The Basketball Notebook

“So how did you get here T?” my teammate on the Boston Celtics asked after our first practice together. “ You wouldn’t believe me if I told you Shay, but if you have a minute I’ll tell ya.”I said willingly. “Yea now I have to hear this” he said as he took off his shoes and leaned back against the lockers. I took a deep breath then began my story.

It was the summer of 1987, I was 8 years old and was heading home from the park. Some guy wearing sunglasses and all black clothing came up to me and handed me a little black notebook. It wasn’t mine and I went to hand it back but all he said was “Use this for basketball” then turned and walked away. I didn’t know what to do. I thought maybe he wanted me to write down my moves or something. I tossed it into my backpack and started walking home.

When I got home I showered and hopped on my Atari 7800. The whole time I was playing I couldn’t stop thinking about the mysterious guy and the little black notebook. I grabbed my backpack and took the notebook and flipped it open. At first I thought the whole thing was empty! Then right in the middle of the notebook I saw an address was written. I didn’t know what to make of it.

The next day I thought about telling my parents, but I thought it would be silly. I decided to go to the address thinking it belonged to the man who gave me the notebook. I got there knocked on the door and an old lady opened the door and passed me a manilla envelope and closed the door. I knocked three more times but she never came back to the door. I put the envelope in my backpack and headed back home. You have no idea how confusing it was.

When I got home once again I showered and all I could think about was the notebook and the envelope. I was sure the lady thought I was the man in the sunglasses. I thought about going back the next day, I thought I should just throw them away. Thank the basketball Gods I didn’t. When I opened the envelope I saw nothing but hundred dollar bills. I dumped it out and counted 20,000 dollars. After counting I shook the envelope and I found one little square piece of paper and all it said was -use this for basketball-. The same words the man spoke to me yesterday at the park.

I decided to listen to a piece of paper. I decided to listen to the man in the sunglasses. I worked hard and signed myself up for basketball camps. My parents don’t even know that I had help. I told them that I was receiving scholarships to the camps. I even paid a personal trainer for a while in highschool. When everyone else was worried about partying or getting girls, I was looking for camps, I was working with my trainer. Any time I wanted to be lazy I would hear the guy in the sunglasses.

I stretched every dollar that I was given, I spent every dollar on basketball. I like to believe that because I listened; I made it.

The story I never told anyone was finally off my chest. I took a sip of water before looking up at my teammate. “So yea told you that you wouldn’t believe me” I said to break the awkward silence. “No it’s not that, I believe you. I think it is just crazy.” he said in disbelief. I went to get up, he grabbed my wrist and pulled me back on the bench. “ Aren’t you going to ask me?” he said quickly “ I mean everyone else left and I think you want to hear my story.” he added. Interested I relaxed and looked at him waiting for him to begin his story. He cleared his throat then began.

He told me he wasn’t from Boston, Massachusetts. That he actually grew up in Westport, Connecticut. He said he would work hard every day and night. He said there were always older cats hanging around the court and they invested in his talent teaching him everything they knew. It sounded like a basic story, until he mentioned that he moved to the same neighborhood I lived in my entire life.

“Oh really? I lived there my whole life. What street?” I asked curiously. He looked up at me slowly and recited “61 Bishop Allen Dr APT 3, Cambridge, MA 02139” That was the address that was inside the little black notebook. We sat in silence for a couple of minutes. So many questions ran through my mind. Did he know? What does this all mean? Did the man in sunglasses make a mistake and the money belonged to him ? Perplexed and astonished I sat there quietly. He must know since he hasn’t spoken, I thought to myself.

“What does that mean?” I managed to ask. “I was hoping you knew, In that house there are articles of you hung up everywhere” he answered. “I didn’t know that at all. I used to walk by when I was young hoping to see the old lady or someone, but it was almost like no one lived there.” I said, still trying to make sense of this information. “ Well we have a game tomorrow we should head back to the hotel and get some sleep” I added. I needed time to sort this out in my head. Without objection he got up and we headed out under the fluorescent lights into the dark star lit night.

The next day neither one of us brought it up pre-game. Even though we seemed to gravitate to each other the whole pre-game practice. Once I almost asked him if he knew the man in the sunglasses. Refocusing on the game I pushed those thoughts aside, It was my debut for crying out loud. Catch, dribble, shoot, catch, dribble, shoot, until it was time to huddle up. It’s game time.

We won the game 112-89! 29 points 11 assist 9 rebounds for me, not a bad first game at all. I looked over to my teammate and he smiled at me. It's weird because it was fun playing with him. Almost like we have been teammates forever. Any time I was in a bind there he was, the chemistry was there, no doubt about it. We stayed in the locker room after everyone else quickly rushed to start the celebration. As soon as we were alone I stuck my hand out “ I don’t care about the weird stuff man, we keep playing like this and we will be unstoppable! Call me paper, cause I’m making money!” All smiles we walked out together trying to catch up to the team.

Walking to the party bus I could have sworn I saw the man in the sunglasses lurking in the corner of the parking lot. Trying to shake away the eerie thoughts I entered the bus last, trying to enjoy the rest of the night's win. We reached the club, and I wasn’t in the mood to celebrate. I was the first one off the bus taking off down the street instead of going into the club. I turned the block quickly hoping Shay didn’t spot me and try to follow.

I walked for a while before reaching an empty basketball court. I reached into my gym bag and grabbed the familiar black moleskine notebook out of the pocket along with my favorite pen. By now the notebook was worn out, I had written down every accomplishment I have had with the game of basketball. The first entry was; The time I made 10 three pointers in a row in summer 1987. I flipped through the pages to the back and wrote: The first time I won an NBA game was in the winter of 1998. I sat staring at my entry and thinking about how crazy it was that this one notebook changed my life. I must have been wrapped up in my own thoughts because before I knew it I was tapped from behind.

I whipped my head around and had my fist up anticipating a fight. When I looked up I realized that it was the man in the sunglasses, still wearing sunglasses at 1:30 in the morning. Frozen I stood like a sunken anchor, unable to speak. “ You listened,” he said proudly. “ Y-y-yes I did” I stammered. I don’t know if he was giving me time or if he expected me to say more, but it was silent. I mustered up the courage to look at him which was enough for my brain to regain power over my body.

“I will pay you back every penny and more, but I have to ask, why me ?” I said to him as I looked at where I thought his eyes were. He didn’t seem like he was going to answer. Maybe I was exhausted, immediately I was annoyed. After ten years this guy still doesn’t have anything to say. I turned to pack my things and leave. “ Play me, first one to 3 gets what they want” He said. “ I had a long night, maybe some other time Mr” I said with annoyance hanging on every word. “Fair enough. I chose you because in you I saw myself.” he said as he turned to leave. I watched him walk away too frustrated and tired to chase after him.

The next morning I woke up suffocating in guilt. I pushed him away after all these years of wondering who he was and where he could be and after all he did for me. Wanting to burn off these feelings I got up to prepare for my day. I did not expect to see him as soon as I went out for my morning run. “Oh good morning Mr” I said to him hoping to make amends for last night. “ Morning Taevon” he said casually, as if this were a routine. “ Mind if we chat? I know a quiet spot not too far from here.” My nerves were jumping all over the place yet I managed to mumble “Yea sure” We walked quietly down the street together heading to a small coffee shop on the corner.

We walked in and the place was empty except for one person in the back. Following his lead I walked past empty tables with neatly stacked napkins and sugar packets. He led me right over to the table where the other customer was sitting. Once we reached the table I could clearly see that the other person there was Shay. Tentatively I pulled out a chair and sat down, more confused than ever. Why was Shay here?

“Should we order first?” Mr asked looking at us and waiving over the one employee. “ We’ll have 3 coffees and three chocolate chip muffins please” Mr said to the waitress. With my thoughts racing in my head it felt like if I tried to speak I wouldn’t sound coherent so I looked over at Shay who was looking at me. “ Forgive me, I know this is probably confusing. I have waited for this for years. When I was a younger man I didn’t want a family. I thought I could thrive by myself, not tethered to anyone else. In a way I was right I am successful financially. However I did begin to get lonely and I knew it was too late to have a family of my own.” The waitress came over with our order and Mr took a sip of coffee while Shay and I were hanging on the edge of our seats. “ I went to a sperm bank and donated. Later that year I found out two women were pregnant. You are my sons, you are my legacy”