The ball hit the board and rolled around the rim of the basket. Justin reached his tallest, caught it on rebound and tipped it in.
"My win," Justin said to his friend Anthony. Surprised and pleased he had at last won, Justin said, "let's play another game"
"I gotta get home, but tomorrow,OK?"
"Let's come early"
"I'll pick you up," Anthony said.justin still wanted to play one-on-one,his favorite basketball game, but there was no one left to challenge him. The playground was emptying fast only a few girls were scattered about. Some played jump rope. Others played tetherball.
He watched the rope jumpers and had an urge to get into their game. His sudden untimed move broke the rhythm. One girl threw down the rope and chased Justin, shouting, "you better not stay out of out game you Rat!"
Justin ran fast, laughing at her. The girl soon gave up and went back to turn the rope for her friends. Justin returned to the basketball court. He tried zigzagged dribbling the ball. Then he tried making long shots and missed them all. At the free-throw line he tossed twice and missed. Disgusting, he dribbled around the court again. the August sun moved far westward rolling hills in the distance cast shadowy shades of purple. The playground was now quite, deserted.justin tossed for the basket. He hit. He tossed two more perfect shots and decided it was time to leave. He walked along the tree-lined streets between rows of sturdy wood frame houses, wishing he didn't have to go home. Not yet. If only he had brothers; one brother, anyway. Somebody to help him control Evelyn, his older sister.
He turned the corner onto his block their car was in the driveway. His mother was already home. He hadn't known it was that late. Hadiya, his younger sister, strained under bags of groceries as she removed them from the car. That was his job. The one thing he did well enough around the house to win praise and approve. He needed to be home. He started to running.
There was much talk, a lot
Of hustle and bustle inside. That old feeling of being left out came over him.he waited in the hallway just outside the kitchen door, listening.......
"Oh,mama, you didn't," Evelyn shouted.
"Oh,but I did.i had a wonderful sale today, and that means a big bonus."
"Oh, get," hadiya said, happily. "Now I can get my bicycle fixed mom." His mama and two sisters all talked at the same time.when he finally walked in, everything STOPPED. Dead silence. All. Turned on him.
"So?" he asked, not waiting for them to question where he had been, why he was late. He glanced at hadiya and was tempted to return her smile, but he turned away instead.
"So it's about time you got home," Evelyn said. She took charge while their mama worked each day. Justin spread his legs as if to take firm stand. He started ahead and said nothing.
"See how he acts, mama," Evelyn said
"He's that way all the time."
"Aw, evelyn," hadiya said, to protect justin.
He liked hadiya. Everyone said they looked alike: both dark, tall, and thin. Hadiya,two years older than Justin and three years younger than Evelyn, was the tallest. At ten years old, justin waz already almost as tall as evelyn. Evelyn went on, "he gets in here just before you every day, mama and he does nothing around here."
Justin lowered his eyes but still said nothing.
"And you ought to see his room. Like Grandpa's pig pen," evelyn said. Hadiya giggled. Justin cut his eyes on her. She retreated to set the table. Finally Mama said, "Justin, where have you been?"
"At the playground," he answered
"Every day, Mama. That's all he does."
"All right, evelyn. I'll handle it," Mama said.
