Remember the Titans II

DISCLAIMER: This story belongs to Alayia. Please do not use or take without her permission.

The football team of Alexandria, Virginia had accomplished many things, we all know that. Coach Boone and Daddy had done a mighty fine job at making the team a family through the segregation. They had learned to live together in peace and not many people knew that back then. That season was one of the best ones of my life, but as the season starts, it must end, too. I was young back then, so I took it really hard, but Daddy, he told me that there was another sport, not as important as football, but it was still good for our team. The sport was basketball. Not many people down south knew about it, but they were soon gonna find out.

1971 “Blue! Blue, man, wait up!” Lewis Lastik called from the end of the street. Blue Stanton stopped and waited for his team member.

Lewis Lastik was one of the Titans, the T.C. Williams High School football team. Lewis was large in size and benefited the team with that. Blue Stanton wasn’t that small, either, but still was another advantage to them.

Lewis stopped running, out of breath. “Man, it was really hard running four blocks to catch up to you.”

“Let’s concentrate just on going to school, man,” said Blue. A smile crept over his face as they started walking. Then he sang, “Baby, there ain’t no mountain high enough,” Lewis joined in the song alongside Blue, “Ain’t no valley low enough. Ain’t no river wide enough, to keep me from getting to you, babe!” The two boys sang the song all the way to T.C. Williams High.

When they entered the school, they right away saw some people that they practically knew inside and out. Alan Bosley and Petey Jones. Alan was the kind of guy that was easy to be around and mostly went with the flow. Petey was a clown sometimes, always cracking a joke when he can. They all looked at the end of the hall when a loud noise came through.

“Yo, Alan, Petey,” Blue called to them as they came over, “What’s up with that?”

“Oh, Gary came back to school today. His mom wants to how it will go with him and his wheelchair. Julius and Emma are with him. I guess that was what the noise was,” Alan answered.

Gary Bertier was in a car wreck a few months ago and was paralyzed from his waist down. He was the team’s captain until he was maimed by the accident. Julius Campbell, or also known as “Big Ju” was Gary’s best friend. They formed a strange friendship at football camp over the summer. Emma Hoyt was Gary’s girlfriend. Emma didn’t like Julius until Gary’s accident because she was very racist and didn’t really understand. Gary was coming back to school today and someone had probably made the wrong remark because Julius wouldn’t let his friend be criticized.

"Hey guys, it was really nice of you to help me today," Gary told Julius.

"No problem, man," Julius said.

Then, Ray Budds, one of the former members of the team and Gary's old friends, came up to Emma, Julius, and Gary.

"Well," he sneered, "Look what the wheelchair dragged in." Julius grabbed Ray's shirt and slammed him up against a set of lockers.

"Hey!" Julius shouted, "Don't you be makin' fun of my brother like that! He's going through a hard time now, ya hear? He was once your brother, too. What's changed?"

"Nothin' that you would understand. Now get your filthy hands off me," Ray said. He grabbed Julius’ hands, pulled them off of his shirt, and left the hall. Julius watched him go, hate lusting in his eyes.

“Julius, you didn’t have to do that,” Emma said.

“I know and I’m sorry,” Julius apologized, “but I didn’t want my brother to be a victim.”

“It’s all right, Big Ju, I’m fine. Ray, he’s just confused,” Gary insisted.

Coach Herman Boone was sitting at his desk in the school. The football season had just ended and now there was nothing else to do. He had heard about T.C. Williams High School not getting involved in other sports like basketball. *Maybe it’s time the Titans got exposed to a different kind of sport,* he thought with a wry smile.

Just then, Assistant Coach Bill Yoast walked in and said, “Hey Herman, what’s new?”

“I was just thinkin’,”

“Don’t hurt yourself,” Yoast joked, “Sorry, go on.”

“Why doesn’t T.C. Williams play basketball or anything like that?”

“I guess we all like football all too much. Why?”

“I was just thinkin’ why can’t the boys play basketball?”

“We could try it,” Bill said, “We’ve never done anything like it before. They don’t really know how to play and neither do I.”

“I do,” Boone said with a smile, “Get them together in the auditorium after school and make sure Gary’s with them.”

“Coach, why are we here?” asked Jerry Harris. Jerry was known formally as “The Rev” because he was very faithful to his religion.

“Yeah, Coach, what’s the deal?” Ronnie Bass asked. Ronnie was nicknamed “Sunshine” because he was a transfer student from California.

“Well, those are very good questions. I asked you here today,” the coach paused. He found it to be a good, suspenseful hooker. “To play basketball this season.”

“Basketball?” Blue asked, “None of us know how to play basketball.”

“I could teach you,” Boone offered, “It’ll be a little different than football, but I know you guys would win.”

“Then what am I here for?” said a voice behind Boone. The coach turned around to see Gary approaching in his wheelchair. “I can’t play, what am I doin’ here?”

With a smile Boone answered, “Well, someone’s gotta be the mascot.” He quickly glanced around to see all the boys’ faces light up. “Gary, you can’t play football or basketball anymore, but you mean a lot to this team. This family.”

Standing up, Lewis said, “Yeah, we are a family!”

Also standing up, Blue said, “That reminds me of a song.” He paused, trying to get the right tune. “This is how it goes: We are family! All my brothers, sisters, and me!”

“Wait a sec, who are the sisters?” Lewis asked.

The Titans all stopped and thought about that. Then Petey said with a mischievous grin, “The cheerleaders.”

They smiled and said in perfect unison, “Yeah,”

Shaking his head with a grin on his face, Boone said, “All right, now. Your uniforms are back in the locker rooms. Coach Yoast is back there and he’ll give them to ya according to what number ya had in football.”

As the Titans filed into the locker room, *Training*, Boone thought, *has begun.*

“C’mon, Alan! Catch the ball!” Boone cried. It had been a few weeks after the Titans started training. The boys were familiar with the game, but were not ready for another team. Yet.

The ball went towards the boundary line and it so happened that Alan was closest to it. The ball flew and so did Alan trying to go after it. Just as he was about to catch the ball, another person approached and caught it. Alan hit the floor with a thud. Alan-now on the floor- looked up at the newcomer.

From the top of his head to the bottom of his shoes, he looked every inch born athlete. He had the bluest eyes and his blond hair was so curly, it almost looked permed. With a smirk, the guy said, “Well, well, well, look at little Alan. Towel Boy has a purpose now, I suppose?”

By then the rest of the Titans had gathered over to Alan and the new guy. Petey helped Alan to his feet and asked, “Are you all right, man?”

“Yeah,” he assured his fellow teammate.

“An integrated team, even?” the person mocked, “Towel Boy’s really movin’ up the social latter now.”

Boone, having just enough of this criticism, walked up to him and said, “What do you want, boy?”

“Name’s Jamie Timberwolf. I wanna join the team,” he answered. Glancing back at Alan, Boone asked, “You wouldn’t, by any chance, be rattlin’ my number forty-eight’s cage anytime, would you, now?”

“No, sir, never,” Jamie answered.

“All right, now, we’ll have to see how good ya play. You still need all your forms filled out and we need to register you a number.”

“Back home I was number forty-eight,” he stated, quickly glaring at Alan, “But I guess I can’t do that, now can I?”

“Na, I don’t think ya can,” Boone said quietly. Raising his voice for every Titan to hear, the coach then announced, “Jamie Timberwolf is a new member of our family. He will begin training tomorrow. All right, everyone, good job! Hit the showers.”

As everyone went inside, Coach Yoast stepped out. “Boone, what’s this?”

“This is Jamie Timberwolf. He’s new on the team.”

From across the gym, the school secretary came in and said, “Coach Yoast, your daughter’s here.”

“Thanks,” he said as the little girl with long, blond hair came running across the wooden floor. When she reached the other end, Jamie leaned down to her eye level and cooed, “Aren’t you the cutest little kid I’ve ever seen?”

The girl rolled her eyes. “PUH-lease! How pathetic is that? I don’t have enough time for your bowing and scraping.”

Boone had to restrain himself from bursting out laughing. He hadn’t gotten the best first impression on this guy, but that didn’t mean he shouldn’t give him a chance to play.

“Sheryl!” Yoast scolded.

“*What?* Basketball head should find someone else to kiss up to!” Sheryl insisted.

“Yoast, ya think you can find a number for this guy?” Boone asked.

“Sure,” he answered, “C’mon, Jamie.”

“What do you brothers think about that Jamie Timberwolf?” Blue asked the guys in the locker room.

“I can tell you one thing,” Alan answered, “He’ll probably wreck this whole team up.”

“What do you mean, Bosley?” Sunshine asked.

“Well, before I came here, I tried out for the team where I used to live. The only thing is, I didn’t make it and Jamie did. He’s always been competing with me. He calls me Towel Boy because I was a close second on the team, so, you know. But he’ll wreck us up both physically and emotionally. He’s not a good person and we need to watch him.”

The sound of the whistle blew and was heard all through the gymnasium. Both Jamie and Blue jumped for the ball. Jamie caught it and dribbled down the court. Sunshine stole the ball from Jamie and passed it to Blue who threw the ball to Alan. As Alan was going to catch it, Jamie ran up and pushed Alan out of the way and caught the ball. Alan skidded to the floor and stayed there, clutching his forearm in pain. Knowing what happened, Boone called a time out. All the Titans except Jamie gathered over to Alan.

Kneeling down to help Alan to his feet Boone asked, “Alan, are you all right?”

“My arm hurts,” Alan told the coach, showing him his arm. There was a gigantic burn mark along the whole side of it.

“It looks like it’ll be a bruise for a while. You landed on your arm pretty hard. You won’t die, but you should go to the nurse just in case,” Boone said with a reassuring smile

. Julius turned to Jamie and said angrily, “What on earth were you thinkin’ man?”

“I was playing basketball. I intercepted the pass,” Jamie said snidely.

“Man, this isn’t the pros! This is high school basketball! You shouldn’t trash your teammate like that anyway!”

“I never had a liking for Alan Bosley. Let’s just say we never clicked,” Jamie sneered. He turned and left for the locker room. Julius sighed. Alan was right about that guy, he thought.

“All right everyone,” Boone yelled, “Hit the showers.”

On the way back to the gym, Alan met up with Jamie. “Oh, hey Alan,” Jamie said, “I am so sorry about today. I didn’t mean to hurt you. By the way, Boone and Yoast say the team’s meeting tonight at seven’ o’clock. See ya then.” With that, Jamie left.

Alan entered empty gym that night. The sounds of his sneakers filled the large room. He was drawn by the sound of someone coming out of the utility closet. It was Jamie rolling the basketball caddy over to Alan.

“Where’s the rest of the guys?” Alan asked, “And the coaches?”

“It’s only us,” Jamie answered, “You wanna play basketball, Towel Boy? Wanna make it like old days again?” Jamie grabbed a ball and hurled it at Alan. It hit the arm he’d hurt earlier in the day. Alan cried out in pain.

“Your arm hurts?” Jamie scoffed. He barked a laugh. “That won’t be the only thing that’s hurting when *I’m* through with you!” The new team member threw another basketball at Alan. It hit his face. Filled with all this newfound rage, Alan leapt at Jamie. Jamie stepped aside and let Bosley hit the floor. Jamie pinned Alan down, took a rope from the caddy, grabbed Bosley’s arm a little more roughly than needed, and rubbed it hard against number forty-eight’s arm.

Janitor Bob finished locking up the last classroom in the senior hallway when he heard a scream come from what sounded like the gymnasium. Grabbing a broom from his bin, he made his way downstairs. The screaming was getting louder and it sounded like someone he knew. Someone from this school. He rushed into the gym. He spotted this boy with curly hair pinning down another boy. It looked like the boy with curly hair was torturing the other one with a rope. They both looked at Janitor Bob. The curly kid jumped up and ran quickly out the door before the janitor could see his face. Bob went over to the other kid, whom he recognized as Alan Bosley. His right forearm was all bloody and scraped by the rope. His face was in pain and was practically in tears.

The janitor kneeled down to Alan who was laying on the floor. He said, “Don’t worry, kiddo, I’ll getcha some help. Don’t move.” He got up and ran to get a phone.

Alan winced as the doctor wrapped his wounded arm. Fred Bosley, Alan’s father and his mother, Anne, were sitting next to their son, accompanied by Coach Boone, Yoast, and Sheryl. “How did this happen, Alan?” Boone asked. Between winces, Alan answered, “Jamie told me after practice today that we were gathering tonight, but he lied. He just beat me up.”

“Jamie Timberwolf? I knew that hot air balloon was bad news,” Sheryl said.

“I can’t believe this,” Boone said, “Why would he stoop down so low to do something like this?”

“It doesn’t matter any way, Coach,” Sheryl said, “I say kick ‘em off the team.” Boone looked at Sheryl and suggested, “I still think you should find a nice doll to play with.”

“Best of luck to ya,” Yoast said with a chuckle.

“What about this Jamie Timberwolf?” Tim said, speaking up, “What are you gonna do about him? He’s a trouble maker.”

The doctor finished wrapping Alan’s arm. “Thanks, Doc,” Alan said.

“You’re gonna have to change the dressing every few hours,” the doctor said to the Bosleys, “And be sure to clean it or it will become infected.”

Boone, having talked to Yoast spoke up and said, “Mr. Bosley, we’ve come to a decision. Jamie will be off the team.”

“Just what where you thinking when you pulled that little stunt last night?” Boone scolded. Both him and Yoast were having a “meeting” with the new edition.

“You could’ve severely hurt Alan,” Boone continued, “Now, I don’t know what wheels are turning in that little head of yours, Timberwolf, but you’d better be prepared to give up your uniform.”

“You’re kicking me out? Good! I never wanted to be on a loser’s team like this anyway!” Jamie yelled. He got up and stomped out of the room. Yoast sighed. “We’ve got four weeks before our first match off with the Bulls.”

“Wait a minute,” Boone said, “We kicked him off before the match with the Bulls? Man, that Jamie Timberwolf will join the Lions in an instant. He knows what kind of people they are. If we beat the Bulls, we go on to the Lions. That’ll give him plenty time to weasel in there with them.”

“Oh, God,” Yoast muttered, “It’s better than him beating poor Alan to a pulp, though.”

“Got a point there, Yoast.”

“Man, are you all right?” Gary asked Alan on the boundary line during practice.

“I don’t know,” Alan answered, “The doctor said if I don’t watch it, it’ll get infected.”

“That’s harsh. You think it’ll heal in time for the game with the Bulls?”

“It had better,” Alan said, “I mean, I just don’t want to sit here and watch the entire time.” Alan realized he had said too much. “Oh, I’m sorry, Gary”

“Hey, it’s ok, man,” Gary told him, “I know I’ll never be the same again and I’ve accepted that. I’m still the same old, pigheaded Gary, but just a little different on the outside.”

The whistle blew and Julius went over to the people on the bench, hearing what Gary had said. “Yo, that’s pretty riotous, brother. Hey, let me get cleaned up and we can go out for a burger all right?”

“As long as you’re paying, Julius,” Gary laughed.

“Sure. Hey Alan, you wanna come, too, bro?” Campbell asked.

“W-well, I guess so,” Alan answered.

Alan walked in the door after Julius had driven him home. The door closed silently and turned around, almost colliding with Fred.

“Alan!” Fred exclaimed, “Where’ve you been, Son?”

“I-I was o-out with a few of the-the guys, Dad,” the Titan fumbled.

“Well ya can’t be an all-star player unless you get your arm healed up. Go on, up to your room.”

Alan was about to protest, but he knew it would only get him in trouble with his overbearing father. “Yes, sir.”

Jerry Buck sat down at the Boones’ kitchen table. He was on the school board of T.C. Williams. “Herman, I believe you don't know what you are doing.”

“I know perfectly well what I’m doin’, Jerry,” Boone answered.

“You know that you and Yoast are football coaches and not basketball coaches.”

“I know, but since we don’t really got no john brown basketball coaches, I guess that’s what we’ll be doin’ from now until next season,” Boone told him.

“Yes, but what you don’t know, Herman, is that if you loose the game, they’ll replace both you and Yoast,” Buck said.

“The school board’s startin’ this crap up again?”

“You and Yoast aren’t qualified coaches. If you lose the game, they’ll put a real basketball coach in. It’s as simple as that.”

“We don’t need them coaches. And I’ll prove it to that stuck up school board of yours,” Coach said.

GAME #1 against Roosevelt Bulls

“All right, now,” Boone prepped, “Remember that this ain’t no football game, this is a basketball game. Now, Ronnie Bass, you’re startin’. Alan Bosley, where are you?”

“Right here, sir,” Bosley said, approaching the head coach.

“How’s your arm doin’? It OK?”

“It’s better,” he answered.

“Playin’ condition?”

“I’m up for it,” Alan offered.

Smiling, Boone handed Alan his jersey, “Well, then, go get changed quickly.”

“Thank you! Thank you, sir!” Alan exclaimed as he ran to get dressed.

“Now, let’s get out there and do our best now!” Boone cheered.

Gary wheeled out to the microphone in the gymnasium. He could hear the people cheering for him. He picked up the microphone and said, “Hi, everyone. Welcome to the Titan’s first basketball game. As you all know, I was injured in a car wreck and can’t play, but my former football coach, Herman Boone, made me this team’s mascot. Now, I don’t if a person can be a mascot, but if I can, I’d gladly be one for my team. I’d also like to thank all of you for our support for me and my mom. I’m grateful you care. Now let’s play some basketball!”

The referee held the ball in his hand, blew the whistle and threw it straight up into the air. Sunshine and number 25 jumped up for it. Sunshine grabbed it and dribbled down the court. He tossed it to Julius, who in turn dribbled it and threw it to Petey. Jones was about to throw it to Lewis, but one of the bulls stole it from him. He went down the court. Alan saw and ran after him, blocking him from shooting. The opposing member saw Alan’s wrapped wound, moved the ball, and whacked his arm with the ball, pretending to move it around. Again, Alan winced and grabbed his now throbbing arm. The buzzer for halftime cried throughout the gymnasium.

Yoast looked up at his daughter in the crowd.

“Ugh!” Sheryl cried. She was walking all around, disturbing people in the stands.

“And the Titans go in with three to five,” the announcer called.

“Alan, your arm’s OK, right?” The Rev asked in the locker room.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Bosley assured his friend.

There was a minute left in the game and the score was five even. The Titans already had two penalties. The whistle blew and Julius grabbed ball and passed it to The Rev. The Rev didn’t catch it, though. Number 23 of the Bulls caught it and dribbled it down the court. Alan stole the ball from him and glanced at the clock. Five seconds left…four seconds. He didn’t have a choice. He threw the ball as hard as he could from the center of the court. The buzzer sounded as the ball went into the hoop. The Titan fans started cheering until the referee waved his arms saying, “No basket!” Nobody won.

“You can’t be serious!”

The newly built home of the Bosleys’ was in an uproar. Since the Titans technically didn’t win, Fred put it all on Alan’s shoulders. He wanted him to switch teams- to the Lions preferably- to make sure the teen would win.

“I am completely serious, Alan,” Fred roared, “After what you pulled tonight? You need to be on a team that can really win!”

“I am, Dad, the Titans can win!”

“Then how come they lost the game?”

“We didn’t lose, Dad, we tied!”

“Tying is not winning in my book. Now, whose fault is that?”

Alan looked down at the floor. “It was my fault, sir. I wasn’t focused.”

“That’s exactly why you need to be on an all white team!”

“I wouldn’t want to be with them, anyway,” Alan said, “You can’t separate our family!”

“*Family*? This is your family! You, your mom, and me! You say these people are possibly related to you!”

“They may not be blood related, but the Titans are my brothers. It doesn’t matter what you look like to relate to another person. Sometimes, I feel closer to them than I ever would you.”

Fred knew where his son was going. Alan was trying to avoid the switch. Frustrated, Fred yelled, “Alan, you’re going to be on the Lions and that’s the end of it!” He then stomped out of the room before Alan could protest once more.

Alan, feeling totally helpless, turned to his mother sitting quietly on the couch. He went over to her, hugged her, and, almost crying, whimpered, “Mom, Mom, please don’t make me leave the Titans. They’re my best friends. We’ve gone so far together, please don’t separate us now. Please.”

Holding her son tenderly, Anne said, “There’s nothing I can do sweetheart. It’ll be all right. Everything will work out, don’t worry.”

“You’re what?” Julius exclaimed after practice.

“I have to leave the team,” Alan repeated.

“You can’t leave us! You’re our brother!” Lewis said.

“Man, how could you do this?” Petey asked, getting mad.

“Listen, I don’t wanna leave. My dad’s making me. He’s transferring me to the Lions because of the game.”

“But we tied,” Sunshine protested.

“And that’s the team that Jamie Timberwolf transferred to!” Blue added.

“You think I didn’t know that?” Alan snapped.

Not believing what he was hearing, Gary wheeled away. Alan went after him.

“Gary! Gary, wait!” he called to his friend.

Stopping in the locker rooms, Bertier asked, “Just what is your problem?”

“I don’t have a problem,” Alan insisted, “You think I want to be on the Lions?”

“Man, why don’t you just admit it? You want to go. Well, go on! Go!”

“I can’t believe you Gary. I can’t believe that you think of me so low,” Alan murmured. With a heavy heart, Alan slowly left the school and went home.

Part 2