Boy21

After their practice, Finley walks Erin back to her house, they kiss, and then he goes to his house to shower. When Finley arrives at his house, he sees Coach Wilkins’s car. Coach has come to pay him a visit. Finley is nervous that his grandfather will be drunk and air the family’s dirty laundry. Coach asks if Finley wants to come to dinner. Finley is excited, because Coach has never asked him to dinner before. Before he leaves, Finley changes his grandfather’s diaper.

Finley showers and changes in preparation for his dinner with Coach. Erin shows up at his house and is a little disappointed that she and Finley will have to wait to hang out. Finley notices that Coach is acting strangely after Coach says that Finley is going to learn a lot about friendship and life from basketball this year. Coach says that he has a secret and swears Finley to secrecy, then tells him about basketball superstar Russell Allen and how he was friends with Russ’s father. Coach explains that Russ is “troubled” and has not touched a basketball since his parents’ death. Coach hopes that Russ will come play for the team because he thinks the game’s structure and routine will help him.