Whippersnapper

by Felice Arena

  ‘Oh, George, this is wonderful!’

  We swim back and forth in the wave pool as happy as the little kids around us. For the next twenty minutes I feel totally free and weightless and … not old.

  ‘I’m sorry about last night, Doris,’ I say, when the waves stop. ‘I promise I want the old George to return as much as you do.’

  I lean forward and pucker up. Yeah, yeah, I know – what the hell am I doing, right? But, hey, sometimes you’ve got to take a hit for the team. It’s the right thing to do – not for me, but for Doris. George owes me big-time. I close my eyes, think of Annie, and gently kiss Doris on the lips.

  CHAPTER

  26

  So this is it. The moment has arrived. It’s Tuesday night and I’m in Yardbridge’s premier basketball stadium, Milston Arena, with several hundred screaming fans from my school and Winston High. Everyone’s wearing team colours: black and orange for us and purple and white for the Hornets. The brass bands and the cheerleaders are filling the arena with sound – the Under-15s championship final is off to an electric start. The killer cheerleading routines hype the packed house up to a fever pitch – and, well, I’m so excited I’m practically wetting myself.

  ‘Pass it around!’ I call to my team as they move from shooting to warm-up passing drills.

  I can’t remember ever having felt this excited. In the crowd directly behind me I spot Henry, Bernie, Principal Franklin and Caroline. They all give me a thumbs-up. I wave back.

  Just to the right of them I see Doris, Gayle, Kevin and Hannah.

  ‘Go, Dad! Go, CJ!’ Gayle yells, trying her best to support us both.

  ‘Go, Hornets!’ Kevin claps and turns to sneer at me. ‘Go, CJ! Hornets all the way!’

  I look back at the Hornets as they run through some lay-ups at the other end of the floor. Corey has his look-at-me-I’m-so-awesome swagger going on. I think about what Doris told me. Is it possible that George actually likes his grandson? For a weird moment, I think Corey is gesturing to me with a nod, but I soon realise he’s looking past me into the bleachers. I follow his gaze and see that Lilly and a few of her friends have just sat down.

  ‘Go, Hornets! Crush these puny Panthers!’ she screams.

  I shake my head. What was I thinking?

  Then I hear a familiar voice yell, ‘Go, Panthers!’ It’s Annie – she’s just taken her seat right behind our bench.

  ‘Hey!’ I call, stepping back towards her.

  She looks happy, seriously happy. She’s smiling.

  ‘That’s the best seat in the house.’ I grin. ‘I know Gus would be happy that you’re here. Did you go and visit him today?’

  ‘Haven’t you heard?’ says Annie, still smiling. ‘He came out of his coma yesterday and they let him out of hospital this morning. He’s home resting.’

  Now I can’t think straight – I’m jittery. I’m nervous. I’m excited.

  'That’s friggin’ amazing!’ I say. ‘That’s the best news ever! Why didn’t anyone tell me?’

  I turn and call Bobby and Charlie. They jog over to me.

  ‘Did you know that Gus has come out of his coma and is out of hospital?’

  They nod.

  ‘Mrs Delfino doesn’t want you to know,’ says Bobby. ‘And I don’t have to tell you anything. You’re lucky I’m here at all. I gotta warm up.’ Bobby runs off to join the others.

  I turn to Charlie. ‘Have you seen him?’

  ‘Yeah, after school today,’ he says.

  ‘What’s he like? I mean, does he seem like the old Gus?’

  ‘He was asleep when we got there. His parents said we should visit tomorrow.’

  ‘So he’s not coming here tonight?’ I ask.

  ‘No. His mum said it would be too overwhelming for him.’ Charlie heads back on court.

  The referee announces two minutes to go before the start of the game. I’m breathing quickly, my heart thumping loudly in my chest. I look at Caroline. She mouths, ‘Good luck!’

  It’ll be okay, I tell myself. I’ve just gotta stick to our plan. I call in my team and they huddle around me. I might not be playing, but I’ve still got a job to do.

  ‘Right – I’ll keep this short. Remember, don’t be intimidated. You’re here because you deserve it. Hard work got you here and that’s what will help you win tonight. You know the Hornets will do anything to rattle you right from the get-go …’

  We all look over at the Winston High boys, huddled at the far end of the court. It’s easy to see why their team has won the championship two years in a row. They’re definitely a team of stars. There’s Kyle Rathbone, a massive giant who has the awesome ability to get at the rim and get his teammates involved. And then there’s Darius Brady – he runs the floor and grabs rebounds on the offensive and defensive glass. This guy never stops. He makes the spectacular look routine. Not to mention Joe Eton, who delivers laser-precise passes. And then there’s Corey. Much as I hate to say it, he can shoot his lights out, from outside or inside. And if he can get away with it, he’s not afraid to get in your face and use his bulk to throw you off your game.

  Yep. My team is definitely going up against Goliath. But I tell them it’s up to us to bring this beast crashing down to its knees.

  ‘GO, PANTHERS!’ we yell.

  The referee blows his whistle. The stadium erupts into deafening cheers, players move into position, and the battle begins.

  Fast. Fast. Fast. I’ve never seen such intensity and speed on the court. From both teams! Only four minutes into the game and there’s already 20 points on the board: Pennsbury High Panthers – 10, Winston High Hornets – 10.

  Darius Brady of the Hornets is killing so far. And for us, Will and Bobby are working superbly together with their back-pass fakes and assists.

  ‘Charlie!’ I shout. ‘Watch Corey! Take Corey! No!’

  Corey jumps and shoots a pretty floater – a big three-pointer.

  ‘Come on, focus!’ I scream as Elliot quickly runs the floor, catching the Hornets off guard.

  He passes to Ryan. Ryan is wide open.

  ‘Take a shot!’ I shout, my voice getting lost in the screams from the fans.

  But it’s too late. The opposition attacks and Ryan fumbles. Oh, mother of turnovers! Oh no! It’s a steal – yep, a massive break from the Hornets’ Kyle Rathbone. He drives it in with a dunk. I can’t believe it – a friggin’ dunk! A fourteen-year-old, slammin’ it as if he’s in the big leagues. Man, that was awesome – but awesomely bad for us. Talk about bruising our confidence. I call a time-out to settle our nerves. I sub Ryan for Dwayne.

  We return to the floor and Charlie manages to knock down back-to-back baskets. And just like that, our confidence soars.

  By quarter time the score is a tie: Pennsbury – 25, Winston – 25.

  The second quarter has been running as a dead-set repeat of the first – until now.

  It’s the last minute leading up to the break. Corey fouls twice, each time for charging – once at Dwayne and the other at Bobby. I call for intentional fouls. The ref thinks otherwise.

  Either way, Corey succeeds in rattling us. Our defence momentarily collapses, allowing the Hornets to knock down two easy shots from inside.

  The half-time buzzer sounds. And the score now reads: Pennsbury – 41, Winston – 45.

  If I ever get a chance to tell George about the game, I hope I’ll remember to tell him what happened in the third quarter. How Corey ran all over the top of us and probably played the best ten minutes of his entire life. How seeing Kevin’s smug face really ate me up. How Will, Bobby and Charlie made the play of the game, with a ridiculous run and break, and a crazy put-back drop shot. And how my heart was in my throat for every single second of that quarter. But I probably won’t mention any of that, because it can’t compare to what happens next.

  Amidst the screams and cheers and thumping music, I’m pretty sure I’ve stopped breathing. Nothing can describe the jaw-dropping, mind-blowing, leg-shaking sensation I’m feeling right
now. I know that my eyes are popping out of my head, because the boys are asking me what’s wrong, when I should be giving them valuable tips before they begin the final quarter.

  Bobby, Charlie and the rest of the team follow my shocked gaze and finally see who has entered the stadium.

  ‘GUS!’ cries Charlie. ‘IT’S GUS!’

  CHAPTER

  27

  Yep, it’s really me. I mean, my body – Gus. And he’s standing at the main entrance. It’s not a mirage or a figment of my imagination.

  As he makes his way over to us, the team – his friends, I mean, my friends – rush towards him. I’m frozen to the spot. I’m lost for words. I’m in shock and I can’t move. What do I do now? I look at Caroline. She looks just as baffled as I feel. Annie also looks freaked out – she jumps out of her chair and runs to him.

  ‘George!’ cries Principal Franklin. ‘Look, its Gus!’

  ‘I see!’ I gulp. Gus looks up at me and waves, then gives Corey a friendly slap on the back as he passes. The shocked expression on Corey’s face has to be seen to be believed.

  Okay, okay. I gotta get a grip here. I push my way through the crowd until I’m standing right in front of myself. Talk about freaky face-to-face meetings!

  ‘Um, n-nice to see you,’ I stutter. I mean, what do you say in this situation?

  ‘Thanks, George,’ my body-self says.

  He definitely sounds like me and he does look like me, so I can’t blame my friends for not figuring it out. But the way he’s tucked his T-shirt in and the fact that his jeans are riding high up past his stomach screams ‘old dude inside’. I can’t even put into words how I’m feeling about the hair – he’s parted it to one side with some gel-stuff. It’s a crime.

  ‘I’ve come to play. I need to play,’ he says.

  ‘George, it’s your call,’ says Principal Franklin.

  I shake my head. ‘Are you well enough?’ I ask. ‘Do you really think you can do it?’

  ‘He’s supposed to be home resting,’ says Annie. ‘Do your folks know you’re here?’

  George shrugs. Annie runs off and leaves the stadium – I guess she’s going to get my parents.

  ‘I’ve never felt better,’ says George – then he grins at me. ‘Better than you do, I’m sure. Nice to see that I’m the coach again … I mean, you’re the coach again.’ My body-self is smirking! And giving me lip! This totally cheeses me off. ‘I’m a part of this team,’ he says. ‘You have to let me play.’

  ‘Yeah, let Gus play,’ says Charlie.

  ‘Yeah, yeah, let him play,’ echoes Dwayne.

  ‘If he doesn’t play, I don’t play,’ adds Bobby.

  ‘Fine,’ I agree, to a chorus of whoops and whistles. ‘Suit up! But I’ve got to talk to you, Gus… privately.’

  Right. I need answers and I need them fast.

  ‘George, I know it’s you in there,’ I say to him as he hurriedly puts on his shorts in the changing rooms.

  ‘Nice to see you again, Gus,’ he says. ‘So how’s my body working out for you?’

  ‘It totally sucks,’ I snap. ‘I want my body back! I want to switch back now!’

  ‘Switch?’ says George. ‘Can we do that?’

  ‘Caroline said that if we win this game you’ll have completed something you couldn’t when you were George, isn’t that right?’ I’m rambling now, desperate. ‘That this happened because you wanted the team to win.’

  ‘You’re telling the story, Gus,’ he says. ‘Maybe you’re right, but you know what? It feels good to be in a young body again. Maybe I don’t want that old body back. You kids just don’t appreciate youth.’

  You’ve got to be kidding! Is he serious?

  ‘Dude … you’ve been young before,’ I say. ‘You can’t take that away from me. I want my body back.’

  But he just shakes his head and runs out of the rooms and on to the floor. I’m lost for words.

  ‘And the last-minute inclusion of Gus Delfino drops in another two to tie the score!’ booms the announcer’s voice.

  The Pennsbury fans erupt, almost blasting the roof off with their cheers, but I’m still in a daze as I watch George in my body. He’s playing with a level of skill that I’ve never dreamt of. He’s popping in shots from every angle on the floor. And his mere presence on the court has boosted the confidence and energy of the whole team. The Panthers now control the tempo. With the scores tied, everyone knows that this battle is going down to the wire. So it’s no surprise when Winston High’s coach calls a time-out. They have to do something to stop our run and flow.

  My team huddles in around me, congratulating and patting my body-self on the back.

  ‘You’re killing it out there, Gus!’ puffs Ryan.

  ‘I’ve never seen you shoot like that,’ adds Bobby.

  ‘Did you see Corey Barnes lose it? Gus really threw him off his game.’ Charlie is grinning crazily.

  ‘Okay, okay, but don’t think you’ve got this in the bag just because Gus is back,’ I say, feeling a strange mixture of pride and jealousy. ‘Don’t forget that it was a substitution that lost the final for us thirty-five years ago.’ give George a dirty look. ‘And Gus isn’t exactly himself at the moment. So, Gus, share it up a little with Ryan or Will. The Hornets are probably going to target you from now on.’

  The ref blows his whistle. The time-out is over.

  The Hornets have possession of the ball, and score a quick two points. As I predicted, they’ve sent in their big guns – Joe Eton and Darius Brady – to shut down the running and shooting brilliance of George, aka Gus. They’re playing as if their lives depend on it, shadowing every move he makes and blocking him whenever they can. Corey is back on his game. But he seriously backs off whenever George has the ball. I guess he’s still pretty freaked out. Kevin isn’t, though. Behind me in the bleachers I can hear him sledging ‘Gus’ at the top of his lungs.

  The clock is ticking down fast – we’ve got less than two minutes to go. The score is way too close for comfort: Pennsbury – 62, Winston – 64.

  Kyle Rathbone kicks it up a gear and drops a dime to Corey for a tip dunk.

  Off a free throw, Elliot responds for us with a solo coast-to-coast take. ‘AND ELLIOT JONES FOR THE PANTHERS PUTS IT AWAY!’ The announcer’s voice bounces off the stadium walls, revving up the fans.

  The level of noise in the stadium is making my ears throb. Most of the supporters are now on their feet, their chants clashing in one massive mash-up: ‘PANTHERS! PANTHERS! HORNETS! HORNETS!’

  My heart feels as if it’s going to beat right out of my chest. I’m starting to get that panicky feeling again. The one I got in the carpark when I ran into my friends. What if it’s not a panic attack? I think, frightened – what if it’s my heart? But I don’t have time to think about it. I glance up to the scoreboard: Pennsbury – 64, Winston – 67.

  ‘Press! Press!’ I croak, my voice almost gone. ‘YES!’

  A turnover! Charlie snatches and drills a shot from the top of the key and makes the basket. The Pennsbury crowd goes berserk. Only one point separates us, with less than forty seconds on the clock. Pennsbury – 66, Winston – 67.

  ‘FULL COURT PRESS!’ I shout, gasping for air.

  This is crunch time. The Hornets are stalling – passing the ball around, making our boys chase after it and turning the last seconds into an epic keepings-off game. The crowd is hysterical.

  Corey has the ball. Bobby runs to him. But Corey fakes and dribbles past him. Kyle runs the court, breaking away from Dwayne. He’s free under the basket. Corey spots him. But as he goes to toss the ball, incredibly, Bobby swipes it out of his hand. The ball is free. The stadium gasps. Nine seconds on the clock. Who will get to it first?

  It’s me! It’s me! I mean, it’s George! He grabs the ball. Six seconds left. The entire Hornets team charges for him. This time, Corey leads the way.

  Three seconds ….

  ‘SHOOT! SHOOT! SHOOT!’ I scream, with the Pennsbury fans.

  George let
s it fly, just as Corey steamrolls him off his feet. The referee swallows his whistle, not wanting to end the game on a charge call.

  Everyone follows the ball as it arcs towards the basket.

  It floats. And floats. And … SWISH!

  The buzzer sounds. The fans erupt. The music blasts. My team is hysterical – they’ve won the final. Finally Pennsbury High has taken home the championship. But I can hardly hear it because my body is still on the floor. It takes a moment before every one else sees it, too. Gus Delfino has been knocked out cold.

  I want to rush to his side, but I can’t. I feel as if someone has just wedged a stake into my heart. My chest tightens. I can’t breathe. My vision is blurry. What’s happening to me? The cheers in the stadium turn to static. I can’t feel my limbs I’m wobbling. I can’t feel my feet. Am I falling? Yep, I’m falling…

  ‘GEORGE!’ I hear Doris call out to me.

  ‘DAD!’ Gayle cries.

  I look up. I’m on my back. All I can see are blurry shapes of people looking down at me.

  ‘Give him some room!’ I hear Principal Franklin’s voice.

  ‘Hang in there, George!’ hollers Henry.

  And then … Blackness.

  CHAPTER

  28

  Where am I? The pain has gone, but it’s still dark. I look into the black and see a pin-like light in the distance. I keep looking at it as it gets bigger and bigger and bigger until I’m bathed in this very bright light.

  ‘Thank you, Gus,’ says a man’s voice over my shoulder. The voice is kind of familiar, but I can’t see who it is.

  ‘Is this God?’ I ask.

  I hear a laugh. ‘No, it’s not God. It’s me – George. I wanted to thank you for letting me play, for letting me step in. Victory feels good, doesn’t it? But, trust me, redemption is so much sweeter. You gave me a second chance, Gus, and we made a great team. Seriously, did you catch that last shot? Yep, Grandpa’s got game! You can have your life back now, but there’s one more thing I’d like you to do for me …’