Page 33 of How to Love Your Neighbor
He also knew that it took more than some nice jerseys to actually make headway. He just hoped they’d let him try. Noah and Rob found four kids waiting for them on the basketball court behind the rec center. They were an eclectic mix of heights, ethnicities, and ages. If he had to guess, he’d say the youngest one was about ten, the oldest just about done with high school.
“This guy again?” Leo said, making a derisive noise as he grabbed the ball from the youngest kid to start dribbling.
“I know,” Rob said. “With your moody teenage hormones, I didn’t think he’d want to come around again either, Leo.”
Noah looked at Rob. “I grew up with two brothers and a sister, a little attitude can’t scare me.” Noah smiled at the other kid, tossing the duffel on the ground. Two more boys came out from the center doors.
“Who’s this?” an older kid with an Afro bigger than the basketball asked.
There was a pale blond kid, slight thing though he was tall, walking alongside him. “Probably Rob’s lawyer.”
The others laughed, but Noah didn’t know what made something funny to teenagers.
Rob put up his hands. “All right, bunch of comedians, get in here.”
To their credit, the ragtag group of kids listened, standing in a semicircle around them.
“What did you think of me when we met?” Rob asked them, then held up a hand again. “The PG version.”
The kids snickered. Even Noah grinned, wondering what they’d said.
“Thought you were lost,” the pale blond kid said, showing crooked teeth when he smiled.
“Thought you were a lawyer or some schmoozy politician,” the Afro-haired kid said, another smirk.
Rob glanced at Noah. “I was wearing a button-down, collared shirt. Unless you never want to hear the end of it, don’t wear one.”
“Noted.” Noah glanced around, caught Leo mean-mugging him.
“We thought you were just another sucker who had to do some community work for some program so you could get a fancy degree,” the little guy said.
“You were all wrong about me. Whatever perceptions I hadabout you guys were wrong, too. We talked about that, judging people at first glance.”
“Happens all the time,” Leo said.
“To more people than you’d expect,” Noah said, holding the kid’s hard gaze.
He scoffed. “Oh yeah? Someone judge you on sight, rich boy?”
“Leo,” Rob said in a warning tone.
Noah patted his shoulder. “It’s okay. I get judged all the time. Not as much here as in New York where I’m from. Nothing you can do about what people say or think except be yourself and walk away from anyone who doesn’t like it.”
His words were met with silence, and for about three point two seconds, he felt like he’d imparted some strong wisdom to today’s youth. Until they started to laugh. Leo doubled over, holding the basketball to his side while he let out deep chuckles. Even Rob laughed, shaking his head.
“What?” Noah said, holding his arms out. “What?”
“Dude. You brought a motivational speaker?” a kid with one half of his head shaved, the other half sporting shoulder-length hair, said.
“Something like that,” Rob said, opening the duffel. “He’s also a friend of mine and when I told him about you scoundrels and us needing another player, he jumped at the chance. Which you’d know if you showed last time. He also brought us some swag.” Rob tossed out bright blue jerseys with each of the kids’ names and numbers on the back.
Five out of six of the kids took those jerseys, stared at them with some reverence, then whipped them on over their heads. Leo, however, held his in a tight-fisted grip.
“Why’d you bring these?” He stared directly at Noah.
“Because Rob said you needed jerseys.”
“So you got money? You’re gonna flash it around, make yourself feel like a Good Samaritan, give us some gifts, maybe get some tax breaks.”
