the cats you were a well-known entity. the birthday boy, 21 years old was a true rarity, a wildcat walk-on, no scholarship, no invitation, just showed up, tried out for the team. over three years of hard work he earned a starting position. everybody called him a big teddy bear, the great protector of our friends. the party was sweet, informal, friends snapped pictures and evening doddled into night. it was after midnight when the party wound down. i think we turned in somewhere between 12:30, 1:00. antonio and his girlfriend went to bed. outside trent and some of the others settled under the light on the front porch. out there beyond the streetlights was impen trabl dark, inside. we were already in a faint sleep and we heard a loud bang.