suggested. Cody was right, they did need some reassurance, and I supposed it had to come from me. I know I wanted reassurance, but I’m not sure where mine was supposed to come from.
“Thanks,” I said, putting my hand over his and squeezing. He cocked his head for a moment and then smiled as he pulled his hand back and joked, “Fag!”
I nudged him back. “You were the one who was feeling me up, Tinker Bell!”
We laughed together as I stood to address the team. I had a feeling he was laughing more than I was.
“Okay, so I guess I should say something,” I said, getting everyone’s attention. Everyone’s eyes fell on me, and it struck me as funny that a week ago I would have internally shrunk away from this attention, and now here I was basking in it. “We’re good,” I said, not having any idea how to handle an inspirational speech. “I don’t say that because I’m on the team. I say that because it’s true. If we lose tonight, it’s going to be because my plan sucked and no other reason. You guys rock, and I hope we can go out there and show them….”
Tommy stood up, clapping. “Okay, Danny, thanks for that speech. Any more and I think we’re going to start crying.” The guys laughed as I felt myself blush slightly. He came up and put his arm around my shoulders. “We suck,” he said flatly. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t win. I know for a fact the other team sucks more, and we have something they don’t.” He grabbed my wrist and raised my arm over my head. “We have this freak!!” he called out, and the other guys cheered with him. “If we win tonight,” he said, looking at me, “it’s going to be because of you, buddy, so don’t kid yourself.”
Cody began to softly chant “Danny, Danny, Danny.” A few other guys picked up on it and joined in. By the fifth time, everyone was yelling my name, and I felt a rush of emotion as I heard Tommy chanting my name as well. Before I could say something, the coach walked in and called out, “Do you guys plan on forfeiting the damn game because you’re not on the court?” We all froze in place. “ Get out there! ” he screamed, and we all moved as one.
I felt someone slap me on the butt as we headed out. “Let’s kick some ass, Captain.”
The crowd exploded in cheers as we galloped onto the court.
I felt Cody pushing me from behind as I paused at the wall of sound that reverberated in front of me. “Keep moving, Jolly Green!” he screamed behind me. I saw my dad in the stands cheering with everyone else. He was on his feet, and I tried not to feel even more nervous that he was there watching. It was different than in Germany because this wasn’t just for fun, this was for a school.
We headed to our side of the court as the coach huddled us together. “Okay, we have this.” He looked at me. “I need you to go out there and ham it up.” I gave him a confused look, and he explained. “You’re the ringer, Danny. I need you to go out there and sell it.” I nodded, and he looked around at the rest of the guys. “Take your cues from him. He is going to have to decide on the fly if he’s taking the shot or passing it off. Keep on your toes and be ready for the ball at any time.” He put his hand in the middle. “Tigers on three.” We put our hands in and counted to three and called out “Tigers” as loud as we could.
When I turned around to the court for tip-off, I ceased being Danny Monroe, nervous and apprehensive teenager, and allowed my instincts to wash over me. As I stood at center court, a part of me realized that I never felt as alive as I did while playing basketball. It felt like the person I was most of the time, stumbling through my life not knowing what came next, was an act. A mask I wore to hide the person I was on the court. The guy from their team walked over to stand across from me, and I smiled. He looked up at me and swallowed hard. I was six three in sneakers, and he wasn’t.
“I want a clean
“Thanks,” I said, putting my hand over his and squeezing. He cocked his head for a moment and then smiled as he pulled his hand back and joked, “Fag!”
I nudged him back. “You were the one who was feeling me up, Tinker Bell!”
We laughed together as I stood to address the team. I had a feeling he was laughing more than I was.
“Okay, so I guess I should say something,” I said, getting everyone’s attention. Everyone’s eyes fell on me, and it struck me as funny that a week ago I would have internally shrunk away from this attention, and now here I was basking in it. “We’re good,” I said, not having any idea how to handle an inspirational speech. “I don’t say that because I’m on the team. I say that because it’s true. If we lose tonight, it’s going to be because my plan sucked and no other reason. You guys rock, and I hope we can go out there and show them….”
Tommy stood up, clapping. “Okay, Danny, thanks for that speech. Any more and I think we’re going to start crying.” The guys laughed as I felt myself blush slightly. He came up and put his arm around my shoulders. “We suck,” he said flatly. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t win. I know for a fact the other team sucks more, and we have something they don’t.” He grabbed my wrist and raised my arm over my head. “We have this freak!!” he called out, and the other guys cheered with him. “If we win tonight,” he said, looking at me, “it’s going to be because of you, buddy, so don’t kid yourself.”
Cody began to softly chant “Danny, Danny, Danny.” A few other guys picked up on it and joined in. By the fifth time, everyone was yelling my name, and I felt a rush of emotion as I heard Tommy chanting my name as well. Before I could say something, the coach walked in and called out, “Do you guys plan on forfeiting the damn game because you’re not on the court?” We all froze in place. “ Get out there! ” he screamed, and we all moved as one.
I felt someone slap me on the butt as we headed out. “Let’s kick some ass, Captain.”
The crowd exploded in cheers as we galloped onto the court.
I felt Cody pushing me from behind as I paused at the wall of sound that reverberated in front of me. “Keep moving, Jolly Green!” he screamed behind me. I saw my dad in the stands cheering with everyone else. He was on his feet, and I tried not to feel even more nervous that he was there watching. It was different than in Germany because this wasn’t just for fun, this was for a school.
We headed to our side of the court as the coach huddled us together. “Okay, we have this.” He looked at me. “I need you to go out there and ham it up.” I gave him a confused look, and he explained. “You’re the ringer, Danny. I need you to go out there and sell it.” I nodded, and he looked around at the rest of the guys. “Take your cues from him. He is going to have to decide on the fly if he’s taking the shot or passing it off. Keep on your toes and be ready for the ball at any time.” He put his hand in the middle. “Tigers on three.” We put our hands in and counted to three and called out “Tigers” as loud as we could.
When I turned around to the court for tip-off, I ceased being Danny Monroe, nervous and apprehensive teenager, and allowed my instincts to wash over me. As I stood at center court, a part of me realized that I never felt as alive as I did while playing basketball. It felt like the person I was most of the time, stumbling through my life not knowing what came next, was an act. A mask I wore to hide the person I was on the court. The guy from their team walked over to stand across from me, and I smiled. He looked up at me and swallowed hard. I was six three in sneakers, and he wasn’t.
“I want a clean
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