Chapter 45: You Found Me
(Song lyrics are in italics)
He drove his car up to the wooden fence and put it into park. Shutting off his car, he left the lights on. Unbuckling his seatbelt, he opened the car door and climbed out of his car. Slowly he looked around the park and nodded. Slowly he crossed the fence line and headed into the park.
The frigid wind blew off the nearby river. It bit at his cheeks, lips, nose, and ears, reminding him that it was an unseasonably frigid winter/New Year's Day. He sighed in the freezing night air, seeing his breath. He knew he would be here, but not for long because the weather would drive him away.
I found God on the corner of First and Amistad
Where the west was all but won
All alone smoking his last cigarette
I said, "Where you been?" He said, "Ask anything"
Where were you when everything was falling apart?
All my days were spent by a telephone
That never rang and all I needed was a call
That never came to the corner of First and Amistad
Finally, Cale Howard stepped onto the hardtop of the River Court. He looked around and took in the artificial light that reflected off the backboards and the chain nets of the hoops. This was where he would play basketball, sometimes when he was a child. With his high school friends, he ran up and down this court.
That was so long ago. Now he was a minister, a husband, and a dad to three young children. Yet, when he needed to think he would come out here. Just tonight, he didn't bring his basketball. Finally, he walked out to Center Court.
Lost and insecure, you found me, you found me
Lying on the floor, surrounded, surrounded
Why'd you have to wait?, Where were you, where were you?
Just a little late
You found me, you found me
In the end, everyone ends up alone
Losing her, the only one who's ever known
Who I am, who I'm not, and who I wanna be
No way to know how long she will be next to me
When he played basketball in high school, he was the center and often started the game with the jump ball. Center court was his home. Looking around it, he wondered how many kids played here over the years. How many would know how to win most of their jump balls?
Shaking his head, he stood in the center court. He turned a complete three-sixty and looked over the whole area. Finally, he stopped staring at one of the hoops. He held out his arms and stared at the hoop.
"Why am I here?" Cale yelled.
The echo came back to him, and there was no answer. Looking around the dark night he shook his head.
"I've done everything I was supposed to," he said, "I've helped my fellow man. I've married a good woman. I'm raising three good kids, the best I can. I've listened to what you've taught me and live my life the best I can to your word. Why don't I know how to help this kid and my friend?"
Lost and insecure, you found me, you found me
Lying on the floor, surrounded, surrounded
Why'd you have to wait?, Where were you, where were you?
Just a little late
You found me, you found me
Early morning the city breaks and I've been calling for years and years and years and years
And you never left me no messages, you never send me no letters
You got some kind of nerve taking all I want
There was no answer. All he heard was the tail end of his own echo, and what few sounds of the night. If he listened close enough, he could hear a ship coming down the river, and sounds of people across the river on the river walk. Looking out across the river, he saw the lights. He wondered what was going on over there.
Was he missing out on things that people he went to high school with? Was walking down the path he felt he was called to was right for him? He sighed heavily and looked around, again.
Lost and insecure, you found me, you found me
Lying on the floor, where were you, where were you?
Shaking his head, he walked off the court and headed back to the car. In the past when he was suffering from this, he would go to the bar at the corner of First and Amistad. There he would talk to the bartender would talk with him. After the bartender was done talking to him, he felt better about himself and his faith was restored. That wasn't an option anymore, as the bar was closed, and the bartender was gone. He didn't know what was happening, but he needed to head back home, to his wife and kids.
He got back into his car, buckled up, started the engine, and drove away.
Lost and insecure, you found me, you found me
Lying on the floor, surrounded, surrounded
Why'd you have to wait?, Where were you, where were you?
When he arrived home, he got out of his car and saw his daughter was in the driveway taking shows on their basketball hoop. Amber was bouncing the ball, suddenly she stopped, pulled up the ball and took a shot. The ball hit the backboard and rolled to the hoop. It bounced off the front end of the hoop, then off the back end of the hoop, and went in.
Cale laughed and smiled. He walked forward and stood behind Amber, who was in her heaviest coat and chased down the basketball. She picked it up and started bouncing the ball. That was when she noticed him.
"Daddy," Amber said.
Cale nodded.
"How long have you been there?" Amber asked.
"I just saw your last shot," Cale said.
"It sucked, you can tell me," Amber said.
Cale shook his head, "No, it was good," he said.
"It was?" Amber asked.
Cale nodded, "Yeah, it could be improved, but then again everything can be improved," he said.
"Really?" Amber asked.
"Yes, really," Cale said.
"Can you show me?" Amber asked.
Cale shrugged, "I don't know," he said, "Why don't we just shoot around."
Amber nodded, "Sure!" she said.
Cale smiled as his oldest daughter dribbled, badly, over to a spot and took a shot. The shot missed, but Cale still smiled and got the ball for her. He passed the ball back to Amber so she could take another shot.
From a nearby window, Kiley stood there watching and smiling at her husband and oldest child just simply shoot hoops.
Just a little late
You found me, you found me
Why'd you have to wait to find me, to find me?