Fourth Down Showdown by Clair Bee

Author:Clair Bee
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: B&H Publishing Group
Published: 1999-10-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 12

Shakes and Shiners

CHIP LEARNED a great deal about the aims and objectives of the Police Athletic League from Lieutenant Byrnes, and he learned a lot about the challenges adults experience in attempting to help impressionable preteens and teenagers with their vital problems. But he hadn't found the answer to Isaiah Redding's situation, and when he reached Grayson's, he ran face first into it again. Isaiah was standing on the scales, his bony shoulders slumped forward and little chin held up by his chest, while Soapy moved the scale weights. Chip paused in the doorway.

"What's going on, big man?" Soapy inquired, slapping Isaiah on the back.

"I haven't been eating too much at home lately," Isaiah said weakly, his voice barely audible.

"No change since the last weigh-in," Soapy said, ruffling Isaiah's hair. "Come on," he urged. "Let's get that chin up and get on the ball. Let's see, it's eight o'clock. We'll have another fruit shake. If we're going to make an athlete out of you, we've all got to work together. You have to do your part. You gotta eat right at home too."

He looked up and saw Chip. "Isaiah's down again, Chip," he said quietly. "Real down."

"He'll snap out of it," Chip said casually. "Don't worry about Isaiah."

Soapy went back to the counter, and Chip and Isaiah worked on the stockroom inventory. While they worked, Chip tried to draw him out. But Isaiah wasn't talking, and Chip gave up and concentrated on the job. But his concentration was interrupted. Soapy opened the door and with his arm draped across Mark's shoulder, guided the little boy into the stockroom.

"Look, Chip, look at this!" Soapy said, pointing to Mark's eye. "Look at Mark's shiner!"

Mark had a beauty. His eye was black above, on the lids, below and halfway down his cheek.

"What happened to you?" Chip gasped.

"Must run in the family," Soapy quipped.

"Don't run in the family," Mark said ominously. "Just wait! Wait until I learn that condo stuff!"

"That's tae kwon do," Chip corrected gently.

Mark measured Chip speculatively. "Tae kwon do," he repeated carefully. "My way was easier. Well," he continued, "we going to talk or work?"

"Isaiah and I are going to work," Chip said decisively. "You're going to do some reading. Right over there at that desk. Here's a book I got you from the library. Now get busy!"

Soapy couldn't understand it. He came back to the stockroom repeatedly, bringing an ice-cream cone for Mark, a fruit shake for Isaiah, and a Coke for Chip. But it didn't work. Chip wasn't talking, and he wouldn't let Isaiah or Mark talk.

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