Chapter Fifty-Eight

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Chapter Fifty-Eight

 

Ten years earlier

1992

Lake City, LA

 

“Test, one two…can everybody out there hear me okay?” Principal Jefferson asked. “Great. Well, I’d like to thank you all for your prompt attendance this afternoon. Today is a momentous occasion for St. Louis Prep Academy, for Lake City, and for this young man seated to my right. Since joining us two years ago, Lincoln Baker has been a model student and athlete, helping to put the St. Louis Crusaders on the map. It’s going to be tough next season without him, but we’re happy to report that he’s moving on to bigger and better things…”

Lincoln tried not to gawk at his principal, who hadn’t spoken more than two words to him since he transferred to St. Louis Prep.

Moses’ warning rang in Lincoln’s head. “Watch out for leeches, Son. You can’t walk through the woods without catching a few.”

Where was Moses? Panic descended over Lincoln the closer it got to his turn to speak. All of the saliva in his mouth had dried up. He rubbed his sweaty palms on the new Dockers slacks Lois had bought him for the occasion. His clip-on tie choked him. Sweat pooled in his armpits.

“Lincoln? Son?”

He glanced over at Principal Jefferson’s clown-like face. Lincoln was supposed to say something, but needed water. Then he remembered the speech he and Moses had written together the night before. Pulling the neatly folded piece of notebook paper out of his pants pocket, he stepped up to the microphone and cleared his throat.

“Good afternoon, everybody.” The microphone squawked loud feedback as the crowd stared back at him expectantly. Lincoln finally found Moses’ face in the throng. Moses gave him a nod and a smile.

You can do this.

“I’m kinda nervous,” Lincoln continued. “But here goes. This season was one of the best fuh me. Winnin’ the state championship and everything. Plus, the education and support I’ve received from St. Louis has been great. I ‘preciate everything everybody has done fuh me. Now it’s time fuh me to give back. I’ve decided to skip college and declare myself fuh the NBA draft next month. I wanna play against the best and learn from the best and give back to my fam’ly and my city. That’s all…”

Thirty minutes later, after dropping Moses off at church, Lincoln navigated Moses’ Cadillac over to Simmons Park to pick up Brandon. Long gone were the cold sweats, dry mouth, and other symptoms of anxiety. He felt great.

In a few months he’d be in the NBA, and everything would change. Moses would quit his job and move with Lincoln to wherever he was drafted. He’d have more money than he could spend. His days of drug dealing, robbing, banging, and struggling would be a distant memory.

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