Pen to the Paper: The Announcement
“No,” Nick said.
“What?”
“No.”
“What?”
“No girls.”
I scratched my head and gave Nick a funny look. “What do you have against women?”
“I thought we had an agreement,” Nick started furiously. “After all the drama with Maya, how on earth could you possibly think it’s a good idea to bring another girl into the mix?”
“Hey, man, the break-up with Maya was very civil. Happened so smoothly, no one even knew it happened. She’s a thing of the past, entirely forgotten. And it’s different this time.”
“It is literally the exact same. A cute assistant who tells you when it’s time. That’s my job!”
“Awwww, is Nick jealous? We are getting massive, my man. We need all the help that we can get around here. Besides, she isn’t in that position. She’s the accountant.”
Nick took a step back. “Oh. Well, I still don’t like that you hired a girl for the position.”
“That’s sexist, dude. Girls can be good with numbers too.”
Nick blushed. “No, no, no! That’s not what I was saying—”
I crossed my arms and cocked a brow. “Sure seemed to me like that was what you were saying.”
“All that I am trying to say is that I don’t want any more relationship drama as part of the show!”
I patted Nick’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, friend. You will have more contact with her than I will. Besides, I’m, like, totes off the market.”
Nick laughed, but stopped when he saw my expression. “Oh, you’re serious?”
“Yep. I have things I need to focus on… I don’t think that I can give a relationship the attention it deserves while also focusing on my dreams. Though I’m more worried about putting all of my focus into the relationship and none into the fulfillment of my dreams…”
“I can’t decide if that is mature or not.”
“It’s neither. Because I very loosely abide by that statement. Anywho, is everything ready? And are you sure that you don’t need an assistant? You pretty much run the place.”
“Well, you used to be more involved.”
“Now I’m the idea creator. Though I love working with numbers, I figured my energy was best spent somewhere else here…”
Nick looked at his watch. “The show begins soon. Are you ready?”
Cracking my knuckles, I said, “Let’s do this.”
*****
“Y’all ready for this?”
Music started blasting through the arena as I dribbled a basketball onto stage. Six players rushed me. I pushed through them, barely able to hold onto the ball, then hesitated when I saw the hulk of a man standing right behind the half court line. Without thinking, I jumped, ball in hand, flying through the air as the strings on the ceiling guided me along the staged path that the audience was totally convinced was real.
I came down on the basket hard, nearly breaking the backboard as the ball went through. A buzzer blared.
“WHAT AN AM-AAAA-ZING JUMP!” a sports announcer said as the score went onto the board. “I have NEVER seen anything like that in the history of basketball, Phil.”
“Well, Mitch, we all know that Caleb is the best player out there,” Phil replied. “His jump is unmatched by anyone. He never fails to dunk, no matter the situation. Even if there is a seven foot eight hundred pound man guarding the basket.”
“Now, let’s see that replay!”
An image of me jumping over the basket-ball playing mammoth of a man flashed onto the big screen above me. The camera zoomed in on my face, my tongue hanging out as a slammed the basketball into the net.
“Classic homage to Jordan!” Mitch said.
“Actually,” I said into the microphone, “I was saying that I was better than him.”
The crowd in the arena oo-ed. “Have you ever seen Jordan pull a play like that? I jumped five feet over Gigantor over there and still got a slam dunk. Unstoppable. Beat that, Jordan, I dare you!”
“Did someone challenge me? Because you know I’m the GOAT,” Jordan said, walking up on stage, dribbling a ball. His classic red Bull’s uniform was on. “Try to stop me.”
Jordan leapt across the full court, clearing Gigantor in the center, then breaking the backboard as he came down with a dunk. Brushing the glass off of his shoulder, he said, “And don’t you ever stick your tongue out on a dunk. That’s my thing.”
Jordan walked off stage. I stood there, mouth agape, as the team cleared the stage. The entire audience stared in shock.
“I did not plan that,” I said. “That was freaking awesome.
“So, who wants to hear who won this week!?”
The crowd cheered and applauded.
“Glad you guys are back…
“Coming in third place is Roses311Sublime’s An Ode To My Dear Friends - My Writing Ideas. It was great! I loved it. I had a good laugh in some parts, and the whole thing was just very well written. It was interesting.
“In second place, we have xCalypso’s Her Basement. The descriptions were masterful.
“In first place, we have Knowledge’s Boredom. Locked away, isolated and alone… He explores the main character’s mind very well, then everything comes together neatly at the end. I loved it!
“Now, for some honorable mentions
“GLD has returned! At least, for now. Appearing in the challenge with Madness, GLD does it again! Such a great poem.
“Never ceasing to amaze me with here incredible detail, Sanjana_S has stopped on by with The Lord God Made Them All. It was incredible!
“I loved Raybug63’s Limbo. Another beautiful work featuring a one-sided conversation with someone in Limbo. I’d say more, but I don’t want to spoil it for those of you who go back to read it…
“Oh, itsjess, if you ever finish that story of yours… tag me.
“Thanks for coming out tonight! I’ll see you guys next month!”
As the platform began descending, a basketball came flying out of nowhere. I looked up in time to see an angry Michael Jordan and a basketball hurtling towards my face. Then the world faded to black as my face erupted into immense pain.