There was a sharp prick at the back of my neck, but before I could even register any reaction, my neck was suddenly on fire. Blood! The red liquid was spattered all over: on me, on Jackie, the seats of the car. Governor Connally was gripping his shoulder and crying, his face white as a sheet and I Knew he had been hit by the same bullet that hit me.

"They're going to kill us all!" I heard him scream. Immediately I raised my hands to my throat, feeling my life source-my blood gushing out of a ragged hole. My neck! I had been shot! No sooner had I registered this thought than another shot rang out, the sharp noise ringing against the walls of the surrounding buildings. There was another stinging pain, this time on the front of my head.

Time seemed to stop completely for a second as I felt my life ebb away. Jackie was covered in my blood, screaming my name as her hand reached for me, taking an eternity. The Connallys were yelling, also covered in blood. I knew in that instant, my life was over. With the hole in my neck and my skull shattered, I wasn't going to recover, not this time. The thousands of things I could have accomplished filled my last thoughts as my vision faded to black and I died.

One minute I’m in a pleasant limousine, waving at all the nice fellas and ladies, next minute I’m standing before Saint Peter at the golden gate.