by Ken Abraham
“Are you kidding?”
“Surely we can keep up with a couple of kids.”
“Okay.” Bill called to the kids on the court, “Hey, do you guys mind if we play too?”
The boys stared skeptically at the two sixty-something men wearing street clothes. They exchanged doubtful looks. Finally one of the boys called, “Sure, you can play—if you can shoot.”
“Oh, we can shoot, all right,” Eddie called. He and Bill hobbled over to the court.
“I’ll take the big guy,” one of the black boys said.
“Aw, come on, you always give me the short guys,” a white boy said.
Bill interrupted them. “But sometimes those short guys can really shoot.” He looked over at Eddie and winked.
Eddie and Bill joined in the boys’ game and were holding their own with them for a while, until Bill went up for a jump shot from above the foul line. Eddie leaped up to block Bill’s shot, and both men tumbled to the asphalt. Eddie bounced back up, but Bill was slow in moving.
“Oh, you got me that time,” Bill said. “Ow, my achin’ back.”
Eddie stood over him and reached out his hand. “Come on, you’re not hurt.”
“Are you kiddin’?” Bill protested. “I can hardly move! Let’s go get somethin’ to eat.”
“Sounds good. Let’s go over to the Dari Delite and grab a burger.” He smiled. “I hear they’re lettin’ black folks in there these days.”
“Naw, man,” Bill said, as he let Eddie help him up. “Let’s go to the Drive-In and get some good fried chicken. If we can get in, that is. Since you white folks discovered what good fried chicken tastes like, we African Americans can’t hardly get in over at the Oakes Drive-In. Hmph. Integration, they call it.”
Bill threw his arm around Eddie’s shoulder, and they waved good-bye to the kids as they walked away.
A black boy and white boy stood together, watching the two friends walking into the sunset. “Old people,” they both said, shaking their heads.
“Who can figure them out?” the white boy asked.
The black boy raised his eyebrows, glanced heavenward, and said, “God only knows.”
Ken Abraham is known around the world for his collaborations with popular celebrities and fascinating, high-profile public figures. Many of Ken’s books have attained New York Times bestseller status, with three books reaching the number one spot on that prestigious list.
Ken’s collaborations have been featured on 20/20, Dateline, Larry King Live, Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, The Today Show, the Fox Television Network, and the Family Channel.
Sign up for announcements about upcoming titles.
Twitter: RevellBooks Facebook: Revell