Neighborhood Hassle By Stephenie Lincoln “wish you guys would hurry up," I yelled, looking up towards the hoop. Iwas stand- Ing by the wire fence that was off othe right. The boys onthe block were playing basket bull, They never let me play because was a girl and they didn’t want girs with them, ‘twasa sunny day. Birds were Siying by and all he neighborhood kids were ou ll over- playing kickball stckball, catch, tag, anything. Lhad just come out from eating one of my favorite inches, peanut butter and jelly s01 was ready to bal “You ain't playin’ so you might as well leave,” Taman said. Timmy was about an inch taller than me. He wasnt skinny, buthe wasn’t fat either. He had a nappy min ao and he always wore too litle shorts and shirts with Coasters from Volumes, “Oh yes Iam, and just for tat, you gone be the first person I beat,” Isai. All the other ‘boys was lke, “OOH” So when they got finished playin, Timmy called me out. The win. ‘er of one-on-one stays onthe cour until he/she loves. “Now, these isthe rules: game is, ain’t no outs, and winner gets ball.” OK," [said and we started. “"You go first ball since you aga,” he said, That was his frst mistake took the ball out top. We were on the comer of Michigan and Webster a the Fraser's hop that had been nailed up tothe top ofthe garage. On the ight sce was a fence and on the left were bushes. The bushes were very tall and had big green leaves that were also glossy. On the other side of the bush lived a lady that we all ealled crazy. She looked like a monster cluck, {Thad Timmy all to mysel.Ifaked lft, crossed over to the right, went through my legs, and layed itup with my left hand. Timuny was embarrassed. Now all the rest ofthe boys were going crazy. They never knew Tcould bal. {was always a tomboy, but I never let them know I could ball because they were so ‘mean, But Iwas fed up.So Thad decided it was time to school ‘em. ‘was my ball again. I dribble tomy left, crossed tomy right, and busted 3”. “in yo face Timmy” Isai like Twas al that. “My ball.” Teen righ, tele to go through ry legs, and Timmy stripped me. Helai it up and the score was 21, me. ise. All the fellas was jumpin‘up and down now yellir’, “Go Timmy, don’t let no gil beat you.” Little Ronnie was the fat one. He never did anything but instigate and eat. He had on one of those polyester Tshirts that was brown and orange, with some brown pants. They Jooked like they both had been painted on. Hehad curly haic and the prettiest white teeth Jimmy was Timmy’s Il brother He was the litle tagalong with Timmy's old pants and shirton. But Jimmy wore those litle brown Dexter, and his hair was always combed. He hua a cute little dimple in his lft cheek and some ofthe most chocolate colored skin. ‘Timmy ves grinnin‘now. He had the ball and pulled up for a two pointer. blocked it, tured and layed it up. Score was 31, my ball. drove in trong tothe right and pulled up for another “I “Cheating,” Isai. “Yes. Money.” ‘The boys were laughing now. Timmy got so mad that on my next out he knocked me dlown so hard [could have cred, He had alte grin on his face like, “Yeah, now what Steph?” {oes wearing my favorite jean shorts and my Aries T-shirt with my blue and white old school Nikes, I was lookin’ too cute, And he had pushed me onto the dirty ground. My READING, WRITING, AND RISING UP 31shorts were al dusty think Umighthave even had a few pebbles in my pants. Anyways, Twas pissed off and hurt. But got up and socked him in the face. “Oh my goodness” yelled Jimmy, hs litle bro. “She socked him,” yelled Ronnie. By then other neighborhood kids were watching, They had never seen me play ether. lus I was playing Timmy, the best boy baller onthe block. “Get up Timmy, getup,” they al started yelling just walked down the litle so-called court and turned left leading home. As Iwalked, ‘kicked the cherry tree that was on the right of me. By the time I tumed the corer, a0 Mr. Johnson. “Steph, wus the matter?” he asked “Nothing” sald sounding as it was his fault Thad been pushed onthe ground in my favorite jean shorts, “The next day Iwent outside. Iwas sitting under the tre in front of our house. [had on. ‘my pink overalls and white Tshirt and sandals. I was making some mud pies and was, interrupted by Tammy. “1m somry Steph, for treating you like that” He continued, “Do you wanna play again?” Feeling kind of fresh cause Thad got the best of him, Lssid, "Yeah but don't let me have tokick yo butt again” So I washed my haf on the side ofthe house andi went in to put on my oldschool Nikes. When Teaine out Timmy, Jimmy, and Ronnie were standing a the end of my steps. ‘When I walked down the stairs, they moved out of my way. Wie walked tothe Frazier’s hoop and we go our ball on. From then on, they never tol# sme [couldnt play with them. ACTIVITY Childhood Narrative Reading Analysis Sheet assignment: Read the model childhood narratives. As you read, fill out the following criteria sheet. Narrative Criteria: 1, Does the story tell a personal experience based on something that really happened? What is the narrative about? 2, Isthere a clear story line: beginning, middle, and end? Did the story feel complete? 3. What was the writer's controlling idea? Was there a sense of change or did the writer lear or gain something during the story? What? Literary Elements: ‘Mark each of these elements in the story (Goo tho Fe