Brothers Stand Strong

"Mom, where's my white beater shirt?" said seventeen year old Jarvis, who was in a hurry for school.
"It's in the cabinet, your brother left it there," said his mom, Rosa.
"Why would he...Roni!"
But his brother putting his white beater shirt in the cabinet did not amuse Jarvis.
"Class clown, hey?"
As they left, Jarvis and Roni kissed their mom said their good byes and left.
"Another day, another utility bill on my mind, blesses me Lord that I find a job soon."
At Millow High School, everyone from the football and basketball team recognized the boy Jarvis Johnson.

"What did you say?" asked Jarvis.
"I'm going to class," said Chantal.
Chantal went to class, but Jarvis was late for class. They were both late.
"Well, well, well Mr. Johnson and Miss Jones, why are you late and don't give me any crap about how you got stopped by the assistant principal. I just talked to him," said Mr. Stumble.
"So I'll see you after school, take your seats."
"Okay!" Jarvis found it amusing but not his girl.
"Jarvis, step in the hall."
"But I'm on the football team."
“Lateness equals consequence."

"You don't get it, do you?" asked Mr. Stumble.
"Do you?" laughed Jarvis.
At dinner, Jarvis forgot about football for the day, and his mom kept the conversation going about school.
"Nothing much except making the football team today," said Jarvis.
Jarvis went to take his plate away to the sink in the kitchen.

As the conflict between Mr. Stumble and Jarvis seemed to boil over, Jarvis continued to be on the football team.
Jarvis used his cell phone to call his mom.
"That's great baby," said his mom excitedly.
"Mom, stop calling me baby. I know you love me," said Jarvis.
"I'm just so happy that you really have the classes this year. You are doing so well. Your father would've been so proud."

Once he hung up the phone, Manuel Ramirez (Jarvis' friend) stopped him.
"Hey man, what's wrong?" asked Manuel.
"Ah...I lost my notes for Mrs. Serena's class, do you have yours?" asked Jarvis.
"Let me check. My wave cap, grease for my waves, a picture of my daughter, nope."


Manuel came over and hugged Jarvis.
Manuel always says man a lot, and it is cool! He can say that and own the word, man.
Manuel and Jarvis went to class, and everything that he told him everything was going to be all right.

At football tryouts, Coach Cruise told the players about how he used to play professional football and played for the Seahawks back in Florida.
He appeared on Fox, NBC, ABC, CBS, the CW, ESPN, and also appeared on many television shows like Maury, Jay Leno, and ESPN series: "Pardon for Interruption" and "Cold Pizza."
The boys were trained how to under run players with the ball and throw over tosses from the center point to and from the quarterback line.

"Pick up your feet, Charlie! Pick up your feet, Charlie!" yelled Coach Cruise.
"Crap, I can't...I'm tired," said Jarvis anxiously.
"Sit up, sit up, look I know that maybe if you put some body into it you would've been tired. Sit out man," told Coach Cruise.
After practice, the boys went to the locker room to change and leave.
Jarvis' coach was disappointed he was not trying. He was kicking him off the team. He gave his mom a call and she wondered if there was a way that she could get him back on the team.

"Jarvis?" said his mom.
He sighed. "Yes ma'am?"
"I talked to Mr. Who?"
"Coach Cruise?"
"Right, your coach called me; something about you got kicked off the team."
"Yeah, it's not like he just found the talent he needed."
"I know, I know believing in God has made many opportunities for us, if we want to succeed, we have to move forward and go where God leads us," said his mom.
"I'm really tired of how all this about God and how today there was no lucky for me, maybe you should find a way out for us."
Jarvis took a bus to school at five in the afternoon to see all the talk about how football tryouts went.
"Okay boys, I'll see you guys tomorrow," said Coach Cruise.
"So Mr. Johnson what did your mom say?"
"We got into a fight, so I don't know," said Jarvis.
"I'm not surprised."
"I'll talk to you in the morning about what we're going to do."
"Night coach," said Jarvis.

"Hey Manuel, did you made the football team?" asked Jarvis.
"Yeah, did you?" told Manuel.
"The coach will tell me in the morning, hey want to come over, play football?"
"Sure."

Roni was over Old Man Hunt's house talking to him. Jarvis and Manuel pulled up by Old Man Hunt's house and they had words to each other.
"Man, why you're talking to my brother?" yelled Jarvis.
"No, let it go," said Roni.
"Yeah, let it go and tell your mom to..." Old Man Hunt punched Jarvis spitting in his yard.
"You ever spit on my yard, I'll mess you up like I did your daddy!" yelled Old Man Hunt.
"Come on, Jarvis!" panicked Roni.

"Bring it in, bring it in!" yelled Coach Cruise.
All the players came around Coach Cruise, listening to him about what a great football season they had.
"I'm really; really happy that I had a great group of guys, who came, got everything done during the season and went out there; and proved to me excellence for any circumstances, made our season great," said Coach Cruise.
"It's not what's inside of a sport; privileges in a sport makes it worth your chances to succeed into other sports," said Jarvis.

The football season was over; basketball season starts in a few weeks.
Coach Cruise stopped Jarvis.
"Have a great year," said Coach Cruise.

The Johnson's ate Pizza Hut for dinner, they were joking and reminiscing.
"Jarvis, you coming to bed?" asked Roni.
"Yeah in a minute," said Jarvis.
Jarvis dialed Manuel's number.
"Hello---is Manuel home?" asked Jarvis, talking to Manuel's girlfriend, Jennifer.
"Yeah, he's here." Jennifer gave Manuel the phone. "Here."
"Hello?" said Manuel.
"Hey-hey, what's up brother?"
"Nothing much man, you?"
Jarvis sensed what had been going on with Manuel; Jarvis knew Manuel had owed some money to Jose. "I heard you were in some kind of problem."

Jarvis reported for basketball the next day.
"Alright, rules for the team," said Coach Ramsey.
All the boys looked at the set of rules.

• Need to be on time for practice each day and penalty will advance you to be kicked off the team.
That’s something he won’t accept from any players. If you miss a game, he will make you sign a document.

Jarvis met up with Coach Ramsey.
"Heard you were getting a call tonight?" asked Coach Ramsey.
"That's right," answered Jarvis.

"I want to hear about it, soon as you get some news."

Jarvis left school and went home to wait for his call from ESPN.
"Many great people out in this world have dreams. My son, Jarvis, you are going after your dream, like a dove soaring to find home," said his mom.

Jarvis walked in front of his house with Manuel, clearing his head.
"I am the only figure in my family to keep the family stronger. I'll be back," said Jarvis.
"You want something, Roni?" asked Jarvis.
"ESPN, called," said Roni.
"I'll see you later," said Manuel.

Jarvis went inside and went by the phone.

Rosa pulled up by the house; Rosa came from the store.

"Hey, Ms. Johnson," said Manuel.
"Hey Manuel, where's Jarvis?" asked Rosa.

Jarvis Johnson is about to be on the Penn State team.
The person who made Jarvis play basketball was his dad. Jarvis can't even think of enough things to describe basketball, its going to make him famous one day. Roni looks up to his brother because when he leaves and lives on his own, then he'll pursue his own career. Jarvis drove his mom's car to his father's grave to pay respects.

Roni answered the door for Pastor Bailey.
"Okay, thank you baby," said Rosa.
"Hi, Pastor Bailey, come in."
"Oh, it's my job to say "I will!" laughed Pastor Bailey.
"Roni, can you go get Pastor Bailey some water?"
"Okay."

"Well, where's Jarvis?" asked Pastor Bailey.
"He's at his dad’s grave site," said Rosa.
Roni gave Pastor Bailey his glass of water.
Once Rosa sat down on the couch, Pastor Bailey kept looking into Rosa's eyes; he still believes she has not let the pain of her husband's death go.

The next morning, Rosa left to school.
"Mom, what's wrong?" asked Jarvis.
"Nothing," said Rosa.
The next morning, Pastor Bailey came by Rosa's house.
"Who it is?" asked Rosa.
"Pastor Bailey! Well! I thought I'd come over, probably you need some company," said Pastor Bailey.

"I'll open if you." Rosa opened the door.
"No, I don't need any company."

Penn State's Schedule:
Today @ Indiana State
Tomorrow @ Ohio State

The starter buzzer went off as the teams started the game. Penn State played against Indiana State. The game started.
Jarvis dribble the ball into the basket and scored a point.
"Fly ball, fly ball!” yelled the coach.

"What a fine shot made by Jarvis Johnson," said Jack, reporting for ESPN.
"Yeah, Jack if Jarvis keeps making those perfect shots, his team may advance in the NCAA Finals in March," said Martha Sue, reported for ESPN.
Only seconds in the half left.
Soon later, Jarvis made a foul shot.
"Personal foul, number seventeen!” yelled the guard.
The coach called Jarvis.
"Jarvis, remember to make that perfect basket in the hoop, got it?"
"Got it," said Jarvis.

Only seconds in the game left.
In Jarvis' mind he thought.
"Basket, basket got to make that basket a win."
Penn State won.

The first game was at Indiana State.
Before the game, Manuel came over to Jarvis and said, "I'll just take my problem somewhere else so you won't get involved."
"Jose wants more money, does he?" asked Jarvis.
"Yeah, but I'm not giving him any more money."
"If he finds you or anywhere you might possibly get to, he'll kill you about his money."
"Just---don't."
Jarvis wanted to say more but he just gave in and said, "Okay."
Once Manuel left, Janelle came in.
"What happened?" asked Janelle.
"Boy stays in trouble," Joked Janelle.

At the start of the game, Indiana State's Michael Smith tried not to serve Jarvis the ball.
Guards, television producers, television viewers, announcers and both teams saw Jarvis Johnsonmissed a basket and made his team lose the game.
Back in the locker room, the coach was unimpressed with Jarvis.
"Look Johnson, losing your friend can't help us win the NCAA Finals. This is the second game, guys," mentioned the coach.

After the game, Jarvis left to go home.
The coach called Jarvis, he missed a lot of games; Jarvis needed game days off because he was concerned about Manuel.
"Hey buddy, why are you at practice?" asked the coach.
"That's a good thing you called me---I need a couple of game days off," said Jarvis.
"About two?" asked Jarvis.
"Alright," said the coach.
Jarvis read the message Manuel left on his cell phone.
It read:
Just wanted to let you know---
Manuel

Jennifer took Jarvis home to change clothes.
"What happened?" asked Rosa.
"Manuel got kidnapped," said Jarvis.
"Jesus."
Jarvis got dressed, got into the car, and told his mom he and Jennifer will be back once they find Manuel at the factory.
Jarvis went inside Jennifer's closet to see how much money she had in her bank.
"How much do you want out of here?" asked
"Just get all of it," told Jennifer.

Pastor Bailey got out of his car.
"You want to take a ride?" asked Pastor Bailey.

"Yes," said Rosa.
Then the two pulled away.
Jarvis and Jennifer got Lovely and took her over to Roni's house after they leave there; they will give Jose some money to keep Manuel alive. The most vital thing they could imagine is Manuel may be dead right now.



"I want to help him," said Jarvis.
"Just when the last time you seen Manuel?" asked Jennifer.
"Who did you play that night?"
Jennifer got over to the house to drop lovely off.

"Thank you for watching Lovely," said Jennifer.

Rosa came back to change because Pastor Bailey was waiting for her. The two of them will go out and talk.

5:30 P.M.

"It's no difference if he was here or not; I want my sons to do anything they want," said Rosa.
"Jarvis is a fantastic basketball player, his father and what...what does Roni want to be?" Pastor Bailey looked puzzled.
"I thought Roni wanted to become a comedian?"
"Robin Johnson, my husband, was around my boys a lot. Robin and Jarvis would go outside, through the park and play basketball on warm days," said Rosa.
"He spent anytime with Roni?" asked Pastor Bailey.

"Yes, the time when Roni needed somebody to take his place in a play but older than my husband was, he stepped in.
"What a man."

Jennifer arrived at the factory, she was giving Jose his money, but by the time she got inside, BOOM! A gunshot fired.

Rosa and Pastor Bailey went out again tonight. Marlon is a pastor at a church. Pastor Bailey thought about another chance at marriage that after the death of her husband, she could never be married again.
"You guys should get married," told Roni.
"Look, even me and Pastor Bailey got married---something you won't be worried about for now," told Rosa.

After church Sunday, Marlon came by Rosa's.
"Rosa, Rosa!" yelled Marlon.
Rosa got out of bed, and went to the door.
"Great," complained Rosa.
"Can I come in?" asked Marlon.
"Sure."

Marlon walked in her house and sat down on her couch.
"Look, I really thought you did not want to be rush into a marriage right now?" asked Marlon.
"Yes I said that."
"When I turned sixteen and God was in my life, there was no way God wanted me to become a pastor."

"How much would I find---a knife?"
He pulled the bloody knife out of Jose's pocket.
"I did it used that knife on nobody."
The police car came.
"Get on your feet!" yelled the cop.
The police officer cuffed Jose in handcuffs.

"You'll be in for questioning and you'll be charged with murder, involvement charge with money and the knife!"


Florida won the NCAA (National Collegiate Athlete Association.)
"Team hustle up!" yelled the coach.
"Even if we don't win today, we're still winners."
"Right, coach we're here to play and win," said Jarvis.
"Let's do it...one, two, three Penn State!"
The crowd was cheering.

"We are losing, coach," worried Jarvis.
"I know, but we need to come back with resentment," said the coach.

Jarvis falls and makes the shot.
"Get up, get up, get up!" clapped the coach.
Florida scored again.
"Darn!" yelled Jarvis.

Jarvis looked over at Florida's team.
"There's our rival, Manuel," said Jarvis.
"That's our team we need to beat!" demanded Manuel.
"It's the NCAA Finals at the Madison Square Garden here in New York," announced Maxwell Bowen, reporter of ESPN.
"This is a surprise for Jarvis Johnson's return to the team Penn State at the NCAA Finals," announced Martha Sue, also a reporter for ESPN.
"Last year, Florida won, will Florida win again or will Penn State.

The guard threw the ball up in the air from his hand, beginning the game.

The score is going by fifteen; Florida was catching up and Penn State was behind.

"Time out, time out!" yelled the coaches.
The team players ran to their sidelines where the coaches were.

We are losing by five points and Jarvis---give it to them," said the coach.
"That's right! One, two, three Penn State!" they yelled.
The points kept going up and up, Penn State shined up two points in the fourth half, leaving twelve for Florida.
"This is it; it's on any of these teams to win; I vote for Penn State," said Maxwell.
"Me, especially, even though Jarvis Johnson had been away from the team, he is shining out there today," said Martha.
Everyone got quiet.
Jarvis made the final basket...and the buzzer rings.

"Penn State wins!" yelled the announcers.

Marlon, Rosa and Roni ran from off the benches and joined them.
"Yeah, we won, we won!" yelled Roni.

"It is a great honor and achievement...Jarvis Johnson of the team Penn State," said Maxwell.
Everyone clapped.

"Thank you, thank you---this really meant to my father. I thank my father," said Jarvis.

"That was a wonderful speech you made," said Marlon.
"Yeah, dad's ghost heard you!" laughed Roni.
"Stop making that up!" complained Jarvis.
"Good, son," Roni's voice sounded deep.

"Jarvis, excellent season, next year?" asked the coach.
"Absolutely," said Jarvis.
"Hey man, you were great out there," said Janelle.
Marlon, Jarvis, Roni and Rosa left and celebrated.

"What---what can I say, this win is not only for my father, but to Manuel," said Jarvis.

During the drive home, Jarvis noticed an empty space. He wanted to fulfill his father's dream opening up a center.


"The Robin Johnson Center," thought Jarvis.
"What?" he asked
"With all the money I have now, remember that open space I looked at on the way home, which can be a basketball center for teenage boys without fathers."
"I can see you should spend your money towards that open space right now."
Jarvis went down to the city board the next day.
"I saw a space up for rent, can I have it?" asked Jarvis.
"And what street is this space on?" asked the woman.
"The space is on 2610. Vine Street."
"That space cost thousand of dollars, perfect to get now than wait until winter."
"I'll take it."

Roni, Marlon and Jarvis went down to fix the open space.
They bought in
*Brand new hoops
*Rackets
*Brand new and used basketballs
*A picture of the founder (Robin Johnson)


Later that night, after Jarvis, Roni, and Marlon got home; Rosa came from the kitchen, with dinner prepared for the guys. Marlon next, proposed to Rosa.
She accepted his proposal from her new man.

The Robin Johnson center was luring many teenage boys from the streets, after the summer ended and school began.
"You the owner?" asked Jamaal.
"Yes," Jarvis replied.
"It's good to meet you, Jamaal."
They shook hands.

Later that night, Jarvis was featured on the news.

"Tonight, I'm up to the story about a courageous teenage boy Jarvis Johnson. I'm here by the Robin Johnson Center where teenage boys can come to play basketball.

The center uplifts teenage boys for a place after school. I'm here with the owner Jarvis Johnson. Jarvis, who did you, name this place after and why?" asked the woman reporter.

"I named this center after my father. My father taught me that the game of basketball is not created by God; the main creation of basketball is how well you practice every day and consistently being good at it. I want to give these teenage boys a chance to come and play basketball, this center is the only place they can be around other boys without fathers in their lives," said Jarvis.

"And I hope your center expands one of the biggest organizations of the U.S."

"We watched you on television, Jarvis."
Roni shook and hugged his brother. "You are on your way."
Jarvis helped his father an enormous step.

Jarvis met up the coach; the season was over; Penn State won the NCAA Finals. This was the first time Penn State won the NCAA (National Collegiate Athlete Association.) He put it to work and the quest became achieved Marlon and Rosa are supporting Jarvis with his basketball career.
Next year, Jarvis will look forward attending college in Pennsylvania. Jarvis is so proud of himself, taking what his father said about basketball and really making it sound like basketball does take a lot of practice and being good at it.

Jarvis woke up and got a call about coming down to the center and finalize papers off his center. Don't forget the money! Jarvis' center opened up at nine in the morning, school was still in session and around three-thirty, kids filled the place. Marlon came into see Jarvis needed help up.
"Need help?" asked Marlon.
"Yes." Jarvis picked the tub full of brand new basketballs and statues inside the place. "Can you help me?"
Marlon set the place up.

Roni was not ready to become a comedian, while chewing down a pepperoni pizza.
"I don't want to be a comedian, Jarvis," told Roni.
"Give me some kind of reason you don't want to be a comedian? I thought you wanted to become a comedian?" asked Jarvis.
"Jarvis, you are a basketball player and attending college."
Roni in the beginning, no clue what he wanted to do with his career changed. Roni can still be a comedian but the idea shifted from this to a new front for Roni's new career. Roni now wants to become...

Roni dialed Jarvis' number.
"I'm still here putting away balls," said Jarvis.
Roni wants Jarvis to tell about his father and why the center was started in the first place. How about the story Old Man Hunt?
Jarvis came inside the door, explained to Old Man Hunt killed their father.
Robin came back from his day job. Old Man Hunt sat on his porch.
"I don't know this man." Robin tried to avoid Old Man Hunt. "What he want with me?" Robin dropped his bag and pace over to Old Man Hunt's porch.
Old Man Hunt attracts his gun and the two charged.
The gun fired.

Roni was in shocked by his father's death.
"Man, why did that happen?" asked Jarvis.
"I could not tell you Old Man Hunt or the conflict," said Rosa.
"Dad got killed on his way back from the grocery store?" asked Roni.
"Gun down or gun faced?" asked Jarvis.
"Gun down," answered Rosa.
Jarvis and Roni argue babbling back and forth about the death of their father. Losing a love one can change so much in your life. Promoted, presented, and persevere helped them move away from ambiguity.

This story shows how the death of Jarvis has promoted, presented, and persevered all their lives.