Boy21

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. At this point in the conversation, Finley realizes that if this superstar plays, he himself will be benched. Coach says that part of the reason Russ had to change his name was to avoid unwanted attention from college recruiters, in hopes that time out of the spotlight will help the boy heal. Coach says that Russ also attended prep school in California, so he wants Finley to help Russ adjust to the decidedly rougher nature of Bellmont. Finley asks Coach if Russ is white, and Coach says no, but assures Finley that they’ll have no trouble getting along.

Coach drives over to the Allens’ house, parks, and tells Finley that Russ wants to be referred to as Boy21. Finley thinks it is a strange coincidence that 21 is his basketball number. Coach says that part of Finley’s job is to get Boy21 back to being ‘Russ’ before school, but that Finley can back out if the dinner goes badly. Finley notices that the Allens’ street, which is in the black part of the neighborhood, is worse than his street but that the house itself is much nicer.

Coach introduces Finley to Mr. Allen as “one of the finest young men on my ball squad” (32), praise which embarrasses Finley. However, Finley realizes that Mr. Allen is probably surprised and a little worried that Finley is white, both because Finley won’t be able to relate to Russ but also because Finley’s skin color is a liability in Bellmont. However, Mr. Allen is too polite to say anything in this regard. Finley reflects that being blunt sometimes makes life much easier than being polite.

Finley notices the number of religious pictures inside the Allens’ house, as well as its cleanliness and the presence of a woman’s touch, all of which differentiate their home from his own. Mr. Allen says that he couldn’t convince Russ to come downstairs, and that the social worker says Russ shouldn’t be pushed too hard. Mrs. Allen suggests that Finley go introduce himself to Russ, which both Mr. Allen and Coach encourage. Finley acquiesces so as not to disappoint his “elders” (34).

On his way to Russ’s bedroom, Finley looks at the Allens’ family pictures, many of which were taken decades ago, when the town was cleaner and safer. The more recent pictures, many of which are vacation pictures that include Russ and his parents, make Finley realize that Russ comes from money. After looking at these pictures, Finley feels a twinge of jealousy, but then empathizes with Russ when he realizes that Russ was the only black kid on his prep school basketball team, just like Finley is the only white kid on his publicschool team. They also share the same jersey number: 21.

Finley reaches the only closed door in the hallway and hears what seems to be a crazy person yelling about Perseus and outer space. He doesn’t really want to go in, but “execute[s] the game plan” as instructed, for Coach (36). Finley knocks on the door.