I was sitting in on an important business meeting, when I felt my phone vibrating in my pocket. Without pursuing the number I let the call go to my voicemail. Receiving phone calls during work hours was frowned upon by management, and I was not about to jeopardize my career. The phone buzzed again and again, as many as 6 times. I inexplicably excused myself and finally took, which should have better been, an important phone call. It was my friend Jesse. Jesse played for the high school basketball team that I coached for the past two seasons. He was very mature, well rounded, and always spoke to his coaches respectfully. Jesse was our captain mainly because he obtained the ability to convey our strategies to the rest of the team. While I encouraged our players to come to us when turmoil transpired, most of our conversations with them were laughter oriented. Jesse wasn’t laughing; he read straight off the WNBC website.
“A New Jersey basketball coach has been charged with child endangerment stemming from allegations he persuaded several teen boys to provide him with naked photos.
Adam , 34, , faces multiple counts of child endangerment.
Bergen County Prosecutors said four males between the ages of 16 and 18 told detectives that Melzer had persuaded them to provide him with naked photos of themselves.”
“He is innocent right?” Jesse asked.
These subtle words pierced the belly of my soul. I could hear the perplexion in his words, as well as his feelings of derelict.
Aggrieved by someone you trust can have a lasting impact on a child of his age, so my words had to be choosy.
“Right now, he is still innocent”, I answered. “Let me find out more about what occurred and I will let you know as soon as I do”.
Jesse scampered off the phone in bewilderment as I was now left to find out the truth.
But what was the truth? I don’t think you really understand who this man was to me. Reading of his conviction was something I would try and rationalize for a...