Read Online Jimmy Bluefeather: A Novel by Kim Heacox - Free Book Online
Authors: Kim Heacox
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as a kid in Jinkaat he had good friends too. The best friends. He didn’t know Mercury from Venus back then, or Leo from Virgo, or a bagel from a burrito, but he knew who he was, and where he belonged.
WAFFLES LANDED ON plates and disappeared as if slam-dunked. Coach Nicks called for a full court press. The table became a free-for-all. Gracie and Little Mac kept it coming like short-order cooks. Daisy and Carmen pitched in. Keb watched one of the basketball boys connect a gadgetgizmo to speakers above the stove. Music soon thundered through the kitchen and everybody sang along in words Keb couldn’t follow. But the beat thrilled him. When Gracie went to the pantry to get canola oil, Little Mac flipped a waffle Frisbee-style at James. He caught it one-handed to the gleeful hoots of his teammates. Everybody laughed and cheered. It was the first time Keb had seen James smile in weeks. Gracie returned. “What happened?”
“You have to stick around if you want to see the action, Gracie.” Coach Nicks said something about major league baseball and the “crazy big salaries.”
One of James’s teammates responded, “The Rockies paid a hundred million dollars for that pitcher dude from Japan.”
Keb tried to imagine what he could buy with a hundred million dollars.
“If money is so important,” Truman asked, “why do some of the best basketball players come from the poorest inner cities?”
“It takes heart first,” said Stuart. “You have to have great heart.”
“And natural talent,” somebody said, Old Keb didn’t catch who; the conversation was too fast among a dozen people who sat at the table eating and talking like a pack of wolves, making a big mess. Ruby would have freaked out.
“You’re either born with talent or you’re not,” somebody else said.
“It’s all in the planets and the stars,” Carmen announced. “I know you don’t believe me, but it’s true.”
The boys chuckled. One said sarcastically, “You mean when the planet Pluto is aligned with the planet Mars?”
“Pluto’s not a planet anymore.”
“It’s not?”
“Who’s got the maple syrup?”
“It’s a funny thing, how talent improves the more you practice.”
Underwear, Keb thought. Bessie would want me to have new underwear, and new socks. If I had a hundred million dollars that’s what I’d buy.
“In team sports it’s not the best player who wins,” said Coach Nicks. “It’s the best team, the team that thinks and moves as one, and puts the
we
before the
me
. The guy with supreme talent has to surrender his self-interest for the greater good.”
“
Sacred Hoops
and The Zen of Basketball,” Truman replied.
“That’s right.”
“When did Pluto stop being a planet?” Keb asked. Nobody heard him.
“You’re talking about Phil Jackson,” Kid Hugh said.
“Who’s Phil Jackson?” Daisy asked.
“The winningest coach in the NBA. He led the Bulls and the Lakers to three consecutive championships each.”
“Jack Nicholson’s a Lakers fan.”
“Who’s Jack Nicholson?”
“A movie star.”
“Is Neptune still a planet?” Keb asked, louder this time.
“Phil Jackson had incredible talent to work with: Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal.”
“But none of those guys were on a champion team until Jackson came along.”
“Is there any more butter?”
“Wasn’t Jack Nicholson in
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
?”
“There’s more butter in the fridge.”
“Phil Jackson used to play with Bill Bradley.”
“He’s taller than he looks.”
“Phil Jackson?”
“No, Jack Nicholson.”
“Phil Jackson is six eight, at least.”
“Jack Nicholson was awesome in
A Few Good Men
.”
“The whole sports and money thing is out of control,” Truman said. “In the last thirty years the salaries for major university professors have increased by30 percent while the salaries for head football coaches at the big universities have increased 750 percent.”
Old Keb scratched
WAFFLES LANDED ON plates and disappeared as if slam-dunked. Coach Nicks called for a full court press. The table became a free-for-all. Gracie and Little Mac kept it coming like short-order cooks. Daisy and Carmen pitched in. Keb watched one of the basketball boys connect a gadgetgizmo to speakers above the stove. Music soon thundered through the kitchen and everybody sang along in words Keb couldn’t follow. But the beat thrilled him. When Gracie went to the pantry to get canola oil, Little Mac flipped a waffle Frisbee-style at James. He caught it one-handed to the gleeful hoots of his teammates. Everybody laughed and cheered. It was the first time Keb had seen James smile in weeks. Gracie returned. “What happened?”
“You have to stick around if you want to see the action, Gracie.” Coach Nicks said something about major league baseball and the “crazy big salaries.”
One of James’s teammates responded, “The Rockies paid a hundred million dollars for that pitcher dude from Japan.”
Keb tried to imagine what he could buy with a hundred million dollars.
“If money is so important,” Truman asked, “why do some of the best basketball players come from the poorest inner cities?”
“It takes heart first,” said Stuart. “You have to have great heart.”
“And natural talent,” somebody said, Old Keb didn’t catch who; the conversation was too fast among a dozen people who sat at the table eating and talking like a pack of wolves, making a big mess. Ruby would have freaked out.
“You’re either born with talent or you’re not,” somebody else said.
“It’s all in the planets and the stars,” Carmen announced. “I know you don’t believe me, but it’s true.”
The boys chuckled. One said sarcastically, “You mean when the planet Pluto is aligned with the planet Mars?”
“Pluto’s not a planet anymore.”
“It’s not?”
“Who’s got the maple syrup?”
“It’s a funny thing, how talent improves the more you practice.”
Underwear, Keb thought. Bessie would want me to have new underwear, and new socks. If I had a hundred million dollars that’s what I’d buy.
“In team sports it’s not the best player who wins,” said Coach Nicks. “It’s the best team, the team that thinks and moves as one, and puts the
we
before the
me
. The guy with supreme talent has to surrender his self-interest for the greater good.”
“
Sacred Hoops
and The Zen of Basketball,” Truman replied.
“That’s right.”
“When did Pluto stop being a planet?” Keb asked. Nobody heard him.
“You’re talking about Phil Jackson,” Kid Hugh said.
“Who’s Phil Jackson?” Daisy asked.
“The winningest coach in the NBA. He led the Bulls and the Lakers to three consecutive championships each.”
“Jack Nicholson’s a Lakers fan.”
“Who’s Jack Nicholson?”
“A movie star.”
“Is Neptune still a planet?” Keb asked, louder this time.
“Phil Jackson had incredible talent to work with: Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal.”
“But none of those guys were on a champion team until Jackson came along.”
“Is there any more butter?”
“Wasn’t Jack Nicholson in
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
?”
“There’s more butter in the fridge.”
“Phil Jackson used to play with Bill Bradley.”
“He’s taller than he looks.”
“Phil Jackson?”
“No, Jack Nicholson.”
“Phil Jackson is six eight, at least.”
“Jack Nicholson was awesome in
A Few Good Men
.”
“The whole sports and money thing is out of control,” Truman said. “In the last thirty years the salaries for major university professors have increased by30 percent while the salaries for head football coaches at the big universities have increased 750 percent.”
Old Keb scratched
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