Carlos Grayhawk and the Amazing Four

By J. A. A. Coronado

Roary Lyon is one more disappointing basketball season away from losing his head coaching job. His search for that winning combination has eluded him as he wants great players, not just good ones. With his job on the line, he finds that great player in Carlos Grayhawk, who came with a troubled past. Carlos is a legend on the courts of his Navajo nation and only wants to prove himself as a winner and leave his mistakes behind. Steve and Oky are hometown twins who live and breathe basketball. Their goal is to play college ball together, and they are determined not to let their small five-foot-eight height deter them from that dream. Absko Oduya is a tall seven-foot long-distance runner from Kenya, who desired to be a track star like his father. But an unforeseen issue will find him sitting out his freshman year and catching the eye of the basketball department. Coach Lyon will get his winning combination from this group of unlikely players who are young and inexperienced but courageous at heart.

They'll find themselves in the land of giants in the collegiate world, the sports world, and in a world where trouble and pain don't limit themselves to the basketball court. This is the story of four young players and a determined coach thrust into the spotlight of the college basketball arena and of their driven spirit to persevere in the face of giants abroad and from those within.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Oct 6, 2022
• ISBN: 9781662483387

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Carlos Grayhawk and the Amazing Four

J.A. Coronado

Copyright © 2022 J.A. Coronado

All rights reserved

First Edition

PAGE PUBLISHING

Conneaut Lake, PA

First originally published by Page Publishing 2022

All characters and events appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

ISBN 978-1-6624-8325-7 (pbk)

ISBN 978-1-6624-8338-7 (digital)

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

About the Author

To my wife and love, Martha, who left for heaven on September 12, 2020, after a long bout with cancer. She had the courage and heart of a lion and had no doubt in her faith in the Lord Jesus or that I would become a writer. May I continue moving forward with the many blessings and joy God left me through her.

Love you, babe!

Chapter 1

Carlos Grayhawk

Carlos Grayhawk Menz was a legend on the basketball courts, with quickness and a jump shot that made him soar, as his namesake would imply. But today, lying half-clothed from a night of drugs and alcohol, he was just the continual town problem. Simon Wolf was the sheriff in charge of maintaining order on the Navajo lands of eastern Arizona. He had gotten the call early that morning of a drunk and disorderly young male at Lakeview Park, half-clothed and harassing the joggers. Wolf instinctively knew who it was, Carlos Menz, his town problem. Sheriff Wolf was fierce and no-nonsense when it came to enforcing the law. He'd had his share of run-ins with Carlos and was in no mood to deal with him now.

The squad car pulled up to the park, and Sheriff Wolf gave the area a quick burst from his siren, which was more intended to get Carlos's attention. Still moaning and a bit irritated, Carlos lifted his head up slightly and then rested it back down on the moist cool grass. Sheriff Wolf had no patience for Carlos. A waste of flesh and a pain in my Navajo ass! he'd say. On this day, his patience was running way thin, almost nonexistent. As he got out of his squad car, he looked around at the small crowd that had gathered to watch. Two kids on their bikes sat nonchalantly, waiting to see what would happen to their sometime hero, Carlos. I think the sheriff's gonna kick his butt, murmured one boy to the other, to which his friend could only nod in agreement.

As the sheriff and his deputy approach, Carlos grunted, sat up, and gave an unflattering middle finger to them. Sheriff Wolf, unimpressed and unconcerned with Carlos's greeting, remained calm with his hands on his hips, one resting on his revolver. Get up, Carlos, he said as he looks out onto the park through his dark sunglasses. His mind and energy not wanting to deal with a drunken, stoned-out-of-his-ass, two-time loser.

Carlos struggled to his knees and then caught himself with his strong long arms before he fell face-first. As he began to straighten himself up, he reached for the two quart-size bottles of beer, empty from the night before. Holding one in each hand, he looked up at Sheriff Wolf and gave him a sinister smile and accompanying grunt. It's a challenge that the sheriff had no patience for. He unstrapped and pulled his revolver from its holster, and unclicking the safety, he then pointed it at Carlos's head. If he makes one move toward me with those bottles, I'm gonna blow his freak'n head off, he told his deputy in a calm but stern tone.

It was a tone his deputy knew well and was one that was not to be challenged in any way. Having only two years on the force, Deputy Randel didn't want to see Carlos lose his life today and didn't want Sheriff Wolf to be the one to take it. He raised his hand toward Carlos and spoke to him in a calmer and hopefully disarming manner. Come on, Carlos, put the bottles down, you don't want to go there today.

Carlos, never taking his eyes off Sheriff Wolf, laughed and then let the bottles fall to the ground. He raised his hands and howled like a wounded wolf and then fell flat on his back, exhausted, wasted, and done. Sheriff Wolf never took his eyes off him, with his revolver still pointed squarely at Carlos's head. A part of him may be a bit disappointed that Carlos didn't charge him with those bottles, which would have put an end to his town problem. Without flinching once, he merely spoke a two-word command to his deputy, Cuff him.

Three days would pass before Carlos would see the outside of the jail where he had spent the weekend. Sheriff Wolf stood at the end of the counter, staring down Carlos as they handed him his belongings. Carlos never looked up, only collected his wallet and the few dollars he had. His only valued possession was a ring his grandmother had given him before she died. He placed that ring on his finger and adjusted it slightly and then made his way to the door, never making eye contact with the sheriff.

Sheriff Wolf, still disgusted and knowing this wouldn't be their last encounter, followed him out the door. You be sure to come back now! was the sarcastic farewell he gave to Carlos on the way out. For his part, Carlos just kept on walking. He knew it would be the smart thing to do, and he didn't want any more run-ins with big bad Wolf. The next best stop for him was the basketball court where he could relax and let off as much steam as he wanted.

Being king of the courts was not a problem for Carlos. His jump shots were smooth and always on target whether he was fading away or hitting a three-pointer. Playing basketball was his moment of serenity where nothing else mattered. It was his dream as a child to play at the college level, maybe Duke or Kentucky. But as an eighth grader, the drugs and alcohol became more prevalent in his life and pushed him out of school and into the troubled streets. Thus, rather than becoming an outstanding player for his school and the Navajo Nation, he resolved to be the unmatchable talent on the street courts. At least there, he could be as good as he wanted be and answer to no one.

As he dribbled his worn-out basketball between his legs, he gave a quick spin move and penetrated the lane and then finished with a monster slam dunk. Freak'n awesome Carlos! was the ecstatic response of two young boys who had stopped by to watch the Grayhawk soar. It was the same two boys that were at the park the day he got arrested. Carlos gave them a short smile and replied, Thanks, knuckleheads. Still sitting on their bikes, one of them spoke up and told Carlos they witnessed the sheriff take him away that early Saturday morning. He only shook his head and told them it was no big deal.

But to two young boys, it was a big deal. The sheriff took his gun out and pointed it right at you! exclaimed one of the boys.

Yeah! added the other. We thought for sure he was going to blow your head off!

Carlos stopped and looked straight at the two in shock, as he had no memory of that fateful day. Maybe, he thought, it was just the imagination of two kids playing games with him. You guys are watching too many cop shows on TV, he said as took a jump shot.

No, Carlos, it's true. Mr. Mike was on his way to the pool and stopped to watch, said one of the young boys. Then he added, He said it was a good thing you dropped the bottles because Sheriff Wolf would have shot you dead!

Carlos stopped and thought about that one. He knew they were telling the truth because he did remember buying two quarts of beer and being at the park. Mr. Mike, who handled the pool maintenance at the park, would confirm their story, but for Carlos, that wasn't necessary. He looked over at the boys, just young kids like he used to be. Why did they have to see such a thing? At their age, they should be enjoying riding their bikes and having fun at the pool or park or anywhere.

Carlos knew they admired him and his basketball skills and believed him to be their hero. Some hero, he murmured to himself as he bounced the ball. As he looked over at the boys and their young innocent faces, he calmly and apologetically said, Well, I'm sorry you saw that. In a reassuring tone, he then added, I'm going to make sure that doesn't happen again. That brought a smile to both boys. Carlos then waved them off and jokingly shouted, Okay, get out of here, you knuckleheads! Both boys laughed as they turned their bikes around and sped off.

It was a profound moment for Carlos, watching those boys pedal as fast as they could with the wind blowing through their shirts and hair. He thought about their future and his. Would they keep looking up to him, a junkie, as a role model? Someone to follow into the world of drugs and alcohol and of disappointment? He knew he could be so much more than that. His life was still in its youth at nineteen, but Carlos felt it slipping away rapidly. How could he let so many years be lost? he wondered. Something in him was beginning to stir, an understanding of what he had and of who he could be.

Looking down at the ring his grandmother had given him, he remembered the last words she had spoken to him. Life does come down to two paths, one leads to roads that are treacherous and the other to those that are righteous. The path we chose in the beginning will be with us throughout our lives. He also remembered how she knocked on his head with her knuckles and sternly told him not to be a stubborn mule but to be strong, wise, and to choose the righteous path. He had let her down there, as the path he was on was eroding his life, not improving it.

Carlos knew were his talents lay, and it was in basketball. Instead of refining that talent, he had been putting more wasted time and effort into something that took no time at all—his indulgence in alcohol and drugs. Again, he shook his head and wondered what Grandma would say to him now. Standing at the free throw line, he looked up at the clear morning sky as if awaiting a response from her. Then he looked down at his worn-out basketball, scuffed and losing its grip from the countless hours of being pounded to the ground. That's not going to be me, Grandma, he declared to himself.

Suddenly, a surge of energy began to fill Carlos, a belief in who he was and what he was intended to be. He had placed so much effort into his reckless behavior, why not refocus that into his skills on the court? Why not get off the path going nowhere and onto the path to something greater, the path where his grandma waited for him to go? With that, Carlos took his old worn-out basketball and gave it a swift kick, sending it far into the desert ravine away from the courts.

Symbolically, one could say Carlos Grayhawk Menz sent his old worn-out lifestyle away, to a desolated place where he was choosing not to go. In that, he was making a promise to his grandma that his path would be hers. It would be a journey that would be difficult at first but one he was determined to fight through. His skills would in fact strengthen and improve, and more importantly, he'd be the town problem no more. It would take some time, but soon the basketball world would be introduced to this legend from the Navajo courts and his determination for turning things around not only in his own life but also in the lives of others.

Chapter 2

Los Cuates—The Twins

Stevie and Oscar were twin brothers bound not only from their mother's womb but also by a tenacious desire for the sport of basketball. At only five feet and eight inches in height, each had incredible skills, which made them both all district players in the city of El Paso and huge prospects for their biggest goal—playing for UTEP, the University of Texas at El Paso.

Steve had a strong desire to go on to UTEP and fulfill his dream, to play basketball for one of the greatest coaches in the country. He lived and breathed basketball and could be found at the gym or the neighborhood courts perfecting his skills. His brother, Oscar—or Oky, his shorter nickname—would always be there at his side improving right along with him. One could say it was a lifelong rivalry they had, trying to best each other. But what it did was sharpen their basketball skills to the point they would become the best in their high school and the city.

They had accomplished much in those high school years, and now their focus was on graduation and preparing for their shot at playing for a major university. Of course, the full scholarship that came with it was the brightest incentive, especially for their parents, Jesse and Alicia. They were their sons' biggest fans and supported them 100 percent, but they were also a working-class family having to provide for six kids. Steve