All three were dressed in business suits. One of the men was carrying a fancy leather briefcase.
Pitt picked up a ball and began shooting. If Beau noticed him he didn't give any indication. After a few minutes something else about the situation seemed surprising to Pitt. Beau was doing all the talking! The others were simply listening, occasionally responding with nods of agreement.
The other players began to arrive including Tony Ciccone who made up the third person on Pitt and Beau's team. It was only after everyone had arrived including the opposition team and had warmed up that Beau wound up his conversation with the three businesspeople and joined Pitt. Pitt was now doing some stretching exercises.
'Hey, man, good to see you,' Beau said. 'I was afraid after that marathon you put in at the ER you weren't going to make it today.'
Pitt straightened up and lifted a basketball in the process. 'The way you were feeling the day before yesterday, you should be surprised you're here,' he said.
Beau laughed. 'Seems like ages ago. Now I feel terrific. In fact, I've never felt better, and we're going to cream these pansies.'
The other three players were continuing to warm up down at the other basket. Tony was tightening the laces of his high-tops.
'I wouldn't be too cocky,' Pitt said, squinting against the sun. 'See the muscle-bound guy in the purple shorts? Believe it or not, his name is Rocko. He's a ball-breaker and a good shot to boot.'
'No problem,' Beau said. He snatched the ball away from Pitt and let it sail toward the basket. It went through the goal with a snapping sound having hit nothing but net.
Pitt was impressed. They were standing a good thirty feet away.
'Best of all, we have a cheering section,' Beau said. Putting the tip of his thumb and index fingers together and puckering up his mouth, he let loose with a shrill whistle. About a hundred feet away an enormous light-brown dog got up from where he'd been lying in the shade and sauntered over. He collapsed at the edge of the tarmac of the court and lowered his head on his front paws.
Beau squatted down and gave him a series of pats on the top of the head. The tail wagged briefly then went limp.
'Whose dog?' Pitt asked. 'If you can call it a dog. It looks more like a small pony.'
'He's mine,' Beau said. 'His name is King.'
'You got a dog?' Pitt asked incredulously.
'Yup,' Beau said. 'I felt like some canine companionship, so I went out to the pound this morning, and there he was, waiting for me.'
'A week ago you said you didn't think it was fair to have big dogs in the city,' Pitt said.
'I changed my mind,' Beau said. 'The moment I saw him I knew he was the dog of my dreams.'
'Does Cassy know?'
'Not yet,' Beau said, He scratched King enthusiastically behind his ears. 'Won't she be surprised?'
'That's an understatement,' Pitt said, rolling his eyes. 'Especially a dog that size. But what's the matter with him? Is he sick? He seems lethargic and his eyes are red.'
'Ah, he's just having trouble adjusting,' Beau said. 'He's just been let out of his cage. I've only had him a few hours.'
'He's salivating,' Pitt said. 'You don't think he has rabies, do you?'
'Not a chance,' Beau said. 'Of that I'm certain.' Beau cupped the dog's large head in his hands. 'Come on, King. You should be feeling better by now. We need you to cheer us on.'
Beau got to his feet, still gazing at his new companion. 'He might be lethargic, but he's a good-looking dog, don't you agree?'
'I suppose,' Pitt said. 'But listen, Beau. Getting a dog, much less a huge one like this, is an awfully impulsive act, and knowing you the way I do, I'd have to say very unexpected. In fact, from my perspective you've been doing a number of unexpected things lately. I'm concerned, and I think we should have a talk.'
'Talk about what?'
'About you,' Pitt said. 'The way you've been acting, like not going to class. It seems like ever since you had the flu ... '
Before Pitt could finish Rocko had come up behind Pitt and given him a friendly slap on the shoulder that sent Pitt staggering forward several steps.
'Are you dorks going to play or forfeit?' Rocko jeered. 'Pauli, Duff, and I have been ready to take you guys to the cleaners for the last half hour.'
'I think we better talk later,' Beau whispered to Pitt. 'The natives are getting restless.'
The game commenced. As Pitt guessed, Rocko dominated the play with his bulldozer tactics. To Pitt's chagrin the burden of covering him had fallen on his shoulders since Rocko had selected to guard Pitt. Every time Rocko got the ball he made it a point to crash right into Pitt before dropping back to put in a jump shot.
Halfway through the game with Rocko et al in the lead, Pitt called a foul after Rocko purposefully elbowed him in the gut in order to get a rebound.
'What?' Rocko demanded angrily. He threw the ball forcibly against the ground so that it bounced some ten feet into the air. 'Is the little chicken-shit going to call an offensive foul? No way. Our ball! No way I'm going to honor a call like that.'
'It's my call,' Pitt persisted. 'I say you fouled me. In fact, it's the second time you pulled the same cheap trick.'
Rocko stepped over to Pitt and purposefully butted him with his chest. Pitt took a step backward.
'Cheap trick, huh?' Rocko snarled. 'All right, tough guy, talk is cheap. Let's see the crybaby take a swing. Come on! I got my arms at my side.'
Pitt knew better than to get into a fight with Rocko. Others had tried only to end up with chipped front teeth or black eyes.
'Excuse me,' Beau said congenially. He stepped between Pitt and Rocko. 'I don't think this issue is worth any hard feelings. I tell you what. We'll give up the ball, but we're going to change who guards whom. I think I'll take a turn guarding you, Rocko, and you can guard me.'
Rocko gave a short laugh as he looked Beau up and down. Although they were both about six feet, Rocko outweighed Beau by more than fifteen pounds.
'You don't mind, do you?' Beau asked Pitt.
'Hell no,' Pitt said.
With that settled, the game resumed. Rocko's thin-lipped, hard face had settled into a slight smile of anticipation. The next time he got the ball, he charged directly at Beau with his heavy thighs pumping.
With uncanny coordination, Beau managed to step out of the way at the instant Rocko expected contact. The result was almost comical. Expecting the collision, Rocko had his torso way out in front of his center of gravity. When no contact occurred, he sprawled on the pavement.
Everyone, even Pitt, winced, as Rocko skidded across the asphalt. He suffered several large abrasions that were liberally sprinkled with embedded gravel.
Beau was at the downed man's side instantly with an extended hand.
'Sorry, Rocko,' Beau said. 'Let me help you up.'
Rocko glared up at Beau. He ignored the gesture for help and got to his feet under his own power.
'Oww,' Beau said with a sympathetic wince. 'You got some nasty scrapes there. I think we'd better call the game so you can go over to the infirmary and have them cleaned.'
'Hell with you,' Rocko said. 'Give me the ball. We'll finish the game.'
'It's up to you,' Beau said. 'But it's our ball. You lost it with your little tumble.'
Pitt had watched this interchange with growing concern. Beau didn't seem to realize what kind of bully Rocko truly was, and Beau was taunting him. Pitt was afraid the afternoon would end with trouble.
As play resumed Rocko continued to try to use his strong-man tactics, but on each occasion, Beau was able to avoid contact. Rocko fell several more times, which clearly irritated him, and the angrier he got, the more easily Beau was able to deal with him.
Offensively Beau turned into a dynamo. Given the ball he could score at will despite Rocko's efforts to restrain him. On several drives, Beau had gone around Rocko with such a sudden burst of speed, Rocko was left in the dust with a confused expression. By the time Beau put in the final basket to win the game, Rocko's face was
