Extra Innings Trilogy: Race of the Gemini

By B.W. Gibson

About the Book
A dark cloud has settled over the small, rural town of Eugene, Mississippi. Jimmy McGee has fallen into a state of despair, still confused and traumatized by his unexpected encounter with the opposite sex.
Meanwhile, his identical twin brother, Billy, is becoming increasingly obsessed with finding any means of immortalizing his own identity separate from his brother. Frustrated with Billys wild behavior, Jimmy creates a distance between them that ultimately leads to conflict.
Jimmys straight-laced behavior only reinforces Billys belief that Jimmy is and always has been the favored son. This fevered jealousy launches the twins into a vicious tug-of-war that leaves their group of friends without hope of ever seeing the twins, at peace, together again.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Mar 22, 2016
• ISBN: 9781504985796

B.W. Gibson

B.W. Gibson is an American novelist, singer/songwriter and world-traveler. Previously published works are parts one and two of his Extra Innings Trilogy: The Diamond Thieves and Race of the Gemini. A Hero Among Thieves is his third published novel and the final installment in this coming of age trilogy. Gibson, who was born in St. Louis, Missouri and has lived all over the United States, now resides with his husband in Akron, Ohio. He hopes these stories touch many peoples lives, particularly those who either lived during the late 1940s and early 50s, as well as, those whose parents, grandparents and great-grandparents grew up during this fascinating and climatic time in the American Deep South. For more information on this American author visit www.bwgibson.net

Book preview

1

Jimmy woke up a half an hour before the rest of the house. Stricken with panic, he threw off his sheets, jumped out of bed and slipped into yesterday’s T-shirt and slacks. He was officially on a mission. Before heading down the attic stairs, he glanced back at his identical twin brother Billy, who was still in a blissful sleep. Jimmy wished he shared his brother’s consistently carefree disposition. After all, they and their friends had just secured their dominion over the town’s baseball diamond by winning the big game against their cross-town rivals, the mob. It was the triumph of the summer and Billy was still caught in the afterglow. Jimmy, on the other hand, was tensed up and distracted from yesterday’s uninvited encounter with the opposite sex. The incident was not at all how he had envisioned he, at age thirteen, would take his first major step into puberty.

The girl in question from yesterday’s incident was Sarah Armstrong and, while she unmistakably knew Jimmy, he barely knew her, having never paid much attention to girls. Still stressing over yesterday›s incident, Jimmy wondered what, on earth, had possessed this girl to hide behind that tree and spy on his friends and him while they were swimming? Why did she steal his clothes? How was she even able to distinguish Jimmy from Billy so to know whose clothes to steal? Had she been watching Jimmy so long that she had learned to tell them apart? The thought of that was rather disturbing. But the coup de grace of the whole incident, the question that seared Jimmy’s mind to the point he could think of nothing else was: why in God’s good name did he have to get his first erection while standing there in front of her? Even worse (much worse), why had his private part slipped right out of the opening of his boxers in that moment with her looking on so inquisitively? What was God’s plan in submitting Jimmy to such staggering humiliation? Furthermore, their home town of Eugene, Mississippi is a tiny town. Who had Sarah already told about Jimmy’s impromptu display?

Jimmy sighed as he tiptoed down two flights of stairs to the kitchen. He knew if he were overheard moving about the house, his plan would be foiled. Fortunately, having lived in the same house his whole life, he knew the exact location of every creaky floorboard. He could have navigated a safe path blindfolded. He also knew the family’s Sunday morning routine right down to the minute. Jimmy and Billy’s parents, Tom and Ellen, were both out of bed at 7:30. Tom took first dibs on the bathroom while Ellen woke up two-year-old, Jordan. She would then hand Jordan over to Tom so she could use the bathroom before going downstairs to prepare breakfast. At this point, the twin’s older sister, Rose, was up and using the bathroom before heading downstairs to help Ellen. Billy was always the last to get up and usually required the extra encouragement of either Tom or Ellen yelling up the stairs.

On this morning, the house seemed unusually dark. As Jimmy passed by the dining room picture window, he looked out. The Mississippi sky was overcast. Something deep within the clouds was brewing. Jimmy pushed through the swinging door from the dining room into the kitchen. The clock on the wall read four minutes after seven giving him a mere twenty-six minutes to complete his mission. Jimmy knew Sarah Armstrong would be at church that morning and so his goal was to make certain that he was not.

Jimmy grabbed the bag of cornmeal from the pantry. On the kitchen counter was a large, blue-striped, Hull mixing bowl. He poured, maybe, half a cup of cornmeal into the bowl. Then, he took two of the brownest bananas from on top of the Victorian highboy icebox. He peeled the bananas, placed them in the bowl with the cornmeal and mashed everything together. If done right, these ingredients concocted a visually convincing batch of artificial vomit. The boys had been performing this procedure for years. They acquired the recipe from their friend, Fist, after he mastered the avoidance of Sunday morning church choir solo performances.

Jimmy carried the bowl of fake vomit up to his attic bedroom and sat down on the floor beside his bed. Billy was still dead to the world. No amount of noise could possibly wake him.

Meanwhile, Ellen was on her way downstairs to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. The missing bananas went unnoticed as her attention was focused on boiling water for the grits. Jimmy’s ears tuned into Ellen’s trip downstairs followed by the sound of a running bathroom faucet. Rose was performing her morning beauty ritual. Considering the extreme weakness of Rose’s stomach, now was the perfect opportunity to execute his plan. Jimmy stuffed the mixture into both his cheeks, tore off down the attic stairs and dashed across the hall into the bathroom. Rose was hovering over the sink, applying some sort of gunk across her cheeks, when Jimmy collapsed in front of the toilet and hurled the entire contents from his mouth and into the porcelain bowl. The repugnant sound made Rose want to join him, but instead she quickly exited the bathroom gagging.

Get Mama, Jimmy moaned and Rose immediately obeyed.

In no time Ellen was upstairs. Before she entered the scene, Jimmy reached up and yanked down the flushing chord. Since Rose had been a witness there was no need for Ellen to actually see the vomit. Ellen did find it strange that there was no odor of vomit but Rose assured her that, Jimmy definitely threw up.

Ellen knelt down beside her son and began gently rubbing his back. Jimmy leaned back on his knees and took two or three gasping breaths. He made his eyes look weary, and by the sympathy in Ellen’s, Jimmy could tell his plan was working perfectly. Ellen grabbed a Kleenex from the box on top of the counter and gently wiped Jimmy’s mouth dry. She asked if he had been throwing up all night and Jimmy answered no. He saw little point in telling more lies.

Well, you’re in no shape whatsoever to be goin’ to church today, so I want you back in bed. If there’s no more throwin’ up in a couple of hours, I’ll bring you some dry toast. We’ll see if that stays down.

Ellen helped Jimmy to his feet and across the hall to the attic door. Jimmy assured his mother he could make it the rest of the way alone and with a kiss on the forehead Ellen sent him off. Jimmy was relieved his scheme of faking the flu had worked. After the incident at the swimming hole, he could not bear to face Sarah Armstrong at church. But there was still the matter of school. Tomorrow was the first day of eighth grade and Jimmy would see Sarah in class. So he decided to take full advantage of today being the Lord’s Day and knelt down beside his bed and prayed that Sarah Armstrong would forget the entire incident and behave as though Jimmy didn’t even exist.

Jimmy tried to convince Ellen that he could survive the morning alone but she insisted on staying home to watch over him. Rose took little Jordan out to the car while Tom called for Billy to hustle up.

You’re a lucky dog Jimmy! Billy congratulated his twin brother.

Lucky for today, Jimmy acknowledged with a sigh. But I don’t know what I’m gonna do tomorrow. Jimmy paused and then a sudden look of fear came across his face. If you see her this morning make sure you ignore her.

I will, but what if she thinks I’m you?

Just ignore her. Okay?

I don’t even know the girl so I ain’t got nothing to say to her.

Billy, Jimmy looked him square in the eyes, knowing that his brother’s wild personality was capable of saying or doing anything unexpected. Just ignore her.

Billy nodded and then hurried downstairs and out to the family car before Tom could call after him again.

Ellen brought the family Bible up to the attic and pulled the desk chair over to Jimmy’s bedside. Then, she read aloud all three of John’s letters and her favorite two verses from Psalms. Jimmy tried his best to act like he was paying attention. As the Bible verses dragged on, a gentle rain began to fall.

The Widow Hayes was joining the family for supper that night, along with Grama and Grandpa Purdy, so Ellen was quite busy trying to prepare the Sunday meal, spot-clean the already spotless main floor of the house and check up on Jimmy, all at the same time. On the contrary, the minutes of Jimmy’s day were moving as slow as molasses and his Captain America and Buck Rogers comic books were not entertaining him enough. To add to Jimmy’s boredom, Ellen would not permit Billy up in the twin’s attic bedroom to hang out with Jimmy. She did not need Billy sick, as well.

By mid-afternoon there came lightning followed by loud thunder and then heavy rain. Jimmy prayed for it to last through tomorrow.

The rain slowed down around six o’clock but never stopped completely. Jimmy’s starvation overcame him. However, it wasn’t until after Ellen saw that he kept down the toast and tea that she was convinced his recovery was good enough to give him a plate full of food.

Later that night Ellen decided Jimmy was well enough that he wouldn’t have to miss the first day of school. Jimmy felt defeated but knew he had to comply.

Eighth grade meant three changes: no more afternoon recess, thicker textbooks and a heavier workload, all of which the twins dreaded. Being that Eugene, Mississippi was such a small town, there was only one school: Jefferson Davis. And each grade level consisted of only one classroom. The school’s 8th grade teacher was Miss Crowe. Her pinched face and tightly clinched hair made her appear intimidating; however, the students knew better. She was a sweet woman who loved kids, especially the McGee twins. She stood five and a half feet tall in heels, although her extra weight made her appear shorter. Properly placed at the end of her nose was a pair of gold-trimmed half glasses, not real gold of course, with a golden chain fastened around at each end. The chain gave her the option of leaving them to dangle from her neck and also reduced the grief of her tendency to misplace everything. Her previous students made jokes about her needing a gold chain around their homework as well. Too often, Miss Crowe couldn’t remember where she had left their graded assignments. Luckily, in twenty-seven years of teaching, she had yet to misplace an exam. Although as Tommy Lee Mason often pointed out: There’s a first time for everything.

When she entered her classroom, her seventeen students were seated in whichever desk they wanted and dispersed into five or more different conversations. With Sarah Armstrong and her best friend Alice Foster, staring at Jimmy from across the room, Jimmy was too much of a nervous wreck to participate in any of the chitchat. Billy noticed Jimmy’s withdrawn behavior and felt sympathy for his twin brother. Billy looked over at Sarah and Alice. They were giggling and he stuck his tongue out at the two of them to which they responded by turning their heads up in disgust.

Earlier, Jefferson Davis’s seventh-grade teacher, Mrs. Campbell, had recommended to Miss Crowe that she not place the students alphabetically in her seating arrangement, for it partnered up too many whisperers and note-passers. Miss Crowe stood at the front of the class and asked for everyone to rise and line up around the room. Her Texas drawl was very distinct to the Mississippi-born students and they all moaned at her request but followed instructions.

The room had twenty-one desks situated into three rows, facing the front of the classroom, with seven desks per row. With seventeen students, nine girls and eight boys, Miss Crowe chose to leave the last desk in each row empty. As she proceeded with her girl-boy-girl-boy seating, Jimmy knew it would be a dead-end road for him when Miss Crowe called out: Jimmy McGee for the second row and fourth seat back assignment. The second seat in the third row was called out for Philly but he was nowhere to be seen.

Phillip Tupper, Miss Crowe enunciated. No answer. Where’s Phillip gone to?

Umm, he hasn’t come yet ma’am, Charlie said to Miss Crowe.

Well, good Heavens! Of all days to be late for school.

Here I am ma’am, Philly came bolting into the room, gasping for air. Sorry I’m late, but I couldn’t find my mittens.

Miss Crowe responded first with a look of confusion and then asked: You’re what?

Everyone else in the class looked confused as well.

Philly held up both hands and, sure enough, he was wearing mittens. See. I got bit on both hands by a mosquito last night, and I don’t want it happenin’ again. So I put on these here mittens!

Charlie Blair was seated in the first row and looked over at Billy, who was still standing, and then back at Jimmy with a muddled expression.

Well, was all Miss Crowe could say, you’re indoors now Phillip, so I expect you to take them off.

Miss Crowe lowered her head to look beyond her half-glasses and pointed out Philly’s desk assignment. Philly removed the mittens and sat down.

Charlie whispered back to Jimmy, He’s downright stupid.

Jimmy nodded and followed up with a short chuckle.

As Sarah continued to stand by and await her seat assignment, Jimmy prayed for the next available seat to be hers, placing her ahead of him. But as his luck would have it, that desk went to a different girl and just one female seat assignment later, Jimmy’s ears were stung with horror. Sarah Armstrong, the fourth seat back in that third row will be yours dear, announced Miss Crowe.

Jimmy shriveled up and sank down beneath the floorboards below his seat as Sarah happily accepted. Maybe she’ll think I’m Billy, Jimmy thought to himself.

The next name Miss Crowe called out was Billy McGee and after sitting down, Billy leaned forward and with half a voice, spoke within reach of Sarah’s ear: Hey Jimmy. Maybe you could ask Miss Crowe if you can switch places with Charlie. I bet she’ll let you if you explain why.

Jimmy nearly blacked out from embarrassment as Sarah’s jaw dropped and she turned to gasp at Billy’s presumption.

Hey! You mind switchin’ seats with Sarah? Billy asked the girl taking the seat behind him. Y’see my brother Jimmy don’t want her sittin’ there on account of, well, it’s uh, kinda personal.

That did it. Quit sayin’ my name! was all Jimmy could think before reaching back and whacking his brother upside the head. Miss Crowe peered up from her agenda to investigate the commotion.

Now Billy was really confused. After all, he was only trying to help. Oh well, he thought to himself. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so loud. I’ll try something else. He thought hard for a moment before leaning forward into Sarah’s ear. Hey. Did you know that my brother use to pick his nose when he was little. Yeah, and one time he even ate it! I was there. I done seen him myself.

Sarah only reacted to Billy’s foolishness by rolling her eyes. Jimmy, on the other hand, nearly tore off the lid of this desk standing up to confront his twin. Jimmy’s sudden movement caused the lid of his desk to lift up and come back down with a BANG.

Miss Crowe was in the midst of writing the title of the day’s grammar lesson upon the chalkboard, but the eyes in the back of her head took notice of the situation. She turned around to face the class. Jimmy McGee, she called out in disbelief. Is there a problem?

Jimmy spun forward and adjusted his grimace. No ma’am. Nothin’ at all. He returned to his seat and covered his head.

Before Miss Crowe could commence with the grammar lesson, the school secretary escorted a new student into the eighth grade classroom. Before exiting, she handed Mrs. Crowe a half sheet of paper with the new student’s information on it. Mrs. Crowe introduced her students to their new classmate. His name was Stuart Brocklehurst and he and his parents moved to Eugene, Mississippi from New Orleans. The class welcomed Stuart in unison followed by Philly commenting under his breath, What’s he all gussied up for? This here’s school; not church.

Is there something you’d like to share with the class Phillip? asked Mrs. Crowe.

Uh, no ma’am, Philly responded instantly.

Mrs. Crowe placed her hand on Stuart’s shoulder, leaned in and with a warm tone asked, Are you okay with sitting in the back of the class for now hon’? You’ll be able to see the chalkboard alright?

Stuart nodded yes.

If you need to move more towards the front you just let me know.

Mrs. Crowe directed Stuart to his seat in the back of the class. Stuart tried not to look anyone in the eye as he walked down the row of unknown faces staring at him curiously. Charlie, of course, had to size Stuart up to be sure that this new face did not surpass him in good looks. And to Charlie’s standards he was reassured.

After Miss Crowe finished the grammar lesson, she moved onto a brief intro of algebra. Jimmy tried hard not to stare at the clock while Billy tuned out Mrs. Crowe’s voice enough to ponder over his twin brother’s betrayal and Sarah gazed time after time at Jimmy. Just as Miss Crowe instructed the class to pick up their pencils and begin plotting the following Cartesian coordinates Sarah felt the moist piercing of a spitball tag her left earlobe. Appalled, she spun around to face her attacker only to be pegged by another wet one in the center of her forehead. Billy threw his hands over his mouth to cover his laughter but Jimmy heard the slight commotion and while grinding teeth whispered, Knock it off Billy! Sarah’s interpretation of Jimmy’s reaction registered like a silver lining. She wiped her face clean and glanced back at Billy once more only to throw her nose up with contempt.

As soon as the lunch bell rang, Billy was at Jimmy’s heels inquiring as to why Jimmy didn’t appreciate all his efforts at fending off Sarah Armstrong. Jimmy refused to enlighten him. Jimmy headed straight for his friends in the hopes that being around them would distract Billy enough to abandon the subject of Sarah. As they all sat together chomping away at their sandwiches, Skip asked Boston and Fist, Where’s Sam?

He wasn’t in class. And I don’t even remember Mrs. Campbell calling his name during role, said Boston.

Yeah, me neither, Fist recalled.

Just then, Tommy Lee Mason came walking over from the baseball diamond along with Charlie’s older brother Clint Blair. Tommy Lee asked if they were interested in playing some baseball and not a single one of the boys could believe their ears. The senior high boys had never before invited them to play ball. However, their performance at the Fourth of July match against the mob changed all that and so together they walked with Tommy Lee and Clint onto the baseball diamond stuffing whatever was left of their sandwiches into their mouths.

As the bell signaled the end of lunch Tommy Lee said to Skip that he hoped to see his boys on the field again tomorrow and Skip couldn’t have confirmed with a yes any faster.

As they approached the back steps of the school the boys told Tommy Lee that Sam hadn’t shown up for school yet. They were worried about him.

Tommy Lee feigned a look of surprise. Geez, you’d think she’d show up for her first day at a new school. As soon as the words left his lips, he realized his paramount oversight.

For a long brief moment, there was no response and Tommy Lee hoped for safety.

"Waitaminute, waitaminute" Boston, Fist and Philly all said together. "Did you say she?" Boston finished. His misogynistic undertones rang like the colossal bells of Notre Dame.

Then there was an awkward pause as everyone waited for Tommy Lee to explain himself.

Uh yeah, I um, I reckon I sorta forgot to, uh, tell y’all that, Tommy Lee’s voice stuttered as he sought the assistance of his friends but none of them were willing to step up. The older boys had always known the truth about Sam. It was Tommy Lee who had made a promise to Sam to keep her gender a secret. Tommy Lee had planned on disclosing the truth about Sam before the start of school, knowing she would be in class with Boston and Fist. However, with everything else going on, it simply slipped his mind.

So, okay, let me make sure we all heard you right, you mean to tell me, Billy then paused for a moment, that Whitey’s substitute, he paused again, was a girl? Billy said with absolute shock and disgust.

Tommy Lee stood there in silence.

You know, this explains a whole mess of things, Philly spoke up with a bitter tone. Sam never wanted to do anything with us unless it was baseball. She never went swimmin’, she never came over to anyone’s house, not even for lunch, nothin’. I can’t believe it. All this time we’ve been playin’ a man’s sport with a sissy ol’ rotten, stinkin’ girl!

I always thought Sam kinda smelled a bit funny, said Fist.

Tommy Lee just rolled his eyes without bothering to respond to such immature comments.

Why would you lie to us Tommy Lee? Billy demanded to know.

Now hold on a minute Jimmy! Tommy Lee snapped.

I’m Billy, Billy clarified.

All right then Billy, Tommy Lee corrected himself. His tone and expression were stern. So what if Sam’s a girl. She was good enough to play, wasn’t she?

Yeah but if she had actually been a he we could have played a whole lot better, Philly argued. I mean why would we have ever figured her to be a girl. Girls don’t play baseball because they can’t but Sam was good. Maybe not at first but she caught on real quick. So why would we ever think that she was anything but a boy?

Yeah! Plus, Sam’s too tall to be a girl, added Fist.

Geez, you guys must really take us for a bunch of fools, Boston accused Tommy Lee and Clint.

Tommy Lee just stood there, shaking his head in disappointment.

Then Skip spoke up. So, Tommy Lee, correct me if I’m wrong but everyone in town knew the truth about Sam. Didn’t they?

Tommy Lee nodded yes.

Then Clint said, Not to sound like your sister Rose, he looked at Jimmy and Billy, but in all honesty, I can’t believe y’all couldn’t tell. I mean who gets that sorta thing mixed up? It’s kind of a ridiculous oversight if you ask me.

Now waitaminute, said Jimmy. She never told us the truth. She made us believe she was a boy. She dressed like one. She wore a baseball cap and everything.

Skip turned to face all of his friends. Fellas. Don’t y’all get it now? Everyone in town knew the truth the whole time. So, I’m sorry but I’m with Tommy Lee. I don’t think it’s a big deal. In fact, I think we’re fools, for acting like it’s so horrible.

Nobody in town cared y’all, Tommy Lee tried to reassure the boys. You won the big game against Jonas and the mob and because of that y’all played ball the whole rest of your summer without a single interruption from any of them boys. So what does it matter?

Philly moved in so he was standing face on with Tommy Lee.

Pride. Philly spoke with a heavy bitterness that sent chills up his friends’ arms. That’s what matters. Our pride’s been ruined thanks to you, Tommy Lee.

Yeah, Charlie agreed. And you lied to us. He then looked directly at his older brother Clint. How could you?

Yeah, how could you do that Tommy Lee? Billy joined in. How are we ever gonna trust you again?

As Tommy Lee proceeded to communicate his outrage of disappointment, Skip and Jimmy could see that their friend’s behavior was jeopardizing their friendship with Tommy Lee Mason. His final remark made it clear that the boys would no longer be joining the senior high boys on the ball field during lunch.

Let’s all just get back to class before we’re late, suggested Skip and directed his friends into the school.

The remainder of the school day seemed to last forever and afterwards the boys moped around the baseball diamond as opposed to actually playing ball. As soon as T.J. arrived, they explained to him the events of the day and T.J. agreed with Skip and Jimmy that the boys’ explosion at Tommy Lee had been much too harsh.

Jimmy, Billy snapped. How are you not gonna take our side on this?

Jimmy looked directly at this brother. Billy, can you honestly tell me you never once questioned whether or not Sam was a girl. Come on! You cannot be that stupid.

Billy’s blue eyes became outraged. Excuse me? he fired back.

The next moment of silence was awkward for everyone as the twins glared each other down. Billy stepped closer to his brother to confront him face to face. Jimmy became nervous and quickly diffused the situation by looking away and shaking his head.

But Billy wasn’t finished. What? he confronted Jimmy, Don’t look away.

Jimmy turned his head back to face his brother. He read Billy’s mind and apologized for calling him stupid. Billy nodded to show he accepted and stepped back.

Then Skip asked Boston and Fist, And how did you two not recognize her in school today? She’s in your class.

The tone in Boston’s reply emphasized how annoyed he was with Skip’s question. Because she obviously wasn’t dressed like a boy. She didn’t have her cap on. If she would have, then we would have recognized her. Geez!

"Regardless, she worked hard to help us win that