Held his head high

I pushed him along the plank, wooden sword pressed against his back.

Turned to look back at me

I nudged him forward.

Pushed him very gently with the blunt tip of the sword

conjured out of the woodshop by my father, sanded by me

somewhere in between his shoulder blades.

"How much did that jacket cost, Walter? How much?"

 Nudged him a little harder

he fell forward, off the plank,

into the sand pit