“What did you take me out for?” I asked Cal.

“You’re turning your head on defense—”

“I didn’t turn my head!”

“I saw you! That’s why he got around you!”

“I was going for the steal! You said to look for the ball!”

Cal started sounding off at me. His shirt collar was open, and the veins in his neck stuck out. I sat down on the bench and watched as the Comanches ran up and down the court. It was a sloppy game, and they were winning easy. No matter what Stealer did they were yelling for him. Cal put Lenny on him, and he styled on Lenny like he wasn’t even there. Even the referees were cracking on us. Ox was getting some respect around the boards, but Paul was so anxious to make Lenny look good he wasn’t doing a thing. At half time they were up 74 to 54.

We went into the locker room and sat down. Cal didn’t say anything. He just started getting his stuff together like he was going to leave. Everybody looked at him, but nobody said anything. Then Cal was standing in front of the mirror, picking out his hair, when Ox asked him what he wanted us to do in the second half.

“Do?” He turned around and looked at Ox. “What you asking me for? You playing your own game, ain’t you? Everybody’s playing for themselves, right? You ain’t passing the ball. I know about playing basketball, I don’t know what you’re doing out there. Maybe you like the way they are laughing at you.”

“You sitting Lonnie out don’t help none,” Jo-Jo said.

“Lonnie is sweet on Stealer John,” Cal said. “You see the way he keeps giving him everything he wants. ‘Go by me, Mr. John. Go on to the basket, Mr. Stealer. You want this rebound, Mr. John?’ ”

“Well, look, Cal,” I said. “You don’t want me playing, I won’t play!”

“That’s right,” Cal said. “Go on home. Because it takes a man to have enough pride to go out there and play the second half like he means it. And I don’t think you guys are men enough!”

I walked out and went back into the gym. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do or where I was going. I looked and Ox was with me and so was Jo-Jo. The others started out, too. I went down to the bench and sat on it.

“Where’s your coach?” the referee asked.

“He’s sick,” somebody said.

“Well, let’s get going.”

I went out on the floor and looked for Stealer John. He wasn’t on the court. I looked again. They were starting their scrubs!

Roy got the tap to Jo-Jo, who went all the way down the lane for the quick two. They came down and pulled a nice play with a couple of switches, but the cat that went for the hoop blew, and the rebound came out to Breeze. He brought it to the top of the key and then hit Paul with a bounce pass for another basket.