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The Basketball Team #7
Frank and Tiny arrived at the auditorium early. The bookie had
had a busy afternoon, setting up bets, arguing odds, collecting
money... if things went as he expected at the game, he would be
collecting a large amount of money. If not... well, he'd take it
out of Larry's black hide. Still, there was always more money to
made. Followed by Tiny, he headed to the slowly developing island
of white faces in the black ocean of the auditorium seats.
Still more money to be made...
In the first row, a tall, white haired man sat there with an
attractive, much younger redhead. Frank thought she looked a lot
like the girl Larry had back in the old high school, with auburn
hair and green eyes, but he couldn't be sure. Woman looked the
part of a rich housewife: she was wearing a mink coat and long,
diamond earrings. Frank studied her appreciatively for a moment
and then turned his attention to the mark.
Frank walked up to the man. "Hello there," Frank greeted offering
his hand, "Name's Fast Frank Smith. You'll here for the game? Why
I bet you got a little. .. un on the team. Sure a great day for
it." The bookie talked fast, his smile was disarming.
"Tom O'Donald," the white man said reluctantly taking the black
man's hand. "and yes, my daughter is on the team. She will be a
starting guard. "
"Just like her father," the redhead added, gripping her husband's
are nervously. "He played at Seaton Hall in his day." The woman
looked at Tiny, intimidated by his size.
"That a fact?" Frank said, nodding. "My little un's on the other
team, but she ain't so good. Think they'll just let her little
butt warm the ben..." He stopped and looked at the man's wife.
"Oh scuse me, Misses. I mean she be second string. Yea thas what
i means."
"Oh, well, not every one can be first string," the man said
magnaminously, "And I did my share of warming the bench. But
Melanie... Now she's an athlete. With this win, I'll see about
getting her a scholarship to college. Always important to be on
the championship team and play ball in college. Gets you in with
the right people."
"Sure do, don't it." Frank agreed, his smile widening. His
gleaming white teeth almost glowed under the bright light.
"Say... how 'bout we make a little wager on the outcome? You know
make it interesting for the grown folks."
Tom looked doubtful. "Gambling is illegal. Besides I don,t see
where your team has a chance." Tom tried to hide his smile. He
knew the fix was in. Hell, he had helped put it in himself. Cost
him... wait a minute.. "Course," he added, "you folks do have a
lot of talent."
"Oh yea. Right. Be illegal. But I knows the folks on the other
team want to express confidence in their chidren. If'n you'll
don't want to express confidence in you'rn. I'll understand.
Might get beat by us poor black folks."
Frank played Tom like he did the catfish back home. His disarming
smile never left his face.
The man still looked uncertain, but then: "Tom we have to." His
wife, the redhead, spoke up. "I mean it would be just a token of
faith in Melanie and the hard work Synthia's done with the
girls."
Tom shrugged. "How about five dollars?"
"Well if'n that's all you think your daughter's team worth."
Frank said taking out his roll of bills. "Yes sir... I's this
confident in our poor girls, but maybe with your job in jeopardy
it be all you can afford...
"Toooommm..." His wife pulled at his arm, encouraging him to
increase his bet.
The man sighed. "Wait a minute. I have confidence in Melanie and
Synthia. I just don't want to take your money. And my job's just
fine; I'm a lawyer - partner actually - and I'll..." He looked at
his wife for a moment and then turned back to the bookie. "...up
that to $100."
Frank grinned. "Now we getting there. What odds I got to give
you? Two to one seem fair?"
"Now wait a minute. Our team is better but I don't see that we
should..."
"No man," the bookie interrupted. "I give you the odds. You'll
team win, I gives you $2 for each $1 you'se put up."
"Well... if you are sure you want to do this... I mean our team
is favored... I mean..." The man looked confused.
Frank grinned. Time to move on. "Man, you seem to lack confidence
in you'ne." He shook his head and then looked up at the other
white parents in the crowd. "Maybe someun else here want to bet
with us folks," he called out.
"OK OK," Tom gave in. "Put me down for $500 of that."
Another white man leaned down from his seat and asked: "Can I
get some of this?"
"Sure you can," Frank told him. "How much you want?"
Deals were made quickly and soon Frank had all his money covered.
Small potatoes, really, but not bad. As game time approached, the
bookie turned to leave the white section of the bleachers.
"Wait a minute," Tom said. "How do we find you when we win?"
Frank looked shocked that anyone would question his honesty. "I
be an honest man," he answered, "but to show my good faith, I'se
let your fine wife here hold the money." He leaned over to the
redhead. "Here y'go maam. You keeps it till the final outcome."
He straightened up and looked down at Tom. How's that?"
Tom nodded. "Well, that's fine. And you have our word that we
will treat you fairly."
"Well..." Now it was Frank's turn to look doubtful. "That is a
lot of money.... 'specially with all these bad niggars round
here. Suppose my friend Tiny here sit with your wife to see
to it no harm comes to you'll or the money."
"Well, uh... that's OK... I guess." Tom turned to his wife, who
was holding a bag full of money on her lap. "OK with you honey??"
"Well.. I don't know... I , uh..." she answered, looking over at
Tiny's smiling face.
Frank looked thoughtful. "OK... tell you'll what: we have her sit
at the officials table, down there in plain sight all the time.
And I'll sit with you."
"Well, I guess..." Tom was unsure of where this was leading. "OK
with you honey?"
His wife looked uncomfortable, but she nodded her acceptance.
What could happen to her out there in plain sight?
The bookie smiled. "Yes maam. You'll get right over there with
the boy Tiny here. He take good care of you and the money be
safer there."
Tiny offered his hand and helped the woman down to the small
official's table. She shot her husband an angry look as she
passed by, but didn't say anything. She just walked down to the
table with Tiny close behind.
Frank grinned and took his seat beside Tom.
"Just in time," Tom commented. "Here come the teams."
