I sat on my bed the next day, the phone in my hand. Every few seconds, I turned my wrist around to make
sure the address was still there. Finally,I dialed up Lita's number and waited impaciently for her to answer.
Unfortunently, all I got was the answering machine. I was hoping for some sort of support from her. To
tell the truth, I was down right nervous about going over to a guy's house, especially one so.... so
different from me. "Take a deep breathe and just go!" I said to myself as I stood up slowly. Somehow I
managed to get downstairs and out the door before my mind start racing through all the reasons why I
should just stay home. I forced my legs to keep moving forward. About halfway there, I realized how silly
I was being. I mean, why should I be so nervous? He's just going to teach me how to play.
"Here goes nothing," I thought as I ran the doorbell. The house was gigantic with tons of windows drapped with
blue curtains. When the door opened,an older man, about the age of 30 something, stood there. He gave me a weird
stare before asking," Um...can I help ya?" He looked just like I could imagine Asher to look in 10 years or so.
I smiled kindly at him before responding," Yes, I'm here to meet Asher. By chance, is he home?" " Uh..I guess so.
What are you, his tutor or something?" he questioned then, obviously not use to seeing someone like me asking for
Asher. I nodded no as he finally stepped out of the way and motioned me inside. He led me into the living room,
where a guy about 14 was sitting in front of the TV, doing homework. " I'll go find 'em. You wait here," he said
before running up a stair case. The younger guy looked up at me for a second or so before returning his attention
back to the TV.
I turned around when I heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Asher appeared at the bottom of the stairs and gave
me a big grin. " Sup, Amy? Didn't think you'd actually show," he said as he walked over to his younger brother and
messed up his hair before sitting down on the couch to put on his shoes. His brother refixed his hair before wailing
out," Ashyyyy. I can't do this shit! It's way too hard!"
"Don't say that word, moron. What is it?"
"My stupid Algebra homework."
"Tough luck, kid. I don't remember a thing from that class."
"Um..maybe I could be of assistance?"
They both look up at me for a minute as if they had totally forgot that I was there. I walked over to them then took
the book in my hands and glanced over it. It was very basic and I instantly started to explain how to do it. By the
time I finished talking, both of them were just staring at me with blank expressions. " What? It's basic math," I
said while I put the book down," Do I need to put this in simpler terms or something?" They both nodded in unison.
I groaned at their lack of vocabulary as I explained it again using simpler words.
A few minutes later, Asher and I were in his back yard warming up. I hadn't made a single shot yet and I could tell
that Asher was trying his hardest not to laugh at me. After watching me attempt a few more shots, he finally came
over and pointed out what I was doing wrong. He repositioned my hands and told me to spread my feet out more. I tried
again, but threw up a total airball. He let out a loud sigh as he went after the ball. As soon as he picked it up, a
loud scream came from the house. He looked over at me before dropping the ball and running inside. Not really sure of
what to do, I ran after him.
I realized what was going on as soon as I got inside. His brother was lying in front of the tv on his back with Asher
squatting down next to him. The older guy who had let me in was standing off to the side, scared to death. " He's not
breathing!" Asher said quickly. " Move out of my way," I exclaimed as I pushed Asher aside," Call an ambulence. Now!"
Asher got up quickly and ran over to the phone. I listened to his heart before I started to perform CPR on him. I
was so glad that I had taken that First Aid class not too long ago. I kept at it until an ambulence came and the EMT's
took over. They took his brother outside to the ambulence in order to get him to the hospital. The older guy went in
the ambulence as it drove off. " Come with me to the hospital, Amy," Asher said with a terrified expression on his
face. I nodded in response as we got in his car. " Shouldn't we call your parents or something?" I questioned as he
pulled out of the drive way. He gave me a funny look before replying," Who did you think was going with Todd?" I
sat in shock as I realized what he was saying. That WAS his father who was in the ambulence. " Don't even bother saying
it Amy. I know how it looks. He and mom had me when they were only 16." I sat quietly during the rest of the ride,
shocked about everything that Asher had told me and hoping that his brother would be ok.
sure the address was still there. Finally,I dialed up Lita's number and waited impaciently for her to answer.
Unfortunently, all I got was the answering machine. I was hoping for some sort of support from her. To
tell the truth, I was down right nervous about going over to a guy's house, especially one so.... so
different from me. "Take a deep breathe and just go!" I said to myself as I stood up slowly. Somehow I
managed to get downstairs and out the door before my mind start racing through all the reasons why I
should just stay home. I forced my legs to keep moving forward. About halfway there, I realized how silly
I was being. I mean, why should I be so nervous? He's just going to teach me how to play.
"Here goes nothing," I thought as I ran the doorbell. The house was gigantic with tons of windows drapped with
blue curtains. When the door opened,an older man, about the age of 30 something, stood there. He gave me a weird
stare before asking," Um...can I help ya?" He looked just like I could imagine Asher to look in 10 years or so.
I smiled kindly at him before responding," Yes, I'm here to meet Asher. By chance, is he home?" " Uh..I guess so.
What are you, his tutor or something?" he questioned then, obviously not use to seeing someone like me asking for
Asher. I nodded no as he finally stepped out of the way and motioned me inside. He led me into the living room,
where a guy about 14 was sitting in front of the TV, doing homework. " I'll go find 'em. You wait here," he said
before running up a stair case. The younger guy looked up at me for a second or so before returning his attention
back to the TV.
I turned around when I heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Asher appeared at the bottom of the stairs and gave
me a big grin. " Sup, Amy? Didn't think you'd actually show," he said as he walked over to his younger brother and
messed up his hair before sitting down on the couch to put on his shoes. His brother refixed his hair before wailing
out," Ashyyyy. I can't do this shit! It's way too hard!"
"Don't say that word, moron. What is it?"
"My stupid Algebra homework."
"Tough luck, kid. I don't remember a thing from that class."
"Um..maybe I could be of assistance?"
They both look up at me for a minute as if they had totally forgot that I was there. I walked over to them then took
the book in my hands and glanced over it. It was very basic and I instantly started to explain how to do it. By the
time I finished talking, both of them were just staring at me with blank expressions. " What? It's basic math," I
said while I put the book down," Do I need to put this in simpler terms or something?" They both nodded in unison.
I groaned at their lack of vocabulary as I explained it again using simpler words.
A few minutes later, Asher and I were in his back yard warming up. I hadn't made a single shot yet and I could tell
that Asher was trying his hardest not to laugh at me. After watching me attempt a few more shots, he finally came
over and pointed out what I was doing wrong. He repositioned my hands and told me to spread my feet out more. I tried
again, but threw up a total airball. He let out a loud sigh as he went after the ball. As soon as he picked it up, a
loud scream came from the house. He looked over at me before dropping the ball and running inside. Not really sure of
what to do, I ran after him.
I realized what was going on as soon as I got inside. His brother was lying in front of the tv on his back with Asher
squatting down next to him. The older guy who had let me in was standing off to the side, scared to death. " He's not
breathing!" Asher said quickly. " Move out of my way," I exclaimed as I pushed Asher aside," Call an ambulence. Now!"
Asher got up quickly and ran over to the phone. I listened to his heart before I started to perform CPR on him. I
was so glad that I had taken that First Aid class not too long ago. I kept at it until an ambulence came and the EMT's
took over. They took his brother outside to the ambulence in order to get him to the hospital. The older guy went in
the ambulence as it drove off. " Come with me to the hospital, Amy," Asher said with a terrified expression on his
face. I nodded in response as we got in his car. " Shouldn't we call your parents or something?" I questioned as he
pulled out of the drive way. He gave me a funny look before replying," Who did you think was going with Todd?" I
sat in shock as I realized what he was saying. That WAS his father who was in the ambulence. " Don't even bother saying
it Amy. I know how it looks. He and mom had me when they were only 16." I sat quietly during the rest of the ride,
shocked about everything that Asher had told me and hoping that his brother would be ok.