The Freak - S01 E18

3 months ago

The Freak - S01 E18

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 18

Barbara was there getting a cup of coffee. I wrapped my arm around her waist and she moved up for a quick kiss. That was accompanied by a giggle from the breakfast nook. Knowing that Carole was watching, I moved in for a real kiss. Mom and Dad already knew of my intentions even if Barbara didn't so wasn't worried that they'd say anything. Of course, the giggling was non- stop through the entire kiss. I broke it and jumped into the nook, grabbing Carole and swinging her around while I hugged and kissed her. Her giggling turned to loud laughter which stopped only when Dad complained of an after New Year's headache. I felt real sympathy, knowing how I felt without one.

Barbara and I had only a light breakfast of pastries and doughnuts from the bakery. I broiled hot dogs for lunch then we retired to the living room for the traditional football games. Barbara sat on the couch where she had been on Christmas and I sat on the floor at her feet. She rubbed my neck and ran her fingers through my hair for most of the afternoon. Around three she moved to the kitchen to help Mom with the dinner. Carole and I helped by setting the table.

We ate dinner as one big and happy family before walked outside with Barbara to drive her home. Tomorrow was Sunday so I'd see her early for Mass, knowing that we'd spend the entire day and much of the night together. Somehow, my need for seven days of basketball a week had ebbed, replaced by a greater need-a need to love and be loved and to be with that one special person. I let Barbara take the Olds home with her Sunday night so we could spend time together after Tuesday's game.

January and February are the months when the basketball season kicks into high gear. Every game is a league game and every game counts toward that elusive league championship. Well, it was elusive if you played at a school other than ours over the past four years.

There was pressure though the pressure of being ranked number one...the pressure of having a target on your back every time you stepped onto the court. Despite the pressure we ran the table, winning every game by a wide margin.

I had expected to play against every junk defense in the book-box and one, triangle and two, and every variant that was ever devised.

There were two big problems with this approach. The first was that I never cared how many points I scored; doubling me had to leave someone else open and my teammates were all very good players in their own right. Doubling me led to more open layups for them than I could count. The other problem was that the smaller guards couldn't leap with me and the bigger layers were just too slow.

You're not supposed to be able to drive through a zone, but I drove for layup after layup most games. When I couldn't score I gladly passed to a cutting teammate.

Could make All-American playing this way? Who cared? All that mattered was that we won.

There are four classes of schools in New York-A, B, C, and D- based on school enrollment. Tuckahoe was in Class D. Our success over the past four years meant that we could go anywhere we wanted to in the tourney to play against any class of opponent. Some of us wanted to go into Class A. Most of our opponents had been in Class B or higher, but I argued for us to stay In Class D. "Let the bigger schools beat each other up. Guys will get hurt. Guys will get tired. We'll meet the best in the inter- class finals just as we have in the past."

That was what we did and, sure enough, New Rochelle faltered in the A semis and so did Mount Vernon, another highly ranked school from our area. One of the lesser schools won the A competition and the same thing happened in the Class B finals.

We blew the Class C champs out of the gym and the following night we whipped the A Champs.

They were exhausted from their game against the B winners. Our starters had only played about half of our game the previous night. I won the center jump, one of the few that were actually contested and scored on our much practiced opening play, rubbing my man off on Eli's strong broad body for a crashing dunk. We pressed full court and ran at every opportunity.

For all purposes, the game was over at the half when we had built a twenty point lead. Instead of relaxing we shifted into overdrive and, once again, the basket looked to be as big as the ocean. I couldn't and didn't miss and neither did my teammates.

We had our fifth consecutive state championship. Three of us made the all-tournament team-three out of ten. Our win streak was at 129 when the season ended.

Best of all-Barbara was there with me every step of the way, even staying overnight in a room with my sisters during the two finals weekends. She was one of many who stormed the court first when we won the Class D State Championship and, finally, when we won the whole shebang. She was the only one of that horde, however, to greet me with a searing kiss.