Bucky Stone: The Complete Adventure (Volumes 1-10)

by David B. Smith

  “Yeah.” Dan gulped down a big bite of pizza too soon and had to grab a swig of soda. Even Bill managed a grin. “We really need you bad, man.” He wiped off his hand and offered a handshake. “Friends?”

  Bill looked from one to the other, “Just like that? That’s it? Even with how I screwed up?”

  “That’s it,” Bucky asserted. “On to victory we go, dude. Season starts today, this minute.”

  The little guard scratched his head, his hair still wet from the shower. “I don’t get it,” he muttered. “I just about dumped the whole year for the team. And you guys aren’t mad?”

  “What would be the point?” Bucky asked. “And anyway, you’re still our teammate. Forgiveness mean . . . you know, wipe it away and start over.”

  “For sure.” Dan nodded his agreement.

  A long silence. Bill stared down at the remaining pieces of pizza as though trying to drill a hole through them. Finally he looked up and accepted the handshake. “Man, you guys are something else.”

  The three December games before Christmas break were all it took to show the whole division that the Panthers were back at full championship strength. Two of the three were road games, but the Hampton Beach squad was so jelled as a unit that opponents simply couldn’t stop them. Bucky and Bill, especially, had developed an amazing passing chemistry between them that opposing players weren’t able to shut down. Time after time Bucky’s no - look passes “threaded the needle” through a wall of defensive players and found the little guard for easy baskets. And Jonesy was heading for all - star honors as one of the top centers in the state.

  “Unbelievable!” Coach Brayshaw muttered to himself as he watched his little guard giving Bucky Stone a high five of thanks after another great pass. The Panther five was quickly back on defense, however, and turned another opponent miss into two quick points.

  “Eight and three ain’t a bad mark, gentlemen,” the coach grinned as the perspiring squad trooped into the visitors’ locker room after the last win prior to Christmas break. “If we’d had Volker in for the whole year, I’m telling you, we’d be a smooth eleven and oh.”

  He turned to where Brandon and Chili sat. Both guards had played well alongside the new top guard, and accepted their reduced roles graciously. “And I love the way the two of you are still spark - plugging this engine,” he added. “Your unselfish play is a big advantage we’ve got over these bozos.” He pointed in the general direction of the home team’s locker room.

  “We’re ready for Hawaii, Coach.” Dan pulled a garish island shirt out of his locker and displayed it for the team to see. “Check out this beauty.”

  “That’s terrible, man!” Jonesy pretended to shield his eyes. “Truly the worst.”

  Despite the glow of being a part of a hot team again, Bucky spent most of the Christmas vacation in subdued reclusion. Dan was busy at the service station and trying to catch up on late school assignments, and the Minh family had gone down to Los Angeles to visit relatives. Several days he spent indoors just looking at the rain and watching Disney DVDs with Rachel Marie. Mr. Willis had scheduled him for light sixteen - hour weeks during vacation, and Bucky was grateful for the diversion his shifts at the bank provided.

  Twice during the holidays he almost called up Lisa again, but decided not to. Christmas Eve, always a memorable evening over at Christ Our Redeemer, gave him a special sense of loneliness. He sat with Mom and his little sister, remembering the Christmas three years before when things had been just starting up between him and Lisa. The memory of it almost hurt with a physical pain.

  He and Dan talked about it as the team boarded the plane for Hawaii the day after New Year’s. It was a full 767, wall - to - wall passengers, but they still found time to talk privately before the in-flight movie began.

  “Boy, I’m telling you, I almost just broke down enough to call up Tracy again last week,” the younger boy confessed. “This has been one stinker of a year as far as that stuff goes.” He took a deep breath. “I don’t know why, but having Lisa back at school, but not . . . you know, I can’t get to her.”

  “Yeah.” Dan shifted in the cramped seat. “That’s a bummer.”

  “And I know I’ve always sworn to myself, ‘No more going out with someone who isn’t a Christian.’ Which rules out someone like Tracy, of course. Even though she’s an absolutely great girl.” He paused. “I guess that rule actually means I shouldn’t even have been trying to get back with Lisa either.”

  “Oh, you don’t know that,” Dan protested. “Man, she went to church with you all the time before. And you told me how she wanted to be baptized when Sam was.”

  “That’s all different now.” For a moment Bucky stared dully at the sports video on the airplane movie monitors. “Boy, is it ever different.”

  “Do you even see much of Tracy?” Dan grinned, thinking about the vivacious four - foot - ten redhead who had been dubbed “The Brains of Hampton” in the previous year’s video yearbook.

  “Yeah, some.” The younger boy shrugged. “I don’t have any classes with her, but every now and then she comes up to me in the hallway and says, ‘Still available, Mr. Stone. Just think what smarty little children we’d have.’ Stuff like that.” He couldn’t help but laugh. “I swear, for two cents I’d back down and start going out with her.”

  “Just drag her over to the church and baptize that little babe,” Dan advised. “I mean, you’re big enough to overpower her. Just throw her in the tank and say amen.”

  Honolulu was a balmy seventy-seven degrees as the Panthers walked off the plane and collected their luggage. “Man, this is too much!” After the cold rains in northern California the past two weeks, Bill Volker couldn’t stop marveling about the island weather.

  “Yeah, just imagine what people in Michigan think about it,” Jonesy put in. “I sat right by a couple who said they had to drive their car out of three feet of snow to get to the airport this morning.”

  A big bus with a tournament banner pasted on the side picked up Coach Brayshaw and the varsity squad and drove them through downtown Honolulu. “There it is, my friends,” the driver announced through the bus PA. “Our famous Waikiki Beach. Surfing is great 365 days a year.”

  “First we win a few games,” Bucky called out. Out on the beach, hundreds of visitors sprawled on the sand, with just a few surfers out on their boards, paddling aimlessly toward the next wave.

  “That’s right,” Brayshaw nodded. “First game’s tomorrow morning at 11:00, so we don’t waste any time. One hard practice still this evening, and again tomorrow at 8:30 before the game.”

  The brakes on the new bus made a scraping sound as the driver pulled into the parking lot of a huge high - rise hotel. Dan poked his head out the open window and gaped at the towering structure. “Man, this place is Slick City,” he said to Bucky. “And I’m going to talk us up into the Godfather Suite. You wait and see.” He pointed toward the huge front doorway with its uniformed attendants. “We’ll send those guys out to get pineapple shakes for us.”

  “You guys just sit tight,” Coach Brayshaw announced. “Our contact person is supposed to meet me right in the lobby. I want to make sure they’re ready for us before we all go trooping in.”

  While the athletic director was gone, Bucky turned around in his seat. “Volker, are we going to try that right - side fake play you showed us? In the first game – or should we save it?”

  Bill scrunched up his face. The little guard had undergone a complete change of attitude since the suspension and the visit at the restaurant. “I don’t know. Maybe hold off for one of the later games. I mean, if we’re down by one with ten seconds to go and for sure have to score, then we’d use it. I think it’s a sure basket.”

  The three players discussed a couple of other options, but abruptly cut off their conversation as Coach Brayshaw climbed back on the bus. He wore an irritated expression on his face, and Bucky thought that he looked a little bit flushed, as if he’d just been in an argument.


  “They messed up,” he said, grimacing. “Not the sponsors, the hotel people. Some convention here had a bunch of people stay over, and so they’re booking all of us in some other place. For probably the first two days.” He showed the bus driver a slip of paper.

  “Oh man.” The Hawaiian man shook his head. “That place isn’t so good.”

  “Crud!” Bill popped his fist on the back of the seat. “We’re probably stuck in some dive.”

  “Oh, who cares?” Bucky tried to shrug it off. “We’re here to play basketball. What’s a motel room except for a bed and a TV and a decent shower?”

  It was starting to get dark as the bus pulled up at a smallish - looking older building that was just six stories high. The neon sign out front had been switched on, and two of the letters were missing in the word “Vacancy.”

  “‘A bed, a TV, and a decent shower.’” Dan gave his teammate a dour punch in the arm. “Hold that thought, Stone. We may be settling for the best two out of three.”

  It took more than twenty minutes for the Panthers to check in. The little hotel was obviously a mom - and - pop operation, and the foreign - sounding couple asked the impatient athletes to repeat their names over and over.

  “And you are paying how? VISA? American Express?” The woman peered into Bucky’s face.

  “I’m not paying!” Bucky pointed toward the coach. “I told you, we’re all part of the same team.”

  “Yes, of course. You are correct.” She nodded. “Cash, then? OK?”

  It went like that for several more minutes before Bucky and Dan finally boarded the tiny elevator and rode up to the fifth floor. The threadbare carpeting reeked of cigarette smoke, and the tobacco odor was even stronger in the faded hotel room.

  “Yummy.” Dan tossed his suitcase onto the nearest double bed and flipped on the TV set. “Always living the high life, Stone.” He fiddled with the knob. “Are you kidding! This baby’s black - and - white.” A snowy picture appeared, and he flipped unhappily through the selection. “One, two, three. Wonderful. We get all of three channels. No, wait. Four. Except two of them are the same one.”

  “Don’t worry about it,” Bucky told him. “It’s just for two days. Then they’ll move us back to that other place.”

  “Yeah.” Dan tried to pull on the drawstring that would open the curtains, but several of the hook sliders were missing. Finally he gave a tug and jerked the fabric over. An expanse of parking lot and garbage dumpsters came into view.

  A loud wail suddenly penetrated through from the room next door. “What’s that?” Bucky pressed his head against the thin wall. “Sounds like someone just got a good spanking.”

  Dan forced a laugh. “Probably Brayshaw crying about the TV reception in his room.” There was a sudden pounding of feet in the hallway and a heavy thud right outside their door.

  “What’s going on here?” Climbing to his feet, Bucky poked his head out into the hallway. Several small children raced down to the end of the hallway and back again. They passed Bucky and began to pound on the door of the next room.

  “What, a bunch of kids?” Dan demanded.

  “Yeah. ‘Bout five of them. And they’re all staying right next to us.”

  The older boy scowled. “I know I’ve got to be a good Christian example and all that, Stone, but this place stinks. And I mean, it stinks big - time.”

  “I know.” Bucky unzipped his suitcase and began to suit up for practice. “If we win our first couple of games, all the more reason for them to move us back to something decent.”

  Chapter Six: A Surprise on the Beach

  Practice that evening was a hard - hitting event at a gorgeous university gymnasium with all the first - class amenities. Coach Brayshaw drove his team hard from one end of the court to the other, and then put them through a grueling half - hour set of defensive exercises.

  “We’re quick enough that just about every time we get a stop, we can grab some fast - break points,” Coach pointed out, his voice already rising in excitement over the anticipated tournament. “I want to show these other teams some vicious intensity on defense – I mean, relentless, swarming defense. And then quickness! Quickness! Quickness!” He gestured with a curled - up fist on each word. “Let’s win big, and let’s win hard from the very first game. That way the news will get out and other teams will be a little bit scared every time they even hear the word Panthers.”

  A full moon crept up over the distant island mountains as the squad exited from the shower area and climbed back on the bus. One of the substitute forwards muttered a quiet string of profanities as the dilapidated hotel came into view. “Come on, it ain’t that bad.” Bucky tried to smooth over the incident.

  “Are you kidding? It’s a joke.” The tall player drummed his fingers angrily on the back of the seat. “My room didn’t even have towels in it. I mean, zero.”

  “So dry yourself off with your bedspread.” Dan couldn’t help but laugh despite his own reservations. He turned to Bucky. “So what are we up to now? Frankly, I’m zonked.” He glanced down at his watch. “It’s only 8:15 here, but I guess that means it’s after 10:00 back home.”

  “I don’t know,” Bucky responded. “I’m not sleepy yet. Why don’t we hike back over to where the beach is? The moon ought to be great out over the water.”

  Dan climbed to his feet and picked up his bag. “I don’t know. I don’t feel like walking.” He looked out the window. “Jet lag, I guess. I think I’ll just go up and watch some lovely big - screen television in our suite.”

  Bucky laughed. “Right. You sure you don’t want to see the beach just for a little bit? I’m not going to go for very long.”

  “Naaah.”

  The January breeze was cool, but with a soft tropical humidity that felt pleasant to the skin. Except for the hotel, Hawaii really was a terrific place, he mused. He walked down to the beach, and then ambled slowly along the busy pedestrian roadway that curved around Waikiki. Hundreds of tourists, all clad in colorful shirts and shorts and sandals, milled about.

  After about half a mile he turned back and began the slow return. The moon was completely full and shimmered over the gentle waves as they splashed up on the shore. Leaving the road, he walked down to the edge of the water and allowed the ripples to tumble over his bare feet.

  A slight rumble passed overhead as yet another wide - body jet dipped its wings in descent before touching down at the Honolulu airport. Was it another planeload coming in from San Francisco? Bucky found his thoughts turning to Lisa again and the more than two thousand miles of surging ocean separating them. Somehow the sparkle of moonlight had reminded him of the romantic moments they had often shared. Full moons had always been special for Lisa.

  All at once a foreign thought hit him. Call her. Right now.

  He glanced down at his watch. Eight forty - five. That meant 10:45 back home. Way too late to call a girl who’d already told him it was over between them.

  Bucky walked another hundred yards, kicking slowly at the tropical water. But he couldn’t force the thought away. Somehow the idea of placing a call to Lisa from a romantic island was too strong to dismiss.

  She already hates you enough, he scolded himself. Bui he couldn’t decide if that meant he shouldn’t call . . . or if he really had nothing else to lose.

  At last, with a sigh, he walked back up to the main road and slipped on his sandals again. He was going to do it, he realized. No sense vacillating back and forth about it while the time got even later. He scanned the top of his cell phone, feeling a momentary flicker of relief that he didn’t seem to have any bars. But a moment later the screen twinkled over to its ready mode. Gulping back his nervousness, he carefully dialed the Hampton Beach number that was still indelibly printed in his mind. A moment later he heard the phone ringing.

  Hang up, stupid. Quick! Feeling his stomach flutter again, he resolutely held on to the phone.

  “Hello?” It was Lisa.

  “Hey. It’s me. Your old friend, Bucky Stone
.”

  A long moment of silence. “Bucky. Hi . . . I mean, what are . . . why are you calling?”

  She didn’t sound sleepy, even though it was almost 11:00 p.m. in California. After all, it was January two, still Christmas vacation. Lisa usually stayed up late during the holidays, he remembered. Still, there was something strange, almost thick, about her voice.

  “I just felt like calling you,” he said slowly. “I’m over here in Hawaii with the Panthers and it’s so pretty out and everything.”

  “Oh.” He couldn’t hear her very well. The connection sounded faint.

  “Anyway, I just . . . felt like saying hi to you.” He took a deep breath. “You know, full moon on the beach and all that kind of stuff.” Bucky could feel himself flushing. “I know that sounds dumb. Sorry.”

  Another long silence. Behind him a group of teenagers came out of the restaurant still eating their ice - cream desserts. When she didn’t respond, he added, “I kept thinking about you during vacation. Did you and your mom have a good Christmas?”

  “No, not very good,” she finally said.

  Something was definitely wrong, he could tell. Her voice almost had a tremble in it. Lord, what’s the matter? All at once his emotions seemed to burst inside of him. The mixed - up thoughts about Lisa he’d been carrying around for the past two months suddenly tumbled out. “Look,” he said, gripping the phone so tightly he thought it might snap. “I guess I’m some . . . two thousand miles away from you. And I know that you say things are different. With Steve and everything. Fine. I understand.” As he took another deep breath he felt his stomach quiver. “And you say that you’re different and that I should forget all about you and go on to someone else.”

  He swallowed hard. “But I can’t! I can’t forget, and that’s all there is to it.” Now his own voice almost began to shake a little bit, and he breathed a quick prayer. “Listen, I’m just going to tell you this, and then that’ll be it. I love you.”

  The last three words sounded strange to him, but he’d never meant anything so much before in his life. “I want you to know that. I love you.”