tullos.org \o/

Wednesday morning. A day before the game against Western High that would determine the fate of Summit High's play-off hopes. Although Western had already secured a position in the play-offs, they wanted this one badly. Western wanted to go to State with momentum and confidence.
Clipper shot free throws before sunrise outside his house, wondering if his aspiration for playing varsity was a big mistake. He loved to play the game but after those two missed free throws against Woodlawn, Clipper doubted his ability to play in the clutch. If he got fouled and missed both free throws again, he was positive that he'd confine himself to a remote village in Bangladesh as a missionary!
His dad walked through the sliding door holding his first cup of coffee, greeting him using his proper name, "Morning, Clifford, you did go to bed last night, didn't you? You know there are more things to basketball than the free throws. There is such a thing as overkill."
"Anything would be an improvement over Saturday night."
"Clipper you only had two shots at the line. Plus Tupper didn't choose you because you're a free throw shooter. He got you for the rebounding and you didn't let him down."
"I got a couple of rebounds," he said with self pity.
"You only played a couple of minutes."
"I saw the game video. I run around like a-" He searched for an appropriate simile, "Let's just put it this way. I looked like a dork."
"Everybody feels that way when they see themselves play on video for the first time," his dad said.
"I just felt like such a loser. Especially compared to how you did."
"What?" Clipper's Dad said surprised.
"You know what I mean. 54 points in one game. You broke every record in the book."
"Not every. Plus that was in North Dakota, not Indiana."
"Yeah, but you were really good. I saw the clippings. You were 84% at the line."
Mr. Hayes looked at Clipper and shook his head, "It's all a matter of perspective. If I had the choice between a kid that was an excellent free throw shooter, but went out drinking, never let us know what was going on in his life, wasn't a Christian or we could have a great rebounder who had trouble with his free throws, but loved the Lord, and respected us as his parents, who do you think we'd pick?" Clipper continued to stare at the ground. There was comfortable silence between the two. Finally Clipper's dad continued. "Plus, who is to say that two free throws determines the destiny of the rest of your season? You can hit them. I've seen you. Have I ever seen you! At 3:30 in the morning I've seen you do it."
"Not 3:30 a.m." Clipper said smiling.
"Well close to it."
"I don't know why this whole thing means so much to me. I mean, Justin has it all together. It's like, if he's a failure tomorrow night he's still on the dean's list, he could date just about any girl at Summit... But for me-"
"Clipper! What are you talking about? What does that say about me and your mom? Are we that easily impressed? We think you are the best kid we've ever known and you just happen to be our kid."
"I guess that's pep talk number 534."
"Nope. It's truth. And you want to hear something else?" Clipper's dad asked.
"I don't think I have a choice." Clipper replied.
"You're right. You don't."
Clipper looked up and smiled.
His dad continued the slightly embarrassing display of verbal affection, "I love you. And if the time arises that you're at the line tomorrow night I believe you'll drain'em." Clipper's dad turned around and headed back inside calling out as Clipper continued the litany of shots, "Now you'd better get off the line and try some shots in the paint. That's where you'll spend your time tomorrow night if you ask me."
Clipper continued to shoot the ball imagining with both aspiration and dread what the future might hold in the next 48 hours. He didn't even know if he would see any playing time. In some ways he hoped that he wouldn't. He whispered a prayer of thanksgiving for his mom and dad. In the past year he had felt closer to them. They'd had their moments of anger in the past, but they weathered those storms. He remembered the times when he couldn't wait to be on his own. He recalled those times when he hated their nagging and their lack of understanding about who he was and who he wasn't and would never be. He felt unspoken pressure in the past for him to be someone that he could never be but this past year he had grown and perhaps they too had grown. He'd always looked upon his dad's glory days with great envy. He wanted to see the all state trophies in his bedroom like they had been in his father's but time ran out and it never happened. Still this was his magical moment, small though it may have seemed to others. "Run the race. Finish the course." These few words of scripture drove him to seek the dream once more.

That morning Kandi saw Justin in the school hall just before the first bell. "Hey guy, need any help with your locker?"
"You know, you really amaze me."
"How so?"
"You're the only girl I know who's been able to master a locker in the west hall in less than a month. You don't even kick it anymore."
"It's a woman's touch," she said coyly.
"Hmm."
"Plus I had the custodian replace the inner latch."
"Ah ha! That's cheating," Justin said.
Kandi laughed.
"So are you ready for the game tomorrow?" Kandi asked Justin.
"I don't know. Coach kinda flipped out on us the other day so he's either motivated us or scared us half to death. I guess we'll find out tomorrow night. Has anybody invited you to the game?"
"No. But it is open to the public," Kandi said with a wry smile.
Justin leaned against the lockers casually, "Well, take this as a personal invitation. By the way, I've bought you something." Justin pulled out a little box from his front pocket and handed it to her.
Kandi blushed when she opened the box and found a ring. "Justin... I'm uh... Speechless." She was really at a loss for words. The guys never asked me out on a date and he's handing me some kind of ring?, she thought. "A ring?"
Justin immediately could tell that she was taken back by the gift. "Don't worry. I guess I should have explained it to you before I gave it to you."
"I'm all for explanations."
"See, your dad should really be the one to give you this but since he's not around I thought I'd go ahead and do the honors."
Still perplexed Kandi said, "OK Dad, what's with the ring?"
"It's a commitment ring." Justin said awkwardly. "It's a ring that symbolizes that you won't have sex with anyone before you're married. I decided last night to give it to you. My parents gave me one a couple of months ago."
"People in Indiana sure do talk about sex a lot. You have Bible Studies on it. You wear rings about it-"
"You just came around at the right time. This month it's sex. Next month- water polo."
She smiled, looking at the ring for a few seconds and then placing it on her finger. "So what does this ring make you?"
"Just the guy who had the gall to give it to you. I know you've been through a whole lot since you came here. I really do care about you. I have since I met you."
"Why?"
"Cause Baby, You and me... We got a groovy kind of love"
Kandi laughed at his toungue in cheek recitation of one of the hoakiest love songs ever recorded. "I just do, Kandi. I care a whole lot about you. I could say that I find you really attractive and fun to be around... which is true." Kandi dropped her head and smiled in embarrassment. "But the fact is, I think God sort of put me in your path to give you locker tips and rides in the rain."
"That's sweet."
"So will you be at the game tomorrow? That is, of course, if you're not installing software on your computer or bathing the cat."
"I guess the cat can wait. I'll be there."