Jack felt awkward that his mom hadn't asked about Amanda the entire day. Instead, she did chores around the house and made early preparations for dinner with Mr. Roderick. Jack didn't understand why she waltzed around the house and seemed to be in the best mood he had ever seen her in. Ox and Jack took a short walk after lunch to escape the strange thing that was taking place in the house. By the time dinner time arrived she continued to be chipper and upbeat.
Jack tried to talk to Ox about Mr. Roderick coming over, but he didn't want to talk about it. Ox kept telling him that he wasn't worried about basketball; he just wanted to get back to school. Just before five o'clock Mr. Roderick arrived at the house. Gina continued to be in a great mood and welcomed Mr. Roderick into the house. She called the boys to dinner and they uncharacteristically approached the dinner table with caution.
"Thanks for joining us boys..."
Gina looked around and smiled at everyone. Mr. Roderick grinned at Jack and Ox.
"Mr. Roderick...do you mind if we say grace?"
"Not at all Mrs. Hampton."
"Call me Gina please..."
Gina proceeded to offer a prayer on the food. Jack thought it was kind of odd that she prayed since they really hadn't prayed over food since they got to Denver. After Gina finished, Mr. Roderick cut straight to the heart of his visit.
"Thank you Gina for having me over...As you may have guessed I'm really here to discuss Ox's situation with the basketball team."
Gina started dishing mashed potatoes and roast on everyone's plates.
"Gina tells me that you're on the mend Ox...how are you feeling?"
"I's got some pain still, but it's cool."
"Are you sure about uh...coming back to school tomorrow?"
"Dat's all's I wants right now...I's need school bad coach."
"Good Ox...You're pretty lucky to be alive...you know that right?"
"Yes coach...Jack done save my life."
"I figure you're right about that...so what about basketball Ox?"
"What bout' it?"
"Do you want to play still? Do you think I should allow you to play? And...are you healthy enough to play?"
"I's thinkin' to play, but I's got dis' pain and I ain't spose' to exercise for three weeks...right Mrs. H.?"
"Yes Ox...you are on the mend for at least three more weeks."
"Well that's good Ox...do you think I should allow you to play?"
Jack looked around the table as everyone paused to take a bite of food. Jack could tell Ox was uncomfortable with the situation and Mr. Roderick was sizing Ox up to see his reaction.
"Can I jump in for a minute?"
"Let Mr. Roderick and Ox have this conversation Jack."
Jack's mom smiled after her brief scold and Jack decided that he would keep his mouth shut for the rest of dinner.
"So what do you think Ox...should I allow you to play?"
"You think I's no good Mr. Roderick...I ain't brought no shank last year to school and I ain't doin' notin' but havin' Jack's back when Josiah pull out dat shank again."
"I don't think you're a bad kid Ox...I think you remind me a lot of myself when I was a kid."
"Whatcha mean?"
"I didn't grow up in a great neighborhood Ox...basketball was all I had as a chance to get out of the hood I grew up in. When I was in high school I was one of the most recognized kids at school. All the kids knew who I was and for good or bad they wanted me to roll with them. One day after a big game some of friends offered me a gun for protection. They said some other thugs were out to get me. I turned down the gun, but they didn't like that. before I knew it I was in an altercation with my friends and they were pointing a gun at me. Luckily the police rolled up and put a stop to the situation, but that was a moment when I might have lost everything. You're a good enough player Ox that people will try to steal your gift from you...They'll try to steal it by taking your life if they have to. Josiah may not have meant to hurt you...but you've got to control yourself."
"I ain't gonna let no fool hurt my friend."
"Well Josiah has been expelled from Davis...He can't come to school there and he can't play on the basketball team. He also is gonna have to do some community service for what happened...but we're here to talk about you Ox...do you think I should allow you to play?"
"I's not sure coach...I ain't feelin' it yet."
"Feeling what Ox?"
"Feeling like playin'."
Jack dropped his fork on the plate. Ox looked at him ashamed.
"That's ok Ox...if you don't want to play you don't have to."
"I jus' ain't sure I's ready yet."
"You have a good place to call home right now Ox...Gina has promised to take as good of care for you as she can...and you have a great friend in Jack...I'll tell you what...You take your time getting healed up and when you're ready to try basketball again I'll be there to help make it happen."
"Cool, coach...dat be cool."
Jack couldn't believe what he had just heard. His inspiration for playing at Davis was on the verge of giving up. Jack didn't want to cause a scene at dinner so he sat and listened to Ox tell Mr. Roderick how he was getting perfect scores in math class and how he enjoyed listening to his science teacher talk about biology and how living things work. Mr. Roderick seemed more interested in Ox's academic interests than basketball and Jack wasn't too keen on it. For the first time since he met Ox he felt like he didn't like him, but he knew Ox was going through something he could never understand. His friend had been kicked out of his own house by a drug addicted mom, lived in a garage and made his own money, got bullied at school, was stabbed by a team mate, and was living with two white people he had only known for a couple of months. Ox's story was definitely more complex than Jack thought possible.