Choices2 by Pamela J. Lee

Author:Pamela J. Lee [Lee, Pamela J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781468525243
Publisher: AuthorHouse
Published: 2012-01-17T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter X

Hard Times

Life for the Fredricks in Atlanta was mixed with its share of joys and pains. Packing up to leave everything and everyone that was dear to them was a very emotional time for them all. With promises of only being a phone call away, the Fredricks pioneered into a new life. Mia was saddened to leave all of her friends behind but was overjoyed when she found out that Janine and her Mom would be relocating to Atlanta also to live with her aunt. The two girls could not be happier. After the cotton mill downsized and laid off half the workers, many of her friends’ parents were out of work.

Janet was recovering very well from her surgery. Better than Dr. Bowman expected. He followed up her case through his best friend from medical school, who was a cancer specialist at Emory Hospital in Atlanta. Franklin was grateful and thanked God everyday for His love and mercy. Inevitably, he was finally able to walk out the door without that worry bird sitting on his shoulders. He refocused his attention on his kids.

Franklin’s concern and compassion for the young brothers lost on the streets of Atlanta, and the increasing number of dropouts, saddened him. The arrest rates of African American youths were staggering. Not to mention the gangs and cliques that popped up in every neighborhood. Shootings, stabbings and drive-bys were constant. Joining forces with Pastor Bruce Wright at the church community center, Franklin was often caught between rival gangs trying to mediate or negotiate a truce with gang crew leaders. The task was sometimes dangerous but Franklin never wavered. The guys respected him and seemed to trust him. Even the hardest wanna-be thug had to back up off Coach Franklin. That’s what everyone in the neighborhood called him. Word on the street spread. Coach Franklin was off limit. He was the man. Plus, he had an awesome game on the B-Ball court. A skill that anyone who had ever seen him play, recognized and respected.

There were many Saturday morning challenges at the church community center. After each game, after Franklin dunked on them so bad, he walked away with another young brother for his mentoring program. Coach Franklin was well known for his wicked jump shot. That’s what the guys at the center called it. It was the same shot he made at that last game against Jackson State his senior year in college. That shot made him famous.

Frank Leroy II was so proud of his son that night. The game was tied, 98 – 98, with ten seconds left on the clock. Jackson State missed the shot. Franklin went for the rebound and literally snatched the ball out of the air. He was half way down the court before anyone even realized he had the ball. Stopping short of the goal, he leaped in mid air, passed the ball behind his back and, with a twist of his body, he slam dunked the ball. Swoosh!!! Game over. The crowd went crazy.

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