INSTALLMENT

ELEVEN

 

from

 

THE FATHER

CONTRACT 

 

By Arthur Arrington

 

Edited Paul Scott

 

Chapter Twenty-Four: "A New Big Brother"

In the weeks that followed PJ's trip to New York, his housemaster and teachers were amazed and delighted to see further changes in him. As Mr. Williamson had told Jack, they had already thought him more happy and cheerful. Now, suddenly, he burst upon them, a bright, vital child brimming with mischievous good spirits, buoyed up by an unself-conscious confidence in himself and his abilities, and equipped with unflagging curiosity and voracious, insatiable desire to learn everything under the sun!

 

The Middle School masters were all pleased and talked contentedly about it among themselves.

 

"In some ways it's been a disaster," chuckled Mr. Bingham, PJ's English teacher. "He used to be such a quiet, polite little boy. Now he and that roommate of his, Erik, are the class live-wires. They play jokes on all the other boys. Just yesterday I caught them throwing spitballs. I kept them after class for punishment and they kept grinning at me like two little imps. How could I get mad at them? They've read everything in the textbook and they're always after me to try new types of writing. You ought to see the book reports and compositions PJ turns in."

 

Stevenson, the young Science master, laughed heartily. "Having PJ in your classroom is like having a live electric dynamo throwing sparks. The boy is just fizzing with energy."

 

"He's gone completely through my textbook," the Math teacher, Mr. Darenowski, complained. "I'm at my wit's end. He and Erik are both already in the advanced class. I don't know how I'm going to keep them challenged until end of term."

 

In these talks, they all attributed the change to PJ's success on the swim team, and to his friendship with Erik.

 

"It's just amazing how sports can help give a child confidence and improve self-esteem," Steve Barnard, PJ's swimming coach, told them, coming over with a cup of coffee in each hand. "It's not the first time I've seen it happen."

 

He handed one of the coffees to the prim young Liz Faringer, the Social Studies mistress, who was nodding in agreement. "I think it's wonderful the way PJ and Erik get along and help each other," she observed. "I believe Erik's the first real friend PJ's had. It's helped him enormously. He's really beginning to relate to other people."

 

But in this, she, like the others, was only partially correct.

 

PJ himself was unaware of any changes. All he knew was that he felt more content and secure than ever before in his life. Jack had learned the secret of his birthday and not become angry. PJ's last lingering fear had evaporated, and without being conscious of it, he'd concluded that Jack had accepted the secret tie PJ had always believed existed between them. Across the barrier he'd maintained against the rest of the world had come tendrils of affection, and PJ's battered little soul had responded. It was as if a pure spring of wonderful ideas and thoughts was bubbling up inside him.

 

For days after Jack's visit, PJ and Erik went on a poetry hunt. They bugged Mr. Bingham and haunted the library looking up the things Jack had recited, discovering a whole world they hadn't known existed. "Cool!" PJ exclaimed when he came across "Recessional" by his new favorite author, Rudyard Kipling. This outburst earned him a severe look accompanied by a no-nonsense "Shush!" from the librarian. Erik put a hand over his mouth to suppress a giggle, and PJ leaned his head close, pointing at the page and whispering, "This is the one Jack told us that time in the pool!" Erik found more American historical poems like "Hiawatha" and "Barbara Fritchey." The boys read them together.

 

On the following weekend, Erik went for his overnight to New York with the basketball team. He came back talking enthusiastically about the Planetarium, with the result that he and PJ spent clear, cold evenings on the Hill using the sky chart to identify the constellations of the winter night.

 

"Look, PJ," Erik said once, "there's Gemini, the Twins. That's us."

 

"Yup," PJ agreed.

 

Mr. Bingham gave PJ another Kipling novel to read: Captains Courageous. When PJ discovered this story was about a spoiled rich boy whose father had neglected him, he was instantly hooked. Even the difficult slang dialect in the book didn't discourage him. He couldn't put it down. With sympathy and understanding, he read the ending where the boy Harvey achieves a relationship with his father. A month before, the ending might have disturbed him. But now, secure in his own relationship with Jack, he only found it inspiring.

 

Another reading adventure came to the two boys from an unlikely source, the Math teacher. Mr. Darenowski pointed PJ and Erik to a whole series of books by a man named Martin Gardner. Erik and PJ plunged into stories about a character named Dr. Matrix and his beautiful, mysterious Eurasian daughter. "This is neat!" Erik exclaimed. He and PJ had a wonderful time exploring the puzzles and exotic mathematical ideas presented in the stories.

 

They mentioned these to Mr. Bingham, who chuckled over them. "Why, those characters are based on the old Dr. Fu Manchu books," he laughed. "I haven't thought of those for years." PJ and Erik immediately demanded to know what books these were. "I really shouldn't tell you," Mr. Bingham said, laughing some more. "They're total trash."

 

"Erik and I love trash," PJ said with a grin.

 

They found Sax Rohmer's famous series in the library, and for several weeks immersed themselves into the world of Nayland Smith, Dr. Petrie, and the fiendish schemes of Dr. Fu Manchu. One night they woke up the whole House trying to imitate what they thought the cry of a Dacoit must have sounded like!

 

Mr. Bingham also pointed them to the Sherlock Holmes stories of Conan Doyle. Erik read The Sign of Four while PJ devoured The Hound of the Baskervilles. Then they traded.

 

In the midst of all this, PJ and the swim team had a Friday-Saturday overnight meet in Philadelphia with Franklyn Prep, the school they'd beaten when Jack had come for his first visit. True to his promise, Travis, the older boy PJ had made friends with, was waiting when PJ got off the bus. "Hi," he said with a grin. "Don't forget, you're staying with me."

 

"Hi, Travis," PJ said, smiling up at him.

 

They went to their coaches to tell them they were pairing off, and Travis took him over to the dormitory.

 

"I see you still have your cap," PJ said as they walked across campus.

 

Travis was wearing the Phillies' cap Jack had signed. "Yup," he said. "This is my lucky hat now. I wear it everywhere."

 

The boys in the dormitory were all Travis' age or older, and as PJ followed Travis up the stairs, several gave him curious glances. There were three boys in Travis' room who turned their heads to look at them when they came in. "Hey Trav," one with red hair said. Another boy with a pimply face looked at PJ, frowned, and sneered, "Who's this? Beat it, kid. No brats allowed around here."

 

PJ was unsure what to do, but Travis put a hand on his shoulder. "The kid's name is PJ. He's on the Gordonsville swimming team and he has more guts in his little finger than you have in your whole, fat body, Mike Sweeney. If you don't like him being in my room, then take your ugly ass out of here because he's my guest and he's staying here tonight. But you're not leaving until you apologize to him." There was dead silence. Travis stared at the pimply-faced boy, who finally dropped his eyes and mumbled, "Uh, sorry, PJ. I didn't know you were Travis' friend."

 

Travis relaxed his hand on PJ's shoulder and he gestured around the room. "PJ, meet the gang. This character"--he indicated the red-haired boy who was grinning at them--"is my roommate, Todd. He plays football badly, spring soccer supremely well, and guitar indifferently."

 

"Hi, PJ," Todd said, shaking PJ's hand.

 

"And these two guys," Travis continued, "are Budd DiCento and his roommate Mike Sweeney. Budd likes girls, Ping-Pong, and girls in approximately that order, and Mike here, who is actually a pretty nice guy when he's not jamming his foot in his mouth, has been known to play quite a mean left tackle on our football team."

 

"Hey man, what's up?" Budd said, shaking PJ's hand.

 

"Sorry, PJ," Mike said again. He shook PJ's hand.

 

PJ smiled at him. "It's nice to meet you, Mike. I remember seeing you when we played you guys last fall. You're a great lineman."

 

Mike turned beet red as he stammered, "Oh-h, man, now-w you're really making me feel bad!" He leaned closer to PJ and winked. "Why do-on't you say that again, PJ. Louder this time. I want to be su-ure all these guys heard it." Everyone laughed, and then Travis suggested, "Let's show PJ around a little; then we can take him over to the cafeteria for dinner."

 

Budd groaned, "Aw, Travis, you're not going to expose him to that awful place, are you? The food in our cafeteria has been known to be fatal to visitors!"

 

"It's all part of a fiendish plan," Travis shot back, "a scheme to undermine PJ's strength for the meet tomorrow. As you know, I stop at nothing to win. Tonight, for instance, I have a few girls from our sister school lined up to keep PJ occupied until the dawn. No sleep! He'll be so drained he may not even make it to the pool!"

 

"Oh no, Travis," PJ said, holding up his hands in mock horror. "Anything but that!"

 

The boys all laughed again. "Come on, PJ." Todd flicked the young boy's shoulder. "We'll save you from the foul schemes of my unscrupulous roommate. Park your stuff on my bed and we'll show you around the place."

 

They gave PJ a quick tour of the school and then went to eat in a dining hall that was more crowded and noisy than Gordonsville's. PJ thought the food wasn't too bad and he ate hungrily. After the meal, Todd told him, "I'm gonna hang out with Budd and Mike tonight, PJ. Go ahead and use my bed. Just make yourself comfortable." He held out a hand. "If I don't see you again, good luck in your races and it's been nice meeting you." The other boys all shook hands and wished PJ good luck as well. When they left, Travis and PJ walked back to the dorm together in the winter darkness.

 

"Your roommate's nice, Trav," PJ said.

 

"Yeah, Todd's a good guy," Travis agreed. "The other two are okay, too, sort of. Sorry about that little fuss at the beginning, PJ."

 

"That's okay," PJ looked at his friend. "Thanks for sticking up for me. I think they were all a little afraid of you."

 

Travis grunted. "It made me mad to hear Mike talk that way to you. I'd rather be friends with you than any of those other guys, except for Todd maybe. I wish I could have more friends like you. I'd stand up for you any day. And I bet you'd do the same for me."

 

PJ laughed and gave Travis a little punch on the arm. "Yeah. But I'm not big like you. When you do it, it gets results."

 

They went upstairs and spent a long time talking. PJ was surprised to find out that Travis had problems in his life, just as PJ did, including one that he was very familiar with. "My dad divorced my mom when I was little," he told PJ. "I don't see him much. Mostly he just sends money. I really don't see my mom too much either. I think she sent me to school here to kinda get rid of me."

 

PJ nodded. "Boy, do I know exactly how that is. My parents both dumped me."

 

Travis nodded back. "I guess it could've been worse. This is a good school academically, so I'll have a chance to get into a decent college. And I like being here in Philadelphia, close to where I grew up. I just wish we had a better swim team."

 

"What's wrong with yours?" PJ asked out of curiosity.

 

"The school doesn't support it much," Travis said. "And the coach isn't very good. He's really a track coach. He just doubles up on swimming for some extra money. I'm the only good swimmer on the team. That's `cause I work out year-round with another coach. A real one."

 

"How do you do that?"

 

"He has a big competitive age-group team here in Philly," Travis said. "Mostly I work out with him every day after school and all day in the summer. He and I are sort of the same as you and Jack. He's really more my "father" than my real father is. I've known him since I was a little kid. One of the reasons I like going to school here is that I get to see him almost every day."

 

PJ sighed. "Gee, Travis," he said a little dejectedly, "I was gonna ask if you wanted to go to swim camp with me this summer, but I guess you're all set here with your other coach."

 

Travis leaned over and gave PJ's shoulder a little tap. "That is incredibly nice of you, PJ, and I won't forget you asked me. But, yeah, I'll be spending my summer here with my friend. We work out in one of the big 50-meter outdoor municipal pools every morning and the indoor pool in the afternoon. At the end of the summer, we always go to a regional meet in Colorado or California and camp in a national park. It's a lot of fun."

 

PJ nodded glumly. "It sounds great. The only big meet we get to go to is the Florida Junior Olympics in Tampa. But the camp has a baseball program too, so that's why I like it. I just wish somehow we could get together more."

 

Travis shook his head. "I guess we may not, PJ. I wish we could, because I think you're a great kid. I wish I could go to a school where they were all like you. Let's not lose touch with one another. I promise to e-mail and you do the same, okay? Next year I'll be on the Upper School team, but you could still come to my meet when we're at Gordonsville and see me. And I could still come to your meet here. Would you do that?"

 

"Sure, Travis. I'll come and cheer for you."

 

"Thanks, PJ. . . ." The older boy hung his head a moment before looking back up. "Actually, there's one other time I hope you'll cheer for me. It's my last Middle School Championship meet in March. Since I was eleven, I've wanted to win the 100-yard breaststroke event, and I think I can this year. It would mean a lot if you'd root for me in that."

 

"You know I will, Travis," PJ said solemnly. "I promise."

 

The two boys shook hands.

 

Travis grinned. "Hey, I've got my time way down in the IM, PJ!"

 

PJ smiled back. "Me too, Trav!"

 

"We may have to go head-to-head again tomorrow," Travis said. "I went and told my coach friend about that race we had. He told me that having you almost beat me was exactly what I deserved for neglecting my other strokes. He thinks I work too much on just my breaststroke. See, he believes that all the different strokes help each other."

 

"Yeah," PJ nodded, "my coach at Gordonsville says the same thing. And down in Florida, at the camp, you have to work on a different stroke each day."

 

"Oh man!" Travis exclaimed. "You mean you have to do butterfly for a whole workout?"

 

PJ nodded. "Yeah. Those are killer practices, believe me."

Travis shook his head. "I don't think I could do that. But I've been working a lot more on my backstroke, so that's helped. This time I'll try not to mess up my backstroke turn."

 

"That's right!" PJ exclaimed, remembering their race. "You were starting to catch up on the first lap of backstroke, but after the turn you were way behind again."

 

"Yeah," Travis said, "I completely blew that turn. It just killed me."

 

"Gee," PJ said, "if you do better on the backstroke leg you'll be pretty tough this time, but my backstroke's better, too." He hesitated, and then asked, "Trav? How come you don't work on your fly more? That's really what messes up your IM."

 

"I know, PJ," Travis agreed, "but I just can't seem to get the kick. I've got these long, stringy, flexible legs. Great for the breaststroke frog-kick, but they go all loose and floppy if I try the dolphin version." He grinned. "Hey! Why don't you get better on your breaststroke? That's your weak spot."

 

PJ laughed. "Okay. You're right. I guess I have the same problem in reverse." He touched his thighs and his butt. "I got plenty of muscle here, but it's not flexible. I can't really extend to get that whip action on the frog kick like you can. And if I try to snap the kick too hard, my knees hurt."

 

The boys exchanged a fist tap. PJ felt really great. He loved talking to Travis and tremendously enjoyed the older boy's attention. He remembered that Jack had liked Travis and decided to mention it. "You know, Travis, Jack really liked you. He told me you'd be a good friend for me."

 

Travis blushed and looked down. "I am your friend, PJ. I really like you. I wish I knew a lot more kids like you. I mean it when I say I'm going to keep in touch with you and I hope you'll stay in touch with me!"

 

The two boys talked for a long time that night. PJ let Travis do most of it, listening fascinated as Travis told him about traveling to big swim meets in distant places, fun times with his coach, and adventures in his years at school. PJ found himself admiring Travis more and more. Later, when the older boy branched off into the mysterious world of social life and girls that thirteen-year-olds inhabit, PJ kept pretending interest, not wanting Travis to think him ignorant. But at last he couldn't suppress a yawn.

 

"You know what, PJ," Travis said, yawning himself, "I've figured out why I like you so much. I've always wanted a younger brother. All my life I've wanted one. I think you'd be the best younger brother any guy could have!"

 

PJ regarded Travis solemnly. "I've always wanted an older brother, Trav. If I ever had one, I'd want him to be like you."

 

Travis smiled at him. "That's the second incredibly nice thing you've told me tonight. Tell you what. I'll be your older brother if you'll be my younger one!" He held out a hand and PJ shook it very seriously. Then he got up and gave Travis an awkward hug.

 

"Thanks, Little Brother," Travis said. "And now, "Big Brother" says it's time for bed. Coach has us on a curfew on the nights before meets."

 

As they got ready, PJ suddenly became aware of a problem he hadn't anticipated. "Travis," he said awkwardly, "I think I'd rather sleep on the floor."

 

The older boy gave him a look. "Todd fixed his bed up for you, PJ. It's got clean sheets and everything. There's nothing wrong with it."

 

PJ tried to meet his friend's eyes: ashamed, embarrassed, yet at the same time so tired of making excuses! A month before he might've come up with some sort of lie, but this was Travis! He trusted Travis, the way he could trust Erik or Jack. He squared his shoulders and took a steadying breath, the same as if he was getting set for a race. "Travis. If I tell you something, will you promise not to tell anyone else?"

 

"I promise, PJ. I'm your big brother. Big brothers don't tell on little brothers unless they're total jerks. You can trust me."

 

PJ explained about his terrible fear of bedwetting. "I haven't really done it for a few years now," he said miserably, "but I'm always scared I'll do it. What if I did it in Todd's bed?"

 

Travis was instantly sympathetic and concerned. "Hey, I know just what that's like." He came over and sat on the bed next to PJ. "I was exactly the same way. It's awful. I was terrified to sleep over at anybody's house. Don't worry. Here's what we'll do. You sleep in my bed. You'll have to use my sheets, but I don't smell that bad."

 

Both boys laughed at this and Travis gave PJ a quick little hug around the shoulders. "I'll sleep in Todd's bed," Travis continued. "That way, if you do have an accident, it'll be in my bed and I'll be right here to help you. And don't worry, PJ. I wouldn't even care if you crapped in my bed. You're my little brother an' I'll cover for you."

 

PJ giggled. "Thanks Travis." He felt enormously relieved..

 

"Here's a pair of my pajamas," Travis said, handing him a set. "That way if something happens, yours will still be dry. And I'll be right here with you. If you have any trouble tonight about anything, just wake me up. Okay?"

 

"Okay," PJ said, giving him a grateful little smile.

 

"Do you need a light on at night?"

 

PJ nodded.

 

"No problem," Travis said. "I'll leave the light on in the closet. Like this, see? With the door almost closed, there's just a little light coming into the room, like a nightlight. It'll be perfect."

 

Travis arranged everything and when PJ said, "Thanks, Trav," the older boy gave him another little hug. "Hey, that's what big brothers do. They take care of their little brothers, right?"

 

"Right," said PJ with a grin. And he didn't feel embarrassed anymore.

 

He slept very well that night, without any bad dreams. And he didn't wet the bed!

Chapter Twenty-Five: "Goal-Setting"

Travis woke PJ the next morning and took him to breakfast. "You were sleeping so well I hated to get you up," he said as they both walked over to the Dining Hall, "but my coach friend says you can't swim a good race on an empty stomach."

 

Back in the room, Travis insisted they both lie down and rest quietly until it was time to go to the pool. "This is what I do before all my races," he explained. "My coach teaches us to relax and sort of gather ourselves before a meet. It works, too."

 

"Travis," PJ said, stretching out on the bed. "I'm gonna cheer for you today in the breaststroke even though it's against my own team."

 

"Thanks." The older boy regarded him affectionately. "I hope it brings me luck. There's a certain time I want to do today. It's part of my countdown to the Championship. I'll also cheer for you in the butterfly." Then he grinned and said, "And, I'm gonna root for both of us in the IM!"

 

"Me, too," PJ said, grinning back. "Don't mess up your turn this time!"

 

Travis laughed. "I hope not. I've practiced it enough. Actually, PJ, I hope you really do well in the IM today. I'm not that good at it, but you really are. I think it could be as strong an event for you someday as the fly and the free."

 

PJ nodded. "I'd like that. I have a goal in the Championships, too."

 

"What's that?"

 

"I want to make the finals in the hundred-yard butterfly."

 

"That would be incredible for an eleven-year-old," Travis said. "I hope you do it!"

 

"Travis," PJ said suddenly. "Why can't you stay with me and Erik when you come to Gordonsville for the Championships?"

 

The older boy's face lit up. "Yeah! Hey, that's a great idea. I could be with you guys." He sat up and thought about it for a few moments. "We'd be right near the pool. It would really help me to do that. . . ." With a rueful glance at PJ he explained, "See, the kids on our team . . . well, most of them are such losers. The few that can make the cutoff times for the Championships know they can't win anything, so they just go to fool around in whatever motel we stay at. They play games all night and nobody sleeps. It's hard for me to concentrate on my race. If I stay with you, we could psych up for the preliminaries and finals together!"

 

"And Erik could be like our personal trainer and manager," PJ said excitedly. "He's good at that and he likes doing it. I do it for him in basketball."

 

"PJ, this is an awesome idea," Travis said. "Why didn't we think of it before? I'll talk to my coach and you talk to yours. I bet we can fix it up today!"

 

After they'd talked about their idea for awhile, Travis got out the latest issue of U.S. Swimming Magazine. He and PJ lay on the bed quietly, checking out race results from meets around the country until it was time to go to the pool.

 

The meet was not a very exciting one. Just as in the first meeting of the two teams, Gordonsville won easily. But PJ and Travis had each other so psyched up that for them, their races were as interesting as they would have been if the meet had been close. They warmed up together; they gave each other encouragement; side-by-side, both practiced their backstroke turns. "No bad turns this time," PJ warned Travis. "I don't want you to have any excuses."

 

Travis gave him a big smile. "I'll hit it this time!"

 

After drying off they found a way to sit together on the side of the pool, PJ at the end of his team's space and Travis at the front of his. "Look PJ," Travis said, pointing. "There's my friend Coach Drew! He always comes to see me swim." Up in the spectator area, a young man wearing a sports shirt was waving to them, and both boys waved back. "I want to introduce you to him after the meet."

When they called the first event, the medley relay, the two boys went up together to the blocks. Travis was the second man on his team, doing the breaststroke, and PJ was third on his for the fly.

 

"I'm gonna give my guys such a big lead even you won't be able to catch them," Travis told PJ.

 

"Just watch me," PJ said. "Good luck, Big Brother."

 

"Go get 'em, Little Brother!"

 

The boys shook hands.

 

Travis was as good as his word. His team's flyer was well on his way down the first lap before PJ's teammate touched the wall and he could start. But the other boy was no match for PJ's sprint. With powerful strokes, PJ bore down on his struggling opponent, caught him at the turn, and pulled away on the second lap, giving his team an insurmountable lead--and lowering his best time by another tenth of a second!

 

"Boy, PJ, you're fly just keeps looking better and better," Travis said afterward.

 

"So does your breaststroke," PJ assured him. "You were really smokin'."

 

The boys touched fists and Travis said, "I just hope I can hit my time in the hundred-yard event."

 

PJ's butterfly race came before the breaststroke. He went to the starting blocks confident that he'd win the event easily because Blake, the older boy who was his rival for the top-flight position, was instead swimming a freestyle event. Without any competition, PJ would have to push himself if he wanted to better his time.

 

As he mounted the block in the center lane, PJ heard the usual cries of encouragement from his teammates. Then another voice yelled, "Let's do it, PJ!" He looked and saw Travis giving him the high sign. PJ smiled and nodded.

 

When the starter's gun went off, he took the first two laps out as hard as he could, and concentrated on holding his form for the remaining two laps, not conceding anything to fatique, using his powerful leg-kick to drive his stroke as he sought to keep his split times between the opening and second halves within a second of each other. It was a goal Erik had challenged him with. He was almost a lap ahead of the other swimmers when he finished, and he'd posted a good time all right. He was sure, though, that he could do better.

 

"Nice one, Little Bro," Travis told him when he got back to his seat.

 

"I think I can best that, Trav," PJ said as he put on his sweat suit.

 

"Yeah, it's really hard to push yourself without competition. But you looked great. You're gonna swim even faster in a real race."

 

Soon after, the officials called for the breaststroke event. PJ waited until Travis was up on the blocks. Then he got up and stood by the edge of the pool. "Let's go, Trav!" he yelled. "You can do it!" He saw Travis nod to him and grin. A few of the boys on the Gordonsville team looked at PJ curiously. "He's my friend," PJ explained to them.

 

Travis was having an easy race with no competition, just as it had been for PJ. PJ could tell his buddy was pushing as hard as he could, getting long glides off the wall on the turns, his powerful frog kick driving him through the water. "Come on, Trav!" PJ yelled as his friend came down the last lap.

 

As soon as Travis finished, way ahead of the others in the race, PJ went running up to the blocks. He reached down and gave Travis a hand out of the water. "Thanks Little Bro," Travis panted. He asked the lane official for his time and his face lit up. "All right! I did it, PJ. I got the time I wanted."

 

"Nice one, Trav!" PJ was happy for him. "You looked good all through that race."

 

"Let's go see my coach." Travis took his arm and led PJ over to the spectator area where the young man Travis had pointed out earlier was waiting for them. He held up a stopwatch delightedly as the two boys approached. "Way to go, Trav! You did it just like we hoped."

 

After he gave Travis his split times, the boy told him, "Coach Drew, this is PJ, the kid from Gordonsville I was telling you about."

 

"How do you do, Sir?" PJ held out a hand.

 

Travis' friend took it and shook warmly. "PJ, it's nice to finally meet you. I'm Drew Keirnan. Travis has told me all about you. Your butterfly looks great."

 

"His other strokes are just as good, Coach," Travis said. "Except maybe his breaststroke. I can get him in that."

 

"Still, you're doing excellent times for an eleven-year-old, PJ," the young coach said. "Hey, Travis tells me your good friends with Jack Canon. Is that right?"

 

"Yes, Sir," PJ replied. "I've been friends with Jack for a while now."

 

"He's my favorite baseball player. I wish we had him on the Phillies."

 

"Yeah," Travis agreed. "They could sure use something."

 

"Are both you guys doin' the IM?" Coach Drew asked.

 

The two boys looked at each other, smiled, and then nodded. "It's gonna be another grudge match, Coach," Travis said.

 

"Yeah, Travis promised not to miss his backstroke turn this time," PJ told him. Both boys grinned and high-fived.

 

Coach Drew smiled at the two of them. "I'm glad I get to see this race, and I can tell it's gonna be good. I'll get all your splits so you can see them afterwards. Good luck to you both. PJ," he said, smiling at the boy, "don't let this big bum off easy. He needs all the pushing he can get."

 

Travis and PJ laughed outright this time. As they went back to their seats, PJ said, "He's really nice, Travis."

 

"Yeah," Travis agreed. "He's a lot like your friend Jack. Just a great guy. He's sure helped me a lot. I don't know where I'd be right now if it wasn't for Coach Drew. I guess you know how important it is to have someone around out there who cares about you."

 

"Yes," PJ said. "I sure do."

 

When the individual medley was called near the end of the meet, Travis and PJ went up together once more. The other swimmer for Gordonsville was Blake, PJ's older rival in butterfly. PJ had never beaten him, but he remembered how close all three of them had finished in that first meet.

 

"Good luck, Little Bro." Travis held out his hand with a smile.

 

"Good luck, Big Brother," PJ said taking it. "Let's both do our best times."

 

"Let's do it!" Travis agreed.

 

As PJ stepped up onto his starting block, all thoughts vacated his mind except for his focus on the race. For no particular reason, perhaps just because he and Travis had talked of it so much, this race felt important and he was pumped up for it. Yet at the same time, he felt relaxed and very self-assured. He glanced over at the spectator area and suddenly thought of Jack, wishing the tall rangy figure was there, standing alongside Erik with that special smile that meant, "Go get `em, Little Champ! Show `em what you can do!" I will, Jack! PJ thought. I will! This is for you! Then he stared straight ahead, waiting for the starter's commands.

 

When the gun went off, PJ flew off the block and raced down the pool using long, powerful butterfly strokes. He felt light as a feather, planning smoothly and effortlessly over the water. He could never remember feeling so confident at the beginning of an IM before.

 

At the end of two laps and as he went into the backstroke, he was thrilled to see that he was in the lead! He had no clue what had happened to Blake, or Travis either. All he knew was that he was ahead of them! PJ drove hard with his legs and pushed his backstroke with strong, powerful arm-pulls. He knew he'd improved a lot in the stroke, and he was proving it now. He hit his turn well and maintained his lead on the second lap. But out of the corner of his eye, he could see that Travis had gradually caught up. Travis hadn't missed his turn this time!

 

PJ flipped on the wall and pushed off into the breaststroke. He was starting to feel the strain now; the eight-lap race was a grueling one. But he was still in the lead. If he could just do well enough on the breaststroke leg! He knew Travis would catch up and probably pass him here, but if he could keep him from building too much of an advantage, PJ thought he could come back on Travis in the freestyle. He pushed his frog kick as hard as he could and concentrated on his form. If he could only hold on!

 

At the turn, PJ could see that Travis had nearly caught him. Boy, his breaststroke is good!, he thought. On the second lap, Travis began to go past. PJ stroked desperately, trying to keep Travis from getting too much of a lead. This was going to be an exact rematch of our first race!

 

Travis pushed off into the last two laps of freestyle ahead of PJ, but PJ knew he'd almost caught him once before, and he believed he could do it again! Both boys were tired now, battling each other, Travis using his greater reach and strength to hold off his young challenger. They hit the turn with PJ just slightly behind, and both thundered down the last lap, each boy straining with every ounce of strength left. They hit the finish almost even!

 

PJ pulled his head up gasping for air. He heard all the swimmers on both teams, and all the spectators, cheering wildly. In the lane next to him, Travis was desperately trying to suck air into his chest. Travis put his hand across the lane rope and PJ grasped it.

 

"Little Bro," Travis gasped, "what a race!"

 

"Trav!" PJ panted.

 

The two boys hugged each other over the rope.

 

PJ had no idea which of them had won. The only thing he knew for sure was that both he and Travis had beaten Blake. PJ was so elated he could hardly contain himself. It was the first time he'd ever beaten his teammate!

 

They both got out of the water and checked their times. Travis had won again, just as he had the first time, holding PJ off by a tenth of a second! "My best time!" Travis exclaimed.

 

"Me, too!" said PJ.

 

Travis gave PJ another hug around the shoulders. "We did it, PJ!"

 

They both went and shook hands with Blake, who was polite and complimented them with a "Nice race." But PJ could tell he was not pleased to have been beaten by a younger boy. Then they walked over to talk with Coach Drew in the spectator area.

 

"Great race the two of you!" The young man gave both their shoulders a pat and showed them all their splits. "PJ," he asked, "where do you work out in the summer?"

 

PJ explained about his Florida sports camp.

 

"Well, if you ever want to come work with us, we'd be glad to have you."

 

"Thanks Coach," PJ answered politely, but he know that he'd be sticking with the Florida camp because there, he could play baseball along with the swimming.

 

Travis and PJ sat together for the rest of the meet. After Gordonsville had won and the teams cheered for each other, PJ had a sudden idea. "Trav, after lunch our team's gonna take a tour of Independence Hall. I'd really like it if you'd come with me."

 

"Sure, PJ!" Travis' face lit up. "That sounds like fun. I'm an expert on Independence Hall. I can tell you all about it." When they went to tell Coach Drew about the plan, the young man smiled indulgently, gave Travis a quick hug around the shoulders, and told him, "That's a fine idea. I'll drive you over there and we'll both join the tour."

 

After lunch, while PJ and his team went to Independence Hall on their bus, Travis and Mr. Keirnan followed by car. At that point, they joined up. PJ thought the tour was pretty neat. He especially liked seeing the Liberty Bell. But he was really impressed by how much Travis knew. His older friend kept telling PJ all kinds of interesting stuff that the tour guide had left out. "How do you know all this stuff, Trav?" PJ asked in amazement.

 

"We have American history this year and I got really interested in it," Travis explained. "I read a lot of books about it."

 

"I think it's pretty cool," PJ said. "I'm gonna check around in our library for stuff when I get back home."

 

At the end of the day, the two friends got ready to say goodbye to each other and exchange e-mail addresses. "I'll write you a lot, Big Brother," PJ promised.

 

"And I'll write you, Little Brother," Travis assured him. "Who do you swim next?"

 

"Foxton," PJ answered.

 

"Oh, man!" Travis shook his head. "Watch out for those guys, PJ. They got a good team. The best Middle School flyer in the Eastern Prep League is on that team."

 

"I guess I won't win that race," PJ said, nodding. "But maybe I'll still do a good time. Jack's coming for that meet so I'll have fun anyway. I'll e-mail you and let you know what happens."

 

"Yeah, make sure you stay in touch, PJ."

 

"I will. And don't forget, you're staying with me for the Championships."

 

They shook once more and Travis gave PJ a little hug. Then PJ got on the bus. Travis and Coach Drew waited around until the bus left.

 

On the way home, Coach Bernard called PJ to the front of the bus and had PJ sit beside him so they could go over his stats. "PJ," Mr. Bernard told him, "you did better than anyone else today. You were the only one to improve his times."

 

PJ looked down at his lap, embarrassed. "Well, I stayed with a good friend of mine. I guess the two of us kind of psyched each other up."

 

"Is your friend the boy who swims breaststroke for them?"

 

PJ nodded.

 

"He seems like a nice kid," the coach said. "I'm glad to see you making friends, PJ."

 

"Coach," PJ asked hopefully, "I'd like my friend Travis to stay with me when he comes for the Championships in March. Do you think that'd be okay?"

 

"I'm sure it would be, PJ. In fact, I think it would be a very good thing for both of you. Why don't you check with your housemaster? I'm betting he'll be in favor of it, but if you have any problems, let me know and I'll talk to him."

 

"Thanks Coach."

 

"You'll also be in the Championships this year, PJ. You've made the cut-off times already."

 

PJ nodded. "I've set a goal for the Championships, Coach. I'm gonna try to make the finals in the butterfly."

 

"It'll be tough, PJ. You're only eleven. It's just your first year."

 

"Uh-huh. I'm gonna try, though."

 

Mr. Bernard nodded. "I think you've got a chance. Just keep working like you have been and we'll see what happens." PJ went back to his seat and looked out the window into the darkness, watching the traffic on the Interstate.

 

I'll make those finals! he told himself. I'm gonna do it for Jack!

 

* * *

 

CONCLUSION OF INSTALLMENT ELEVEN

 

Editor Paul Scott's e-mail: paulkdoctor@gmail.com