tullos.org \o/

From the locker room, the Summit High players could hear the rumble and distant cheers coming from the packed house in their home gym, the sound of tradition in Indiana. Win or lose, Summit could count on a packed house when Western came calling. The smell of popcorn wafted its way into every corner of the building. Clipper jerked Justin down a long row of lockers that were only used during the football season. "Clipper! What the heck are you doing?"
"I've been asking myself that question all day. What am I doing here? Why did I even think that I could be on this team? I'm no good, I tell you. Look at me."
"What?" Justin asked loudly.
"Look at me!"
"I'm looking."
"I'm fritzed out! My heart's pounding. Do you think I'm having a panic attack?" Clipper said, trembling.
Justin tried to remain serious, "A panic attack?"
"Yeah, I saw this thing on ?20-20' about panic attacks and-"
"Clipper. You are pumped. You're stoked. This is a big game. I'd call the doctor if you weren't a little nervous. That's the exciting part... The fun part..."
"This is fun?! This is exciting? Look at me Justin! Do I look like I'm having fun? I'm dyin' here!" Clipper said moaning through his gritted teeth, gripping Justin's shoulders and shaking in movie-like melodrama.
Justin peeled Clipper's right hand from his shoulder and spoke calmly. "Clip, just chill. You're beginning to freak me out." Justin thought maybe a good slap or ice water on the face might bring him to his senses, but he had never done anything like that before and now wasn't the time to try. "OK, Clipper. I want you to cease and desist. You're not starting the game and you'll have time on the bench to sit back and get a feel for the situation. Just take deep breaths and enjoy the game from the bench. Coach Tupper might not even need you so-"
"Are you saying that I'm not good enough?"
"Clipper! WHAT IS THE DEAL! First you want to run away to Tahiti and forget that you ever saw a basketball and now you're upset because I suggest that he might not give you any time! Is there anything that'll satisfy you? Look. I am your best friend, right? It doesn't matter what happens out there, your still going to be the man. Why don't I pray for you?"
"What? Come again?"
"Pray. You do remember prayer, don't you?"
Clipper looked to his left and his right, checking the scene for onlookers. Then felt embarrassed. Justin was the new Christian and he was taking the lead. "Oh yeah," He chuckled nervously, "That's right. We oughta pray."
They sat down on the hard wooden bench that was bolted to the concrete floor of the locker room. Justin began, "OK God, Clipper's kind of having some nerve trouble here. What I'd like You to do is help him to chill out and not worry about it. I need that, too. We're both scared about what's going to happen out there. Could you help us just to have a good time and do our best?"
Clipper broke in, "And Lord, keep me off the free throw line."
Justin rolled his eyes.

"Hey Kandi!," Melissa called out standing up in the bleachers.
"Hey! Thought I'd never find you."
"So you made it."
"This place is crazy," Kandi yelled over the screams and cheers of the fans and the music over the loudspeaker. "Got room?"
"Yeah. Come on over," Melissa said.
"Kandi, do you know Shelli and Myra?"
?I think I've seen you around but no, I don't think we've met."
Myra, a sophomore at Summit High asked, "Aren't you going out with Troy? He is such a cool guy."
Kandi didn't know what to say at first. She rarely disagreed with strangers. That was simply not her nature. "Yeah, He's definitely... a really... He's a guy all right," she said not meaning to be funny at first but they all laughed. She thought about clarifying the relationship to Myra but then bit her tongue. Was it really worth going into Troy's true nature? She thought not. As Melissa, Myra and Shelli continued the small talk of the team, the happenings at school, and prom, Kandi left the scene mentally, recalling in her mind the events of the past couple of weeks, all that she had experienced both good and bad. She'd grown through the pain, elation and misery of past week. She'd had a major confrontation with her mom, a reconciliation, she had fallen for one of the most popular guys in the school in less than two days, she'd been attacked by him in his own house, she'd been rescued by Justin who was the kindest guy she'd met, and she had an encounter with this Jesus guy, who she had discounted as another mythical icon before that time. But the ?myth' of Jesus walked out of the Bible and lived and breathed and cared for her. That night at Justin's house, as she sang songs about this stranger, she wondered if He could be the dad that she never knew? Could he be real? Could he provide an answer to her anger, fear and frustration that followed her down the path of her life from her earliest memories?

Coach Lunsford's voice bolted through the locker room. "Where's Troy! Has anybody seen him?"
Everyone looked at Tad, his best friend on the team. "He was sick today. I called him this morning after second period ad he said he'd be here but he not for class."
Tupper walked into the locker room. He stood in the middle of the team looking as if someone had just shot the president. He cleared his throat and and looked at the team. "Troy's not playing tonight."
Lunsford mouth dropped open. "What do you mean? Where is he?"
"I just got off the phone with Troy's dad," Tupper said. "He can't play?"
"Why not?" Tad asked definsively.
Tupper shouted back, "He's just not going to be able to play. He's sick. He has walking neumonia. Justin will start tonight in his place. We need to make whatever adjustments-"
Tupper was interrupted by the loud slam of the locker room door.
"I will play. I have to play," Troy said as he walked in the locker room.
"I can't let you do that. You've been restricted by the doctor and your parents," Tupper responded.
"No!" Troy shouted back. He charged at the Tupper but Lunsford and a couple of players tackled him before he got there.
"This is crazy. It's my life. Its my team, too. I made this team what it is this year. If I want to end up in the hospital after this it's my choice." Troy shouted back while being restrained.
"You're wrong, Troy! Dead wrong. It's tragic. What's happening is tragic, but you are out tonight. You can suit up but I'm not playing you!"
Silence fell over the team.
"Forget you! Forget all of you!" Troy shouted while struggling to breath. "Guess you told them. I guess you told them I had AIDS! Didn't you?" Troy shouted.
"No, I didn't." Tupper responded. "I said you have pnuemonia, which you do. You're the one who said ?AIDS.' Not me."
Troy looked around the room with a strong mixture of humiliation and rage, "Well, if you think for one second that I'm going to sit on the bench and watch Clipper Hayes blow the entire season you're wrong. What kind of guy do you think I am?"
Lunsford shook his head, "I think you're proving that right now."
"Get him out of here," Tupper said under his breath, trying to restrain his wrath. "Get him out of here right now. We've got a game to play."
Fifteen guys and two coaches were in total, undeniable shock. Tad felt an ache in the very pit of his stomach as he stared helplessly at his best friend. He was still trying to digest the words that Troy had spoken. AIDS. What would be the aftershock for the rest of their friends, his parents, the girls he had dated?

Myra was the first of the group to notice Troy absence from the team. "OK, What's up, Kandi? What'd you do with Troy?"
"What did I do with Troy?" Kandi asked, genuinely confused.
"He's not out there," Myra explained. "The whole teams doin' that lay-up thingy and Troy is not out there."
"How am I supposed to know?" Kandi asked with some exasperation.
"I should have cleared this up earlier, Myra," Melissa interjected. "Kandi and Troy are history. Totally old news."
Myra pouted. "Bummer."
Melissa pulled Kandi closer to her, "I had the strangest conversation today with this girl. I don't think you know her. Her name is Kamden. She's a freshman. She said that Troy was in danger. I haven't even thought about it until now. This is wierd."

The news that Troy wouldn't play spread through the crowd and was eventually confirmed by the announcer on the loud speaker. There was an audible collective groan from the audience. Without Troy, the team lacked a competitive point guard. Their slim chance of defeating the already favored Western High Wildcats became even slimmer.
Tupper said to his assistant coach,"I have a feeling deep in my gut that I should have gone with Lester. But you don't count on losing your best guard." He was unaware that Clipper was listening in behind him. Clipper's heart sank. He felt a twinge of disassociation. Once again he experienced the 2nd grade emotions of being picked last in a ball game during recess. The crowd reached a fevered pitch during the warm ups that would rival any college arena.
Justin, noticing Clipper's scowl and lame mood, slapped him on the back.
"What's wrong Clip. This is what it's all about. Get crankin'."
"I shouldn't be here."
"What?" Justin asked in anger.
"You know what I'm talking about. He should have picked Lester instead of me," Clipper said.
"Would you please stop it!"
"Stop what?
"Thinking! You can't stop thinking about how you're gonna blow it. I wish you'd just shut up about it," Justin said.
"I heard the coach. He even told Lunsford that he shouldn't have picked me."
"So what are you going to do about it? What one thing could change the situation we're in right now? Here's an idea," Justin ranted, totally unaware of the people in the stands, "Why don't you go out there and prove the coach wrong. Believe in yourself for once, Clipper!"

As the game began in the over-crowded, fifty year old gym. There was a real feeling that these Summit High students were being led into a pit of lions. Before the season began Summit felt like this would be a fun game for them. They felt that they could compete head to head anywhere with the perennially dominant Western High program but due to a lack of chemistry and an abundance of injuries, Summit didn't seem to have a chance. Summit got worse as the year pressed on and Western kept getting better and better.
Coach Tupper whacked Justin on the rear with the playbook, "OK Justin. You're starting tonight. You take charge out there. Do you believe in miracles?"
"Yes," Justin smiled reluctantly, "As a matter of fact I do."
"OK. OK. Miracle boy. Do your thing."
Justin said to himself under his breath, "Do my thing? I don't think I've ever done ?my thing' before."
Clipper screamed from the side, "Come on, Justin! All things! Nothin' to lose."
Justin huddled the team near center court before the tip off. "OK. Here we go Herewego, herewego. Don't let them intimidate you, guys."
They broke into their positions waiting for the ref to launch the ball, hearts pounding, minds spinning, and nerves tingling.
Clipper on the bench next to Lunsford sent up a silent prayer. "Lord, just let us compete."
During the course of the first quarter his prayers were answered. Summit High threatened though they never gained a lead. But by the middle of the second, Western started to pull away with intimidating fervor, stealing the ball, slamming it home under the basket, and launching threes.
"Clipper," Tupper called out a few seats down on the bench. Clipper was immersed in the game that was quickly turning into a blow out. "CLIPPER!" He yelled at the top of his voice. "Go in for Bryan."
Clipper's heart jumped into his throat as he peeled off his warm-ups and tripped over himself in the process. "All things... All things..."
"Uh-oh" Lunsford said to Tupper. "Not a good sign."
Tupper felt like he had nothing to lose.
Clipper ran in on defense and immediately snatched a rebound, roaring like a scrawny Hercules.
"Watch it 00," one ref said shaking his finger at Clipper "Cut the taunting!"
"Sorry ref. It just came out," Clipper said innocently as he tossed the ball to Justin.
Tad knocked in a wild off balanced three point shot and the home crowd came to life again. Now they began an attack on the twelve point Western lead. Clipper once again seized the rebound on defense this time flailing the lethal elbows in order to gain control.
"Hey, boy. What are you trying to do?" one of the Western High Panthers yelled out.
Clipper smiled and tossed the ball to Justin again, then shaking his fist in the air to the delight of the home crowd. He couldn't believe it. He was doing it! He knew he could compete and even excel on defense but his knees weakened on offense. Justin came down with the ball, tossed it to Summit's large center, Antonio who shot a beautiful hook. The ball softly rolled in and out of the basket. Clipper and the all state forward from the Panthers both lunged for the rebound. The Panther who had been frustrated by this unknown kid aimed an elbow at Clipper's face in what appeared to be retaliation strike. The referee blew the whistle and rewarded Clipper with a trip to the line. As the referee warned the Panther, and the crowd booed the hard foul, Clipper staggered to the line painfully clutching his nose. Clipper thought, What is this? ?National Sock Me in the Nose Month?!' Can't we all just get along? I'll have the nose of an elephant before the end of the season! The referee immediately called an injury time out when he saw a steady stream of blood coming from Clipper's nose.
Lunsford and Tupper both ran out to him. "Hey, kid, welcome to the war, huh?" Tupper said trying to lift Clipper's spirits. The game had taken a ugly turn, but for Summit it was better than rolling over and playing dead. The bleeding stopped in a matter of seconds and Clipper went to the line.
Clipper prayed for at least one successful free throw shot but it was not to be. He missed both and then returned to the bench shortly after to a nice round of applause.
What appeared to be a blow out earlier in the game had become a classic battle for respect. Emotions ran high as Summit kept threatening to gain a lead. They had been behind the whole game but were now within two points in the final game. One of Summit's forwards fouled out with only one minute left in the fourth and final quarter of action. Clipper was chosen to carry them to the end. He thought to himself as he trotted into the game, one minute to go, why is Tupper putting me in the game? The pressure for Clipper was unbelievable.
The Panthers came down the court with the ball. Everything for Clipper seemed to move in slow motion. With less that 45 seconds on the game clock the Western Panthers seemed content to run the shot clock down and sink the next shot to ice the game. The Panther shot bounded off the rim and right to Clipper who tried to rid himself of the ball as quickly as possible before being fouled. He and the Summit faithful breathed a collective sigh of relief when Clipper made a successful pass to Justin. Justin rushed down the court with Clipper right in front of him. He passed the ball to Tad who pulled up for a three pointer. The shot arched up and barely hit the rim, landing in Clipper's hands under the basket. No one in the facility was sitting down as Clipper rocketed up to finish the play with a short basket to tie the game, but before the ball left his hands he was fouled hard by the collective efforts of three Panthers. Immediately the Panthers called a time out with two seconds left to let Clipper think long and hard about the pressure and his terrible reputation as an unsuccessful free throw shooter.
"Great job men. Ya done good. No matter what happens here. You're a winner. The way you played tonight was ...a piece off thunder. You never gave up. It was all I asked of you before the game and you made me proud. Now let's go out there boys and send this baby into overtime!"
No one spoke to Clipper, not even Justin. There was a hushed energy that fell over the gym as Clipper set himself for the two most important shots he'd ever taken on a basketball court. The referee handed him the ball. he bounced it a couple of times. The crowd looked on, everyone was standing. Clipper's mind went back to those nights in his driveway practicing free-throws. His eyes fixed on the basket. I've had a good game. Come on ball, let's take a ride to the hole, he whispered. The ball sailed through the air. No one exhaled. Halfway to the basket it looked great, Clipper's will urged it on. The crowd erupted as the ball rattled in. Justin, Tad and Antonio slapped his hands. "You did it, Bro!" Antonio shouted. "OK baby! It's pay back time for the bloody nose," Tad declared. "You can do all things..." Justin whispered in his ear. I can do all things through Christ. That thought filled his mind and soothed his trembling fingers.
The crowd settled down as the ref tossed him the ball. Western 65, Panthers 64. This was his chance to send the game into overtime. Clipper smiled at Justin, fixed his eyes on the goal once more. As soon as the ball left his hands he felt like it would fall through but it hit the front rim. "Nooooo!" he screamed as he lunged for the ball that was well short of the goal. The rage of the moment tore through his nerves as he took a giant leap toward the descending ball. The crowd screamed in unanimous panic. His hands reach the ball with one second on the clock. He immediately tossed the ball skyward in a freakish attempt to redeem himself. It soared high above with a huge rainbow arch. The ball came down. Only Newton's theory would determine it's fate as it hit the front rim and bounced toward the backboard. The gym floor seemed to vibrate from the incredible screams of the Summit faithful. In that split second Clipper couldn't believe what he just did. Incredibly he had gotten the rebound from his own shot and tossed up a prayer. The ball hit the backboard and fell through the basket.
The very foundation of the gym shook as Western stood in shock. The worst free-throw shooter Summit had on the squad came to the line hoping to tie the game. The Panthers had already chalked up the victory, when Clipper Hayes stole the game right from under their nose. Justin and the other players rushed toward him as the buzzer sounded, sending him crashing to the floor. Summit High had pulled off their biggest upset in twenty years. The celebration pile-on knocked the back of Clipper's head on the wooden floor and would leave a knot the size of a plum but he didn't care. This was a moment that he'd never forget. He wept and whispered his testimony "All things! I can do all things! Through Christ. Through Christ! Through Christ!"