Brother Versus Brother

By Ron L. Haywood

Most times estranged, fate lures two brothers to center stage on opposing sides of northern and southern courtrooms. Siblings are transformed into jaded sparring partners as they battle in the ring of the criminal justice system. Rivalry on steroids, they very much resemble knockoffs of a modern-day Cain and Abel or Jacob and Esau with aggressive, heartless actions that provoke reckless reactions devoid of compassion. Such counter action lead to devastating consequences, which puts into question the moral compass of both brothers. "Justice"—exactly what is it? Brother versus Brother explores the societal phenomenon of "justice" from a northern, urban big-city perspective with diverse ethnic backgrounds and cultures. This extraordinary story reaffirms a "code of justice" spoken of on many occasions by the ancient judges: "In those days…everyone did what was right in his own eyes."

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Mar 15, 2021
• ISBN: 9781644243268

Book preview

The Early Years

In the sanctuary of her kitchen, Hattie thinks back to the day Terry first came home from the hospital. Frank Junior walked directly up to her as she held the newborn in her arms and slapped him in the face. From that day on, the fights between them have been nonstop.

Five years after Terry’s birth, Mr. Franklin Thomas, Sr. abruptly left the family home for another woman. He badgered Hattie constantly with his displeasure that after giving birth to their children, her weight gain was not as physically attractive and appealing to him as when they first got married.

As he walked out the very same door that had been the entry/exit to his family’s home for years, she reminded him, For better or worse. What happened to that vow?

He responded curtly as he walked out, I never signed my ‘John Henry’ to any vow that included putting up with a fat woman as my wife, and closed the door behind him, left his family for good, and never once looked back.

God knows that it is not natural for a woman to teach two boys how to become men. No matter what she did for them, she could never transition them fully into manhood. How could she teach what she is not? Because there was never an answer to the question, it became her greatest fear.

For a year after Frank Senior left, Hattie cried, and shortly afterward, both sons started to act out in school with aggressive behaviors. Things shifted when her mother moved in to help with a difficult yet not impossible parenting dilemma. With her mother in the home, she was able to work twelve-hour shifts at the hospital as a nurse to support the family.

Every day she thanked God for her mother’s willingness to help but hated that the arrangement forced her, as grandmother, into the role of disciplinarian. Her mom kept the house in pleasant order and co-raised two boys, which had to be a burden on a woman who had already raised a family and who recently lost her husband, the love of her life, to cancer.

Hattie pretty much gave up any desire for her personal enjoyment in life to dedicate her time and attention to her sons, and with the help of her mother, things started to turn around. They took the boys to church every Sunday, and it seemed that their feudal tantrums stopped (at least for a short time). Both sons excelled in sports and performed excellently in their studies. Terry was always at the top of his class, and Frank was no academic slouch either. He was in the top 20 percent of his class and a standout on the basketball team. Things were going reasonably well, and they had finally adjusted as a productive, close-knit family—or so she thought.

Then there was the uneventful day of brotherly betrayal that changed her sons’ lives forever; it was a day she would always remember. Trust—once you lose it, it’s so hard to restore. The violation of trust of one son produced an unforgiving spirit in the other. These events would forever cause a rift in their relationship. These outcomes of betrayal slapped her into a harsh reality that all was not well in her happy home.

Girls, Girls, Girls—Let the War Begin

Terry and Cindy sit at Hattie’s dining room table in an attempt at some serious study. To be honest, he’s spending most of his time studying her. Who can blame him for not being able to concentrate when one of the most attractive girls in the school is at his table? In his house? Cindy is near perfect from head to toe. Terry is compelled to focus on her large brown, almond-shaped eyes, her dark ebony skin, her bright smile. She seems to glow from the inside out. Barbie herself would kill for a body like hers. Terry is deep in the study of her perfect physical features instead of deep in academic study.

One of the few times he acknowledges the goodness of God is at that very moment when he realizes that only God Almighty can design such an attractive creature. To himself he says, Out of all the guys in the school, this beauty is here with me in my home. The crazy thing that boggles him is that she initially approached him and started a conversation about his involvement with the high school basketball team.

Still taking great pleasure in his daydream, he says to himself, Well, let’s not dwell on my good fortune. However, that’s exactly what he wants to dwell on. Terry is anxious for Frank to come home and see him with Cindy and Cindy with him. For years, Frank has paraded his girlfriends in front of him. This time, it will be his turn; Cindy is much better-looking than any girl that Frank was ever with.

Terry hears the front door open, and to his delight, it’s Frank. He especially enjoys the look on his brother’s face when he lays eyes on Cindy. Proudly, he springs to his feet to make the formal introductions.

Frank, this is my girl, Cindy. Cindy, this is my brother Frank.

Cindy stands up to greet him. "Oh, I know who he is, all right—he’s the best guard on our team."

Terry frowns when Frank flashes a sly, inviting smile in Cindy’s direction. Well, I am guilty of being the best. So then, that makes you a basketball fan?

Every chance I get, I’m at the games. I’ve decided to try out for the cheerleading team this year. Do you think I have what it takes? She pulls her sweater down and flashes her breasts in Frank’s direction and models them for him.

An immediate rush of testosterone causes Frank to undress her with his well-trained, eager eyes. Most definitely.

This bold, in-private conversation makes Terry a bit jealous. He abruptly interrupts, Excuse us. We have a lot of studying to do.

Unable to resist the temptation to cause Terry grief, Frank says, Yes, little brother, you certainly do have a lot of work to do. Junior varsity again? Too bad. I believe that’s the second straight year you missed varsity, isn’t it? I’ll have to teach you how to improve your jump shot. Free of charge cause we’re brothers and all.

Terry wonders to himself, Why doesn’t Frank just hurry up and leave? Why would he bring that up in front of my girl?

As Frank departs from the dining room to head upstairs, Cindy announces in a soft, sultry voice, It was very nice to meet you, Frank. Hope to see you again real soon.

He turns around and winks at her. The pleasure was all mine. Indeed, it was! Although he doesn’t say a word, Terry is furious that Frank flirted with his girl and added insult to injury when he took a cheap shot at his basketball skills.

Dirty bastard!

This monumental payback moment certainly didn’t turn out the way Terry envisioned. Even though he’s with Cindy, Frank still gets the upper hand—again. I’ll just forget about Frank’s crudeness and concentrate on Cindy.

Two days later, standing at his high school locker, Frank catches a whiff of a familiar sweet strawberry fragrance. He turns around to find himself face-to-face with Cindy, looking very womanly and irresistible. He could kick himself for not noticing her earlier in the semester before Terry set his eyes on her. However, he mentally reconciles the situation and ignores the attraction himself by honoring the brother code. He acquiesced that she is Terry’s girl now and, therefore, off limits to him.

Cindy strolls directly up to him and speaks in a low, sensuous voice, Hi, Frank.

Hey, Cindy, he responds with a big smile.

Cindy grins back at him. You remembered my name. And she giggles flirtatiously.

Oh, I remember you, all right. You’re not the type of woman a man easily forgets. No way! No way, Jose!

She takes his overly enthusiastic comeback as ping-pong flirtatious in nature and an acceptance of her obvious advances. Smiling, she makes eye contact and impetuously exerts surprising strength and grabs him by his jacket lapels and swiftly pulls him into a vacant classroom. Confident in her deliberate, sensual provocations and without saying a word, she kisses his lips in search of his tongue. In a split second, she succeeds in her search. After a long tell all, do all kiss, Frank accurately interprets her intentions and gently yet reluctantly pushes her away from him.

Whoa, there! I just remembered that you are my brother’s girl!

Well, he’s okay, but it’s different when I’m in your presence. I feel hot all over. She moves her hands circularly over her breasts to illustrate her hotness. I mean, you are one of the baddest ballplayers on the damn court. I mean, no one can touch you!

Yes, I am, Frank boasts in a cocky manner.

Besides, you can do things for me that he cannot do.

Puzzled, Frank looks at her. What are you getting at?

I want to make the cheerleader team, and I understand that you have a vote on the selection committee.

Frank frowns at her. So you came on to me for a ‘yes’ vote?

Why not? You have something I want, and I know I definitely have something you want.

And my brother Terry? What about him?

Speaking in that same soft, sexy voice, Cindy presses her breasts into his chest and coos, "I’ll give you what you want before the vote and what he needs after the vote. Believe me, when I am done with him, he will think he died and went to heaven."

You gotta be kidding me! Is this a joke?

Not giving his question a second thought, Cindy peers into his eyes and reaches down and explores with an experienced hand until she captures his crotch. She massages ‘ground zero,’ and at once he feels his penis stiffen and swell.

Like I said a minute ago, nobody can touch you—especially not like this.

Her body still pressed against him up close and personal, she strokes and massages what’s in her hand and whispers her version of an answer to his question. Now tell me something—does this feel like a joke to you? Think about it.

She releases his bulging crotch and leaves him all alone and exasperated in the vacant classroom. Frank, still bent over and overwhelmed by the experience, breathlessly calls out to Cindy, "Okay, you’ve convinced me. I will definitely give it some thought!"

Two Days Later

The chemistry teacher suddenly became ill, and because it is the last class period of the day, students get an early dismissal. Elated to be free at his teacher’s misfortune, Terry makes a quick stop at his locker to retrieve a textbook and then heads home.

As he enters the house, a bag on the floor by the door catches his eye. He bends down to further investigate and right away recognizes Cindy’s distinctly designed bookbag. He picks it up, opens it, and as expected, sees her name written inside. Shrugging his shoulders, he mutters, What the hell…? How in the world did this get here? I know she didn’t leave anything. As his mind races to solve the mystery, he rezips the bag and places it back where he discovered it. Still confused that her bag is in the house, he goes upstairs towards his room and continues to ponder how the bag got there.

Still in a puzzled daydream over Cindy’s bookbag, his right hand twists the doorknob to enter his bedroom as his ears instinctively turn toward the sounds of movement and muffled voices coming from Frank’s room down the hall. Frank still should have been in last period at school; just the same, he is surprised to hear Frank’s voice and noises from the room. Without thinking to knock first, he opens the door to check out the situation.

Hey dude. What’s up? Do you have any idea how Cindy’s bag…?

Before finishing his question, he steps into the room and witnesses firsthand his brother Frank in bed sexually engaged with someone. When his reflexes kick in, he remembers the brother code and quickly and quietly shuts the door without seeing which one of his girls is the trophy of the day. Shaking his head in approval and with a grin at his big brother’s latest conquest, he walks away. Then in a flash, the truth hits him like a sledgehammer: Frank is having sex with Cindy. With lightning speed, he runs back and flings open the door in time to see both Frank and Cindy putting on their clothes.

What the hell is going on here?

Nothing, man, Frank replies with shame.

"Cindy! You’re supposed to be my girl!"

Cindy annoyed by his claim, Look, I don’t belong to anyone.

Obviously not to me. So you’re just another one of my brother’s whores?

Frank approaches Terry. Hey, listen, man, don’t call her that.

She is a ho, brother! But the real question is, who the hell are you?

Terry looks questioningly at Cindy. I thought you were something special, but it turns out that you’ve become another one of Frank’s whores.

Cindy, in a frenzy, yells at Terry, "I am not a whore!"

"I’m sorry, I should have said ho because that’s what Frank calls all his girls. Right, big brother?"

Frank looks at Cindy. It’s okay. You go on home now.

Cindy sheepishly rolls her eyes at Terry as she leaves the room. I’m sorry if I hurt you.

He looks away from her in total disgust. Don’t flatter yourself, ho.

Terry notices that she left her bra on the bedroom floor and picks it up. You forgot something, ho.’

As she turns toward him, he forcefully throws it at her face. Her hand flies upward to keep it from hitting her, and she manages to catch it. With a gaping stare aimed at Terry, she turns away, runs downstairs, and quickly leaves the house and escapes the unexpected, embarrassing moment.

Terry, that was not necessary.

Not necessary? You’re going to tell me how I should act when I see my own brother fucking my girl?

She was never your girl, Terry. Cindy was just…

Don’t you dare say her name to me!

Before Frank can finish his lame explanation, he feels the painful sting of a powerful, potentially knock-out right hook connect with his face. On his feet yet staggering, he wouldn’t dare refute that he deserved the punch, but it still hurts and leaves him somewhat dazed. Thinking that Terry is okay now after hitting him and getting away with it, it never dawns on Frank that his brother just got his first taste of the sweetness associated with his initiation into the dark realm of revenge. Terry very much likes this newly acquired taste.

With a swift, stealth-like movement of a mountain cat, Terry jumps into the air and tackles Frank better than any pro-football player ever could. As they fall on the bed, Terry’s punches feel right at home in Frank’s face. After he lands two good ones, Frank thinks to himself, I’m not taking another one. As Terry swings the third punch, Frank blocks it by grabbing both his arms by the wrists. With all his strength, he hurls Terry off the bed onto the floor. Frank jumps on top of him and holds him down. Terry tries but is unable to break free.

"Listen, man, I’m sorry about this but she was not your girl, and besides, you should never come into my room without knocking first."

Terry is so furious with his brother; the nerve of him to try to flip the switch and place some blame on him. With the weight of Frank’s full basketball stature on top of him, he is helplessly trapped underneath. So he quickly enacts a counter-measure, self-defense tactic; he spits in his face right between the eyes. Surprised and equally outraged that Terry’s slimy saliva is drooling down his face, Frank still manages to keep control of Terry on the floor.

"Look, man, I’m telling you the truth—she played you to get close to me for the cheerleading vote. Now my plan was—and still is—to play her back and make her give it up to you too. Then I still wasn’t going to select her for the team because she was playing you. Now I know that you are mad right this minute, but I will let you up if you promise not to fight anymore and just leave my room."

Terry doesn’t respond. Mistaking his silence for an affirmative agreement to his problem-solving solution, Frank slowly gets up to let Terry loose. Terry shakes himself free, stands erect, and gives his brother a vicious stare.

Frank, sensing that his younger brother is still mad about his well-thought-out, unselfish action plan, says, Look, she needs my vote. I can still arrange for you to get some pussy before I get to vote for the choice of the cheer team. Okay?

As Terry goes toward the door to leave, fury and anger boil over inside his heart, and he eyes Frank’s personal achievement trophies on a bookshelf. His eyes land specifically on the one that Frank won in the Slam Dunk Contest, the one he is most proud of. Without a second thought, he picks it up and throws it with powerful, revengeful payback force aimed directly at Frank’s head. The trophy weighs about a quarter pound, and it continues in swift, airborne fashion to connect with its intended target. Frank instinctively stoops down to avoid the impact—but he’s not fast enough; the trophy hits him squarely on the top of his head.

What is wrong with you?

Frank reaches to inspect the damage inflicted to his head and then looks down at his hand—blood and lots of it. Wide-eyed and with a perverted sense of satisfaction, Terry assesses the injury he’s caused. Revenge is getting sweeter and sweeter by the minute. Though he reasons to himself that Frank deserves it, he is no fool to think that he will forgive and forget and let him get away with it. That will never happen, so he quickly plots his escape and starts to back up out of the room.

Bleeding profusely, Frank runs and looks in the mirror and yells, Oh, hell no! That’s it! It’s on now!

Like a running bull let loose from the pen, Frank charges and squeezes Terry’s torso all while Terry continues his escape by carefully backing out of the room with the stairs as a designated safety zone.

As more blood rolls down his face into his eyes, Frank manages to tackle him with fierce ferocity proven only by the very best and highly skilled of football players anywhere, anytime. Not realizing the escalation of his brute strength, the rumble rolls them outside the bedroom into the hallway and down the stairs. Frank’s tackle causes both young men to descend the stairs in a horizontal position. As they tumble from one stair to another, they continue their powerful, intent-to-do-great-bodily-harm punches upon one other. Steadily descending until, finally, there is a loud thud as they land at the bottom of the stairs.

Still caught up in the most crucial sibling rumble of their lifetimes as brothers, they don’t hear the front door open. As they continue to mete out painful blows upon one another, Hattie arrives home and is confronted with the disturbing scene. Near the front door’s entryway is an umbrella, which she grabs and swings wildly, striking both sons.

"Stop it right now! I said right now!"

The brothers stop the rumble and awkwardly get up from the floor to stand at attention before her.

What is the matter with you two? Second thought, I don’t want to know. I’m tired and can’t deal with this right now. I might kill somebody for messing up my house. Go to your rooms right now, and the first one that throws another punch, I swear before God, I will kill you!

As they head up the stairs, she looks at them as to dare the first one to start up again.

About an hour passes, and there is a knock at Terry’s door. He doesn’t respond, but Hattie enters his room anyway.

Mama, I don’t want to talk about it.

You have no choice. I want to talk. What happened? Your brother’s head is bleeding bad, and I want to talk about why my house is out of order. So let’s start with why you were hitting each other.

Terry stands up from his desk, He stole my girl.

She looks him directly in the eyes and sees his tears and feels his heart pain. Since he doesn’t cry often, she knows that whatever happened he hurts quite badly.

Hattie takes him by the hand and gestures for him to sit down on the bed next to her, What do you mean he ‘stole your girl’? What girl? You got a girl? When did you get a girl and your Mama don’t know you got a girl?

She was mine and he knew it, because I told him she was mine, and he took her anyway, Mama!

How do you know he took your girl?

I saw him with her.

Where?

His room.

Where in his room?

In his bed.

"In my house? Oh, hell no!" Hattie jumps up and heads to Frank’s room. He hears her definitive steps coming for him as she walks in without knocking.

"You did what in my house?"

Pissed that Terry ratted him out, he says, I’m sorry, Mama—it was a mistake.

Ooohhh, I see…because you got caught, it’s now a mistake? It doesn’t sound like a mistake to me but an excuse. Do you know what an excuse is? ‘Excuses are tools of the incompetent used to build monuments of nothingness and those who use them will continue to hurt people without taking responsibility for their actions.’ Although Frank knew he had it coming, he hates when his mother starts her philosophical rants.

"Out of all the girls that are out there in the world, why would you take your brother’s friend? And how could you have sex in my house? How could you disrespect us like that? This is our home!"

So, Mama, you’re taking his side without even hearing me out?

Hattie folds her arms and sits down next to him on the bed. All right, I’m ready to hear your side. What happened?

His ‘so-called’ girlfriend came over to see me. She knew that I was a judge for the cheerleading tryouts. She came on to me and I kissed her, and he walked in and saw us kissing.

Hattie stands straight up and slaps him square in the very same face that still had visible blood residue. Rule one, no girls in this house while I’m not here. Rule two, don’t steal your brother’s girlfriend. Rule three, don’t have sex. You have plans to go to college, and if you get some girl pregnant, your plans might not happen.

Frank, who regards himself as a knowledgeable man of the world, responds proudly without thinking it through, I used a condom.

Hattie shakes her head, "Oh! So you planned in advance to have sex with your brother’s girlfriend?"

From that point on, Frank decides it’s best to keep quiet.

Rule four, don’t lie to me. Go in there and make it right with your brother. I haven’t decided your punishment for this, but there will be no judging anything or anybody in your near future!

He frowns in disappointment.

Go on now, before prom and senior trip will be out also!

He makes his way to Terry’s room. You know, you could have killed me with that trophy.

Precisely. That was the master plan. Besides, I didn’t tell you that you can come into my room.

Since when do I need an invitation to come into my little brother’s room?

Since you fucked your little brother’s girl.

Frank pleads with his brother, Terry, come on, Mama might mess up my senior year, and you got your revenge blood at my expense.

He looks in the mirror. Besides, bro, this revenge might leave a permanent scar.

Terry stares at him with a confused look on his face. Who are you? It’s always all about you and the hell with everyone else.

Look, I’m sorry you caught us and saw us.

Yeah, I bet you’re sorrier you got caught.

Frank senses Terry is still angry, but it’s time to be a man and accept the reality of his so-called girl.

Look man, as I said, Cindy only wanted me because of the cheerleading tryouts. She’s already slept with several of the other judges.

Terry gazes at him with rage. You’re a liar! Even if it was true, you could have told her that you would support her because she was my girl and forget about what you could get out of it.

Frank puts both hands on Terry’s shoulders in a "man to man attempt to bond and looks him straight in his eyes. Dude, I’m telling you for the last time, she was not your girl. She came looking for me. She used you to get to me."

Terry shrugs his shoulders to knock Frank’s hands off him. Still unwilling to come to grips with the truth about Cindy, he responds sarcastically, And naturally, you couldn’t just simply do the right, brotherly thing and turn her down?

Frank smiles. Well, you know—I am a man.

Tell me something, brother, does a real man fuck his brother’s girl?

Yeah, he does! He tries to fuck everybody he can. However, I’m truly sorry! All right? I wish I would’ve had strength and turned her down, but I don’t, and I didn’t. Now are we okay? Right, little brother?

Terry shakes his head as the wretched pain in his heart causes him to sink deeper into the realm of revenge.

I don’t think we will ever again be okay.

Frank, frustrated because his apology doesn’t appear to be enough, says, "Come on, man! Forget about her. You’re going to let some opportunistic ho come between me and you?"

"Tell me this. How many girls have you had, Frank? Five, ten, twenty? This was my first one, and you stole her because she was with me. You couldn’t stand the fact that I had something better than you."

Frank is more frustrated because the conversation continues to go off course. "I told you, man, that she came on to me and has no interest in you."

So you couldn’t just pass up free sex when it was forced on you?

Yeah, that’s right, and I knew you’d understand that type of pressure. I mean, you know how we men are.

Maybe, since I’m still young, I don’t know much about being a man, but I never thought a brother would do something like this to his brother. How could you do this to me, Frank? Deep down, I always believed you had my back. I mean, I know we fight sometimes over silly stuff, but I never thought you would intentionally hurt me the way you have.

"Hurt? Man, are you a man or woman? Come on, get over it. It was just some ho that was playing you to get to me. That’s it! Now get over it!"

And my own brother was more than happy to help her carry out her plan.

Well, yeah, but it was a plan that was going to lead to you having sex too. Your virgin days were finally going to be over, little brother. I can still make it happen if you want. If you don’t, then get over it, man.

Exasperated because his attempt at an apology obviously failed, Frank throws his hands up in surrender and leaves the room to further examine his head wound.

Terry yells after him, I don’t know if I’ll ever get over it, Frank, but I do know that I will never ever trust you again!

Six Months Later

For months, Hattie waited for the right moment to broach the subject of Frank’s strategic plans for his future. However, because of the ongoing turmoil between him and Terry, she exercised motherly patience. Now sitting at the dining table, she braces herself for what is going to be a difficult time in both of their lives. A time they will forever remember.

From a very early age, he idolized them all: Magic, Thomas, Bird, and names of so many other basketball superstars that she couldn’t keep up with. As his mother, she always hoped to be his hero, but against such iconic names and a culture that idolizes ballplayers, she didn’t stand a chance.

Her tireless efforts to expose him to different occupations and careers were futile. He would always say, Mama, I am going to be a basketball player. So as she waits for him to join her at the dining room table, she knows that this long overdue conversation will crush his young ego, but she has no other choice than to force him to take a good look at reality. Desperately wanting to express the right words to inspire rather than mortify him, she prays and asks God for his words and how to say them.

Calling Frank from his room, she feels some anxiety.

Yeah, Mama.

She remains seated as he enters the room.

Sit down, son. It’s way past time for us to discuss some options so you can make a decision about your future.

Frank frowns to signal his unwillingness to have this conversation but sits down as ordered.

Look, son, none of your top choices for college have offered you a scholarship, but you do have scholarships from five other good schools. Baby, I know it hurts to face reality sometimes, but maybe you should consider the fact that you’re not going to be a professional ball player. I mean, if you’re not offered a scholarship to play for a top school, what are your chances of ever making the pros? But there still are some good options for you. For instance, you can accept one of the other scholarships, study hard, and become whatever you want to be.

He shakes his head from side to side and openly laughs at her. "I want to be a basketball player. I will be a basketball player. Nobody is going to take my one and only dream away—not even you, Mama."

Is it a dream or a fantasy? There is a difference. You have a choice—you can pick one of the five schools offering scholarships and play ball for them.

Division 2 schools have never been in my line of vision and certainly not my future.

I don’t care nothing about that! I didn’t spend thousands of dollars all these years on your Catholic school education for nothing. In fact, I still owe for your brother’s final year, and I don’t have the money to pay for your college tuition too.

So are you saying I’m supposed to sacrifice my dream for him? Not going to happen!

"It’s not about your brother. Terry has nothing to do with it. It’s about economics. Look, if they don’t pay, you can’t play. I can’t afford Duke or North Carolina or wherever you get a divine revelation to go. If it is truly God’s will for you to become a great basketball player, you will succeed even at a Division 2 school. What’s in a name anyway? What about the spirit?"

Frank answers her, "This spirit [as he taps his chest with his forefinger] will not give up its dream for you or anyone else."

Undaunted, Hattie remains firm in her appeal. That’s perfectly fine, but you’d better pick one of those ‘free ride’ schools or I will pick it for you. You have just two weeks before the college deadline and you can’t put it off any longer. So pick a school and that’s final.

I’m sorry, Mama. It’s my life and my dream, and I will not give it up for anyone, especially that brat.

Hattie, a little agitated, says, As long as you can pay for it, then you can have whatever you can pay for. You need to understand that I will not pay for college when the reality is that you can go to school for free.

Frank, even more aggravated because of her motherly sensibility, throws out, I’m still waiting for Michigan State to make a final decision!

Oh, son, that’s no problem. You just keep waiting, and in the meantime, pick one of the five schools.

She leaves him at the table drenched in his misery. He knows she’s absolutely right. It makes no sense to pay when he can go for free. Yet he reminds himself, Historically, the number of players that made it in professional basketball from Division 2 schools are slim, but there have been some.

Two weeks pass by, and the long-awaited word from Michigan State University (MSU) arrives. It is the ultimate word Frank has dreamt of for years. One of the recruited players decided to go to another school, and he is the next choice. A dream come true—a full four-year scholarship to play basketball for a major university and top-rated basketball team. Frank is on cloud nine and can’t help but to tell everyone, which includes Terry, family, friends, and total strangers that he’s on his way to Michigan State University and shortly after that on to the National Basketball Association (NBA).

In agony from the very the moment he learns of his brother’s scholarship, Terry avoids Frank at every cost. The night of Frank’s graduation party, he stays away from home until nine o’clock that night and sneaks in the back door so no one will see him. The day of graduation, he leaves home early and binges at an all-day Star Trek Film Festival. Hattie waits for him but finally has to leave because he didn’t come home. Thus, he incurs punishment