Adam's elementary school didn't have classes that day because of some teachers workshop so he used the time to sleep. When he woke up at noon and went down stairs there was nobody around except the house keeper. He walked to the kitchen and hopped up on the counter while Sophie scrubbed out the sink.
"Well, well, well, nice of you to join us this morning Adam." The women smiled tossing down the sponge that was in her hand.
"I was up late last night." The boy explained.
"Couldn't you sleep?"
"Not really."
"If it's about the team switching thing, your father went to talk to the Ducks sponsor this morning, I imagine he should be back soon. I bet you he'll fix everything for you."
"I hope so." Adam replied swinging his feet.
Sophie patted the boys knee and walked over to the refrigerator and pulled the door open.
"Can I fix you something for breakfast, well lunch now?"
"Um sure, a grilled cheese."
"There's some of my world famous tomato soup in the freezer, would you like me to warm some up to go with your sandwich?"
"Please, that would be great. I'll go get dressed while you do that, thanks Sophie." The boy jumped off the counter and ran up the stairs to his room.
It was great, the Ducks were in the process of disbanding and Mr. Banks was working on their sponsor. There was roughly no way Adam would ever have to play for district five. He was practically dancing around his bedroom as he got dressed. Just to show some Hawk pride Adam pulled on a dark blue sweat shirt and black pants, then he put on Nick's old Hawks baseball cap. At the sound of his father's car driving up he flew down the stairs and waited at the front door.
"Hello Adam, come into the living room with me, will you? I have something to tell you." Philip's face was expressionless as always and his son couldn't tell if he was in store for good news or bad.
Adam nodded,
"Okay dad."
Mr. Banks put his briefcase down on the coffee table and loosened his tie as if he were stressed or annoyed. With a puzzled face Adam took a seat in the armchair across from the sofa and waited. He wished his father would just spit it out, the waiting was killing him. Adam Banks was not a patient young boy and all he wanted was to hear the words 'You don't have to be a Duck.'
"Son, you remember my good friend Gerald Ducksworth right?" Phil asked exhaling heavily.
"The one that has those really big Christmas parties every year?" Adam guessed.
"That's him, well I found out late last night that he is the sponsor for the District Five Ducks and I went to speak with him about leaning on Bombay not to take you…"
"That's great, so everything is good now right? I can play on the Hawks!" The boy cut him off overzealous.
"Not exactly Adam, you see we got in touch with the league chairman and agreed to let you remain on the Hawks as long as Bombay is willing to drop it and not fight for you. To get to the point when Gerald told Gordon it was either you and no job or a job and no you, he quit. I'm sorry Adam but you've got to quit hockey."
Adam's jaw hung open for a minute. Why did he have to give up hockey? That wasn't part of the bargain was it? If it was his father had neglected to inform his of that detail.
"Why do I have to stop playing? I didn't do anything wrong."
"If you continue to play Adam you'll have to play for the Ducks. Do you realize how embarrassing that would be for this family? Banksess are the best, you're brother was a Hawk, the best they had, I won't allow you to make a fool of yourself with those losers. It's better you switch to some other sport rather then disgrace us."
The boy could feel his blood begin to bubble, his father must have been outside of his mind. There was no way he was giving up hockey. He didn't care if he had to play in an all girls' league to get a shot at the puck. Hockey was what got inside of him, what lit him up and let his come alive.
"The only person my playing for the Ducks would embarrass is you dad. Mom loves me no matter what and nothing embarrasses her and Nick just wants me to be happy and you know it. That's why you two got into that fight last night, Nick wants you to let me be me. I do to, I'm not Nicholas, I'm not perfect like him, I'm Adam and Adam wants to play hockey. I don't care what jersey I wear, or who I call coach. I don't want to be Nick, I don't want to be perfect, I don't want to be the best of the best. I just want to be me, me, me, me! I'm going to play for D5 if I have to, and if you won't take me to the game tomorrow I'll find a ride, I'll walk if I have to!"
In a flash of hot tears the boy raced up to his room and slammed the door behind him. He just wanted to play, that's all he ever wanted. How did everything get so complicated? He'd never spoken to his father like that, he'd never spoken to anyone like that. Then again no one had ever tried to take hockey from him before. Come hell or high water he'd be at the game the next night, he wasn't letting his pompous windbag of a father win.
"Well, well, well, nice of you to join us this morning Adam." The women smiled tossing down the sponge that was in her hand.
"I was up late last night." The boy explained.
"Couldn't you sleep?"
"Not really."
"If it's about the team switching thing, your father went to talk to the Ducks sponsor this morning, I imagine he should be back soon. I bet you he'll fix everything for you."
"I hope so." Adam replied swinging his feet.
Sophie patted the boys knee and walked over to the refrigerator and pulled the door open.
"Can I fix you something for breakfast, well lunch now?"
"Um sure, a grilled cheese."
"There's some of my world famous tomato soup in the freezer, would you like me to warm some up to go with your sandwich?"
"Please, that would be great. I'll go get dressed while you do that, thanks Sophie." The boy jumped off the counter and ran up the stairs to his room.
It was great, the Ducks were in the process of disbanding and Mr. Banks was working on their sponsor. There was roughly no way Adam would ever have to play for district five. He was practically dancing around his bedroom as he got dressed. Just to show some Hawk pride Adam pulled on a dark blue sweat shirt and black pants, then he put on Nick's old Hawks baseball cap. At the sound of his father's car driving up he flew down the stairs and waited at the front door.
"Hello Adam, come into the living room with me, will you? I have something to tell you." Philip's face was expressionless as always and his son couldn't tell if he was in store for good news or bad.
Adam nodded,
"Okay dad."
Mr. Banks put his briefcase down on the coffee table and loosened his tie as if he were stressed or annoyed. With a puzzled face Adam took a seat in the armchair across from the sofa and waited. He wished his father would just spit it out, the waiting was killing him. Adam Banks was not a patient young boy and all he wanted was to hear the words 'You don't have to be a Duck.'
"Son, you remember my good friend Gerald Ducksworth right?" Phil asked exhaling heavily.
"The one that has those really big Christmas parties every year?" Adam guessed.
"That's him, well I found out late last night that he is the sponsor for the District Five Ducks and I went to speak with him about leaning on Bombay not to take you…"
"That's great, so everything is good now right? I can play on the Hawks!" The boy cut him off overzealous.
"Not exactly Adam, you see we got in touch with the league chairman and agreed to let you remain on the Hawks as long as Bombay is willing to drop it and not fight for you. To get to the point when Gerald told Gordon it was either you and no job or a job and no you, he quit. I'm sorry Adam but you've got to quit hockey."
Adam's jaw hung open for a minute. Why did he have to give up hockey? That wasn't part of the bargain was it? If it was his father had neglected to inform his of that detail.
"Why do I have to stop playing? I didn't do anything wrong."
"If you continue to play Adam you'll have to play for the Ducks. Do you realize how embarrassing that would be for this family? Banksess are the best, you're brother was a Hawk, the best they had, I won't allow you to make a fool of yourself with those losers. It's better you switch to some other sport rather then disgrace us."
The boy could feel his blood begin to bubble, his father must have been outside of his mind. There was no way he was giving up hockey. He didn't care if he had to play in an all girls' league to get a shot at the puck. Hockey was what got inside of him, what lit him up and let his come alive.
"The only person my playing for the Ducks would embarrass is you dad. Mom loves me no matter what and nothing embarrasses her and Nick just wants me to be happy and you know it. That's why you two got into that fight last night, Nick wants you to let me be me. I do to, I'm not Nicholas, I'm not perfect like him, I'm Adam and Adam wants to play hockey. I don't care what jersey I wear, or who I call coach. I don't want to be Nick, I don't want to be perfect, I don't want to be the best of the best. I just want to be me, me, me, me! I'm going to play for D5 if I have to, and if you won't take me to the game tomorrow I'll find a ride, I'll walk if I have to!"
In a flash of hot tears the boy raced up to his room and slammed the door behind him. He just wanted to play, that's all he ever wanted. How did everything get so complicated? He'd never spoken to his father like that, he'd never spoken to anyone like that. Then again no one had ever tried to take hockey from him before. Come hell or high water he'd be at the game the next night, he wasn't letting his pompous windbag of a father win.