Game Face

by Sylvia Gunnery

  Jay let his attention drift as Steve and Finn helped with Brendan’s demonstration. Most of the stuff he’d said about the game strategy for tomorrow made sense. But every guy on the team knew that Colin was missing the second practice in a row and that meant they’d be playing against MacLeod without him — without their MVP.

  But the day wasn’t over. He had to be able to do something to fix this before the Rockets got on that bus and headed to MacLeod for their first basketball game of the season.

  After practice, Jay didn’t go to the locker room. “Ms. Himmelman? Could I talk to you for a minute?”

  “Of course. Let’s take a seat in Coach Willis’s office.”

  It didn’t take long for Jay to explain what was going on with Colin. Ms. Himmelman listened carefully, nodding a few times. Finally, she said, “You’re asking me not to suspend him.”

  “Yeah. I mean, he showed up for practice yesterday. He just didn’t stay. So in a way, you could say he just missed one whole practice.”

  Ms. Himmelman sighed. “I hear you.” She looked around as if there might be an answer to the dilemma hanging on the walls of the coach’s office. “Here’s what I think,” she said. “I think you’re a fine team captain, Jay. The best. And I’ll tell you why. You’re putting aside your personal problems with Colin and you’re putting your team first. You’re trying to do whatever it takes to make your team strong. I respect that.”

  “We need a chance at the regionals, Ms. Himmelman. I don’t think we can do that without Colin. He’s our MVP.”

  “MVP? Not right now, he isn’t. And I’m not convinced he’s got what it takes to turn himself around quickly enough, Jay. Unless you know something I don’t.”

  “He never used to be like this. He used to be a team player, but . . . I don’t know. It’s like now he always has to be the number-one guy.”

  “I’ve seen this happen to players. They start out working solidly with the team and then they begin to believe every play and every success is dependent on their talents. They don’t usually switch out of that me-first mode very easily, if at all.”

  “I at least have to try to turn things around. We need Colin on the team.”

  “So, what’s your plan?”

  “Give me a chance to talk to him before you do. If my plan works, maybe we can ignore the fact that he missed part of yesterday’s practice and avoid the suspension.”

  Ms. Himmelman let a few seconds tick by on the clock above Coach Willis’s desk. “Okay. You get back to me as soon as you’ve spoken to Colin. Let me know what happens.” She stood up. “But I’m only giving you until this evening, Jay. If I’m going to be suspending Colin, I’ll have to talk to Ed first because he’s still your coach. He’ll need to okay the decision. And then I’ll make that call to Colin.”

  “Thanks, Ms. Himmelman. I really appreciate this. I mean it.”

  ***

  Night had started to settle in — no moon or stars — when Jay left his house and headed for Colin’s. It was cold and damp, as if a soggy snowfall might be on the way. He pulled up the collar of his wool jacket and stuffed his hands into his pockets.

  Just as he was about to ring the doorbell, the door opened and Colin’s kid sister Shauna stepped quickly out.

  “Oh! You scared me!” She had skates over her shoulder and her cell phone against her ear. “No, not you,” she said into the phone. “Jay Hirtle did. He was standing right here when I walked out. Hold on a sec.” She held the phone close to Jay’s face. “Here, say hi to Diane. My new best friend.”

  “Uh . . . hi, Diane.”

  She put the phone to her ear again, but kept watching Jay. “Jay’s way cute. Take a look.” She took Jay’s picture and sent it to her friend. “See? Am I right? You’d like him. Oh, now he’s blushing. That’s so sweet.”

  Jay brushed his fingers through his hair and turned away.

  “Anyway, Colin’s up in his room,”Shauna said to Jay. “Video games, the usual. So one hundred per cent boring.”

  As Jay stepped into the front hall, he heard Shauna tell Diane she’d be at the rink in fifteen. What grade was Shauna in, anyway? Six, maybe. How uncool was that, blushing because of something someone’s kid sister said?

  He shut the door behind him. “Hello?” he called out. He took a few steps toward the living room.

  Colin’s mother was reading under the light of a tall lamp, with the cat, Smudge, on her lap. “Jay! How nice to see you! I thought I heard Shauna talking to someone.”

  “Uh . . . she said Colin’s in his room.”

  “Yes, go on up. You know the way. He’s probably waiting for you.”

  Fat chance, thought Jay. “Okay, thanks.”

  At the top of the stairs, he hesitated. Then he stepped toward Colin’s room and knocked on the door.

  No answer.

  Jay opened the door and walked in.

  “What’re you doing here?” asked Colin.

  “I got this idea,” said Jay quickly. “You should be team captain, not me. Coach said it was a close vote, anyway, and I figure you got way more votes than Mitchell.”

  “I’m suspended. How can I be captain?”

  Jay was caught off guard. Did Ms. Himmelman go back on her word and make the call already? “Suspended?”

  “Yeah. Think I don’t know the rules? I missed two practices. I’m suspended.”

  “Did Ms. Himmelman call you?”

  “Not yet, but she will. And who cares, anyway? It’s only one game.”

  Colin didn’t know how close Coach Willis was to cutting him from the team for good. “Look. You’re not suspended. At least there’s a chance you won’t be because, in a way, you didn’t miss a whole practice the other day. So Ms. Himmelman said she’d wait till I talked to you.”

  “She knows you’re here?”

  “Yes.”

  “And she knows you’re saying I should be team captain?”

  “No, I just said I had a plan and asked if I could talk to you about it.”

  “What about Coach Willis?”

  “I didn’t get a chance to say anything to him yet.”

  “He won’t go along with it.”

  Jay could feel things shifting just slightly. There was less anger in Colin’s words. Maybe he’ll go along with this plan after all. “I’ll say I don’t want the job anymore and that it should go to whoever was closest in votes.”

  Suddenly, Colin’s eyes darkened. “I don’t need anyone handing me the team captain job. What’s wrong? Why don’t you want it? Can’t handle the heat?”

  Jay ignored the dig. “Coach Willis is counting on . . .” But he could see in Colin’s eyes that none of that mattered. Not Coach Willis, not the Rockets, not the MacLeod game. He gave Colin a long, careful look, then left the room, closed the door, and slowly walked down the stairs.

  “Do you need something, Jay?” Colin’s mother came out of the living room, the open book in her hand. Smudge was close behind her.

  “Uh . . . no thanks. I was just leaving.”

  “But you only arrived a few minutes ago.”

  “I just had to ask Colin something.”

  “Oh, well . . .”

  There was an awkward silence. From the puzzled look on Colin’s mother’s face, Jay could see that she knew something was up but was trying not to interfere.

  Colin came downstairs and into the kitchen, obviously not expecting Jay to still be there. The quiet got even quieter.

  “Would you boys like some apple crisp? With ice cream?” asked Colin’s mother.

  “I’m full,” said Colin. “We just ate.”

  “I should go,” said Jay. “Thanks, though, Mrs. Hebb.”

  “I’m glad you came to visit. Even Smudge is glad to see you, aren’t you, Smudge?” She tickled
the cat’s ears.

  Jay bent down and patted the cat along its sleek back and out to the end of its long, grey tail. “How’s it goin’, Smudge?”

  “She was Shauna’s birthday gift six years ago last month. We got her from the animal rescue centre. All of us went together to pick her out. Remember, Colin?”

  “Jay doesn’t care about that stuff, Mom. He said he had to go.”

  “Everyone’s in such a rush these days,” sighed Colin’s mother.

  “I’m not really in a rush,” said Jay. Then he caught the look Colin shot at him. “But I told Sam I’d help him with his math project.”

  “Oh, well, then you should be on your way. Sam’s lucky to have a helpful big brother like you.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” asked Colin. “Like I’m not a helpful brother?”

  “I’m not saying that. What is wrong with you, Colin? I’m at my wits end. And don’t for one minute think I can’t see what’s happened to your friendship with Jay. He hasn’t visited you for months and now here he is making excuses to leave after barely ten minutes.”

  “Things change,” said Colin. “Anyway, you guys can talk about the cat or anything else you want. I don’t care. I have stuff to do.” He left the kitchen and went back up the stairs, closing his bedroom door firmly behind him.

  “Jay, I’m worried,” Colin’s mother said. “He really has changed. There’s a negativity he didn’t have before.”

  “I know.”

  “Has he fallen in with the wrong crowd?”

  “I don’t think so. I mean, he hangs out with Tyler, and Tyler’s okay.”

  “But he doesn’t bring Tyler here. Or anyone else. I was glad to see you today. I thought —”

  “I just had this idea for basketball I wanted to ask him about.”

  “I’m glad he’s got basketball. It’s very important to him. And being part of a team is just the experience he needs to bring him out of whatever this rut is he’s in.”

  “Yeah, well . . .”

  “His father and I have spoken to him about all this, but he doesn’t have much to say. I’m not sure he listens to us. Friends tell us to be patient, that a lot of teens go through this phase. But I’m not so sure. Look at you — you’re the same nice boy you’ve been since the day I met you. That’s at least four years ago, isn’t it?”

  Jay shrugged his shoulders. “Uh, three, I guess.” He was starting to feel really awkward, as if Colin might be at the top of the stairs listening.

  “Look at me, keeping you from helping your little brother. You come back anytime, Jay.”

  “Sure. Okay, then. Bye, Mrs. Hebb.”

  As he walked toward home, Jay felt sorry he had lied to Colin’s mother about helping Sam. He could’ve just said he had to go and leave it at that. No excuses. No lies. And it probably wasn’t fair not saying something about Colin being suspended. Because that would happen now.

  He had to go home and call Ms. Himmelman. From there, the ball would keep on rolling.

  Everything was getting way too complicated.

  8

  Game Face

  Jay felt as if he was holding his breath all day Thursday, waiting for the announcement to dismiss the basketball teams for their MacLeod games. The hands of the clock seemed frozen. Finally, the minute hand crawled from three-fourteen toward three-fifteen. Jay quietly stuffed his books into his backpack.

  Then he heard the unmistakable click of the PA system: “Sorry for this interruption. Would teachers please excuse all members of the girls’ and boys’ basketball teams at this time? Players are asked to meet Ms. Himmelman at the front entrance. Thank you.”

  Jay was just ahead of Kyung as they left the classroom.

  “Do not worry,” said Kyung, smiling. “We will have a victory today.”

  He forced a smile, but it didn’t match Kyung’s. Jay was nervous. And why not? They were facing MacLeod with one of their best players missing. The whole team was aware of Colin’s suspension and all the reasons behind it, not just the rule about missing two practices. Having their MVP banned from the first game of the season could be enough to throw the Rockets off their game.

  “I’ll meet you on the bus,” said Jay. “I just need to use the washroom.”

  He stepped into the boys’ room and suddenly stopped, even before the door had closed behind him. Sitting alone on the tiled floor beneath the transom window was Colin. Beside him was his duffle bag of basketball gear. The image of a homeless teenager he’d seen in Halifax the winter before flashed into Jay’s mind. The kid had been sitting on the sidewalk outside the Metro Centre when Sam and Jay and their dad came out after a Rainmen’s basketball game. Their dad had given the homeless kid twenty dollars. Colin had the same dejected look as that homeless kid. It was almost a look of despair.

  Colin reached for his basketball gear and quickly stood up. “I just —”

  Jay suddenly realized what was going on. Colin had left his last class when the players were dismissed, avoiding questions that would expose his suspension. But no way could he show up at the front entrance with his basketball gear and get on the bus with everyone else. He was hiding.

  “Look,” said Jay, “it’s okay. I get why you’re here. I won’t say anything to anyone. And I’m sorry about the suspension. I mean it.”

  A few shouts could be heard outside as players headed to the bus. Colin looked up at the open window, but said nothing.

  “I better get going.” Jay left the washroom as quickly as he’d entered, deciding he could wait until he got to the MacLeod locker room.

  Brendan was at the front entrance, carrying two sports bags crammed with blue and white game balls for the warm-up, water bottles, towels, and oranges for halftime. Slung across one shoulder was a square black bag and stuffed under his arm was his clipboard.

  “Got everything?” asked Jay.

  “Yeah, and I borrowed a school video camera so we can replay some of the game next practice.”

  “Great idea.” Jay hoped there’d be at least a few strong plays, though all he could think about was Colin. Just seeing him like that, sitting alone on the washroom floor. How different he looked from the friend Jay used to know.

  Ms. Himmelman stood beside the bus as everyone climbed on. “Are all your players here, guys?”

  “Yes,” said Brendan. “I checked them off.”

  Jay noticed he didn’t say, “Everyone except Colin.”

  “We have nine players,” said Kyung as he stepped onto the bus. “We will win with nine.”

  “Great attitude there, Kyung,” said Ms. Himmelman. “Keep it positive. That’s the only way to succeed. I tell my girls that all the time.” She did a last head count of everyone seated on the bus and turned to the driver. “Okay, Sue, we’re ready to go.”

  Someone at the back yelled, “Who’s gonna win?”

  “We are!” came the chorus from both teams.

  “Who’s gonna lose?”

  “MacLeod!”

  “Who’s gonna win?”

  “We are!”

  “Who’s gonna lose?”

  “MacLeod!”

  “Who rules?”

  “Rockets rule!”

  Everyone was cheering and punching the air with their fists as the bus turned out of the driveway and headed toward Dr. A.C. MacLeod School for the first basketball games of the season. Jay was sure Colin could hear their cheers through that open window. That would be pretty depressing.

  A few MacLeod fans were standing at the school entrance when the bus pulled up and the door clanged open. Some had their cheeks painted with green and gold stars, and all of them wore school sweatshirts.

  One of the guys stepped forward. “Welcome to MacLeod, home of the Soaring Eagles!”

  “Thank you very
much!” said Ms. Himmelman with a wide smile. “A welcoming committee. How cool is that!”

  “We can show you where the locker rooms are,” said a girl with green and gold streaked hair.

  “Well, we do know your school very well, having played here many times. But all the same, it would be nice to be escorted. Teams, let’s follow these nice people,” said Ms. Himmelman.

  Jay grabbed a duffle bag as Brendan shifted the camera from one shoulder to the other.

  “I will also help,” said Kyung.

  “That’s okay,” said Brendan. “I got everything now. Thanks.”

  “I will carry the camera.”

  “Okay, sure.”

  They walked into the school, past more MacLeod fans painted with gold and green stars. Finally, the Rockets arrived at the locker rooms.

  “You boys’ll be playing the first game. Let me know if you need anything,” said Ms. Himmelman. “I’ll knock on the door when it’s time.”

  “Okay, thanks,” said Brendan.

  “I’m assuming your team has a warm-up worked out, Jay. Make an impression on those MacLeod fans.”

  “Uh . . . yeah, right,” mumbled Jay.

  “Good stuff.” She went into the girls locker room, leaving Jay standing in the hall by himself.

  Coach Willis always had warm-up drills before every game, but Jay had forgotten about that. He’d need to do a last-minute reminder, especially for the new guys. The bit of confidence he had was starting to shrink, and a sharp pain of anxiety sliced through his gut. His very first game as team captain was doomed.

  He stared at the door of the locker room. There were eight players in there and they were counting on him to keep things together. Right now, what was important was concentrating on the team. All that mattered was a basketball court, a scoreboard, and two teams ready to play the first game of the basketball season. He was still the team captain. He had to do the best job he could.

  He stepped toward the boys’ locker room and pushed the door open.

  Jay cleared his throat and glued a serious expression on his face. “Before you guys finish getting changed, let’s just run through a few ideas for our warm-up. First, we do one lap around the gym and then make a circle in the centre. Tyler, you lead. Brendan, give me a game ball. Okay, thanks. When we’re in the circle, I’ll start with a dozen quick chest passes around the circle. And we’ll make it noisy. I’ll call out names. As each of you catches the ball, yell out numbers one to twelve. Then we’ll break the circle and run in a line to the key for layups. Kyung, you lead the break and make the first layup. Next guy goes up for the rebound and passes the ball out. If anyone drops a ball, let it go. Brendan’ll throw you another one and he’ll get the ball that rolled. After that, we’ll do some shots from the top of the key. Okay, let’s get ready for the game.”