Read Online Hoop Crazy by Eric Walters - Free Book Online Page B

said it made her too nervous to watch. She did, however, want us to call her after every game and tell her the score.
    â€œThere are just so many cars everywhere,” Debbie said. “I just can’t get over it.”
    â€œIf you want to see traffic, you should try to drive downtown during rush hour on a weekday instead of on a Saturday morning,” my father continued.
    â€œI just can’t imagine what that would be like,” she said.
    â€œScary,” Ned said. “It would be scary.”
    â€œNed, you don’t have your glasses,” his mother said from the front seat.
    â€œI lost ‘em.”
    â€œYou lost another pair!” she exclaimed.
    â€œNo, no, he didn’t lose them,” I said. “He means he’s not using them. Right, Ned?”
    â€œNo, actually I did lose them. I couldn’t find them when I got up this morning.”
    â€œYou had them last night,” I said. Ned had worn them when we went down to shoot hoops. “I think you left them on that little plastic table on our porch.”
    â€œAre you all feeling good this morning?” my father asked.
    â€œGreat!” Kia said.
    â€œPretty good,” Ned added.
    â€œOkay,” Mark said.
    He wasn’t going to be able to play, but he was coming to cheer us on. Mark was like that. He didn’t need the crutches any more but he was still limping.
    â€œAnd you, Nick?
    â€œI just wish we had a little more time to practice our plays.”
    â€œIt seems like there never is enough time. Did you do the best that you could?” my father asked.
    â€œWe did,” I said, and we had.
    Nobody could have practiced more than we hadover the past few days. That was the problem. We’d been preparing for days. Other people had spent weeks or months. And of course all our practice had been on our own. We didn’t have anybody to play against, so we only hoped that what we’d planned would work.
    â€œI think we’re going to win,” Ned said.
    â€œThat’s the attitude!” Debbie chirped. “Think positive!”
    I was
positive
that we weren’t going to win. Maybe Ned needed to be prepared for that … or maybe I could just keep my mouth shut and let him believe for a little bit longer.
    â€œA positive attitude is good,” my father said, “but that has to be combined with a realistic attitude.”
    Thank you, I thought, but didn’t say anything.
    â€œThe best teams from across the whole city are going to be here today,” my father continued.
    â€œWe’re not worried,” Kia said.
    â€œI don’t want you to worry. I just don’t want you to be disappointed,” my father added.
    I didn’t think that would be a problem. When you don’t expect to win any games, there isn’t much that can disappoint you.
    Our van slowed down and joined a line of cars waiting to go into the exhibition grounds.
    â€œThis is something I can’t get used to,” Debbie said. “Waiting in line and being crowded in.”
    â€œThis isn’t too bad,” my father said.
    â€œNot bad for here maybe. Up where we come from if you pass more than two cars every hour it’s rush hour.”
    My father paid nine dollars to a parking attendant and eased the car into a spot in the lot. It was still only eight-thirty, a full hour before our first game, but already the lot was half filled.
    â€œWhat do we do now?” I asked.
    â€œWe go and register,” my father said.
    â€œI thought we’d already done that.”
    â€œWe sent in the registration forms. Now we have to let them know your team is here and they check your identification.”
    â€œTo see that we’re the right age … right?”
    â€œExactly.”
    My father turned to Debbie. “You did bring his birth certificate, right?”
    â€œI have it right here,” she said. “I’m used to having to show it to people.