Most days after school the gym was deserted. Mike would run home, drop his books off, grab the lacrosse sticks, and race back to school where Donnie would be waiting. Mike and Donnie usually had the gym to themselves to shoot and laugh their heads off. It was their special time. It was for that reason that one day when Donnie and Mike heard voices coming from the gym as they approached that Mike felt a surprising anger rise in his chest. What jerks had the nerve to steal their time in the gym?
Mike pushed one of the heavy doors open with such ferocity that it smacked loudly against the wall before rebounding violently back into his shoulder. He stood in the doorway gathering his senses as he surveyed the faces staring at him. Tommy Aleekuk and David Elanik waved at him from across the gym. He limply waved back and tried to figure out what was going on. It was some of the strangest stuff he'd ever seen.
“Oh, darn! They're having an Arctic Sports practice!” Mike had completely forgotten that Donnie was right behind him. Glancing back, he quickly turned once again to study the spectacle.
David, Tommy, and Mark Kikoak were there, as well as several guys he recognized but whose names he couldn't remember. There were girls, too. He watched in amazement as Gwen Thrasher took a short run, jumped straight into the air, and kicked a little fuzzy thing hanging from what appeared to be an aluminum pole.
Tommy jogged across the gym and gripped Mike in a handshake. “Hey, man, you come to try out for Arctic Sports?”
“I didn't even know there was such a thing,” Mike said. “Donnie and I came to shoot the lacrosse ball around.”
“That's what those crazy-looking things are?” Tommy nodded at the sticks in Mike's hand. “We're mostly down at this end, so if you guys want to bounce the ball around there, you can.”
“Sure,” Mike said. “We'll be careful and pass across the gym. Can we watch you guys for a bit first?”
Tommy grinned. “Hey, anybody can watch. You can even try if you're brave enough. Come on over!” He jogged back over to a group of guys standing in a huddle.
“Let's take a look, Donnie.”
“It's pretty cool, Mike. These are sports the Inuit and Inuvialuit have been doing for hundreds of years. Most are pretty hard, too. It looks like they're going to do the airplane. If you're lucky, Mark will take a turn. He's one of the best around. I think he won a medal a couple of years ago at the Arctic Winter Games in Whitehorse.”
Mike followed Donnie over. When they got there, David and Mark gave Mike a friendly “Hey,” while the other guys nodded and smiled. Sure enough, it looked as if Mark was going to take a turn at something that appeared pretty freaky to Mike.
Mark lay on the floor face down. His arms were straight out from his sides at right angles, and his legs and feet were together, straight along the floor. David stood on the left side of Mark, Tommy on the right. They placed their hands under each of Mark's balled-up fists. Two other guys stood by Mark's feet, each putting their hands between a foot and the floor.
All at once Mark seemed to stiffen his entire body. “Ready!” he rasped between clenched teeth. The four boys lifted Mark at the same time, stopping with his body about a metre off the floor.
Mike gasped. “Holy crap!”
“That's the airplane,” Donnie whispered. “Now they have to see how far he can stay like that.” Mike watched as the four boys carried Mark slowly around the perimeter of the gym. He held his body perfectly rigid. Without realizing it Mike held his breath. Mark seemed to go forever. It was amazing! At last Mike could see Mark begin to tremble. He was fighting with everything he had, his face turning red, then purple. Finally, with a sigh, he collapsed on the floor.
“Phewwwww!”
Mike exhaled. “That was one of the most incredible things I've ever seen.”
Mark sat up on the floor and wiped the perspiration off his forehead. “You ready for a turn, South Boy?”
Mike smiled nervously. “Man, I don't know ⦠That's got to be one of the most incredible things I've ever seen. I doubt if I could even make it off the floor.”
Mark laughed. “Well, my man, there's only one way to find out.”
“Go ahead, Mike,” Donnie said. “I bet you can do it.”
“Come on, Mike,” the other boys urged. “Give it a shot.”
Shaking his head, Mike knelt on the floor. “Mark, if I rip myself in half, I'm going to blame you.”
Mark patted Mike on the shoulder. “Well, whatever you do, you better make it look good.” He looked past Mike and motioned in that direction with his head.
Mike turned to find the rest of the group in the gym had gathered to watch. “Oh, God!”
Donnie caught his eye and nodded, urging Mike on.
“Here goes nothin'.” Mike lowered himself and lay face down on the floor. Deliberately, he stuck his arms out from his sides at right angles and placed his feet together. Tommy moved to one side while David made his way to the other. Mark and another boy took their places by Mike's feet. Glancing upward, Mike spied Gwen standing partly obscured behind the circle of faces. Her expression was passive and betrayed nothing but interest.
Lying face down, Mike closed his eyes and tensed every muscle in his body. “Okay!” he breathed. Slowly, the four boys began to lift. Mike could feel pressure on his chest and stomach. It felt as if he were going to tear in half. The boys continued to lift until Mike was about a half metre off the floor. He began to tremble as they moved slowly ahead until finally he collapsed with a sigh.
“All right!” Tommy shouted, patting Mike on the back as he rolled over and sat up. There was scattered clapping and a few whoops from the group standing around. Donnie was smiling, wide-eyed, as he applauded furiously.
“That was great, Mike,” Mark said. “Most people don't even get off the floor the first time they try. You're built like Tommy and me. Thick and thick! You're an airplane expert just waiting to happen.”
Tommy and the other guys laughed.
The group scattered and continued to practise the different events. Mike stood and rubbed his chest.
“Hey,” Tommy said, “your girlfriend's about to do the high kick. Watch this. She's really good, but, hey, I'm amazing.”
Mike gave Tommy a playful shove and turned to watch. Gwen was alternately lifting her knees as high as possible as she warmed up.
“What exactly is she supposed to do?” Mike asked Tommy.
“Well, see that little toy seal hanging in the air from that pole?”
Mike nodded.
“Gwen has to jump in the air and kick it with one of her feet. The trick is, she has to land back on that same foot and regain her balance. If she lands on the other foot or loses her balance and puts the other foot down, it doesn't count.”
“You've got to be kidding?” Mike murmured. “That toy seal's higher than her head.”
“Just watch.”
Gwen walked up to the little seal and gazed at it intently. It was as if she were staring it down or trying to intimidate it. The seal was suspended slightly higher than her head. Slowly, she backed away and stopped. She started to rock back and forth, and the muscles in her calves balled up and relaxed. Suddenly, she jogged forward and exploded upward, kicking as she lifted off. The toes of her right foot extended above her head, striking the seal and sending it spinning upward before she landed expertly back on her right foot. Holding her arms out at her sides, she stabilized herself on her right foot and gained control before she lowered her left foot to the ground.
“Unbelievable,” Mike said.
“Your girl's quite the athlete,” Tommy whispered in his ear. “I bet she was thinking about that kiss right before she jumped.” Mike punched Tommy in the arm, and Tommy grabbed him around the neck. They jostled for a moment or two before they settled down and laughed at each other.
“Let me try that lacrosse racket,” Tommy said, pointing at Donnie, who was still holding both sticks.
Mike moaned. “They're called sticks. Just like hockey sticks. If you call them rackets again, I might have to beat you up a second time.”
Tommy snorted. “You beat me up? I almost killed you back there.” They bumped each other repeatedly as they hustled to the far end of the gym with Donnie. When they got there, Mike and Donnie dragged the net out of the storage room and set it up under the basket.
“Now that's one strange, ugly-looking net,” Tommy said. “It looks even stranger than the rackets.”
Mike scooped up the ball and ran away from the net. Turning, he fired the ball overhand without hesitation. It ripped into the top left corner of the net.
“Jeez!” Tommy gasped. “Give me that stick, Donnie.” Donnie handed Tommy the other stick. He held it in his hands, pushed his fist into the pocket of the mesh, then held it up facing Mike.
“Pass the ball, Mike. Let me take a shot.”
Mike lightly tossed the ball, but instead of catching it, Tommy swatted it just as Donnie had his first day. The ball bounced across the floor and back at the pocket of the stick.
“Okay, I guess it's harder than it looks,” Tommy said.
Mike retrieved the ball and instructed Tommy to let the stick give as the ball hit the pocket. This time he caught it easily.
“Oh, yeah!” Tommy yelled. Turning, he reared back and fired the ball. It sailed straight out of the stick and hit the roof of the gym. The surprise on his face was priceless. “Okay, okay, so I need some practice. Toss it here again.”
Tommy was determined, and over the next few minutes he had Mike pass him ball after ball. Each time his shots were visibly better. Soon he was hitting the net every time. He was a natural athlete.
“You're looking good, Tommy,” Mike said. “You'll get better in no time. Here, let me show you a few things.”
Tommy passed the ball, and without stopping, Mike shot in quick stick fashion as the ball hit the pocket of his stick. It sunk into the net. Tommy shook his head. Scooping the ball out of the net, Mike fired it in once more from behind his back, then underhand, and finally side arm.
“Okay, Tommy, try to take it away,” Mike challenged.
Tommy grinned and moved in front of Mike. He swatted hard at Mike's stick, but Mike quickly swung it over his shoulder and then off to the side. It was as if the ball were glued in the pocket. Soon everyone in the gym had gathered around and was watching with interest.
It was no use. Even when Tommy managed to strike Mike's stick, Mike maintained control by cradling the ball. Then Mike passed Tommy the ball and quickly made him lose it or swatted it out of his stick. Soon some of the other boys wanted to try, and the sticks and ball were handed around as everyone had a turn.
“Hey, Gwen, do you want to give it a shot?” Mike asked.
Caught off guard by Mike's question, Gwen flushed. She hesitated to turn away, then stopped. “No thanks, Mike.” She didn't smile, but she didn't frown, either. “You did better at the airplane than most people when they try it the first time.”
Mike opened his mouth, but no words came out. Donnie was laughing over Gwen's shoulder. She turned quickly, gathered her things, and left the gym. Feeling a hand on his right shoulder, then on his left, Mike turned to see Tommy and David standing on either side of him.
“Isn't young love just wonderful, David?” Tommy asked.
“It sure is, Tommy. I think Mike and his woman should go on a date. I don't think she's called any of us by our first names in years. Hmm ⦠Gwen Watson. It does have a nice ring.”
That night Mike lay in his dark bedroom, hands supporting the back of his head, eyes focused on the posters on the walls. He didn't really see them. Instead he replayed the events of the day in his mind. The Arctic Sports were awesome, and Tommy, David, Mark, and Gwen were all unbelievable athletes.
Gwen.
A queasy warmth rippled through his stomach. He touched his cheeks. The heat had risen and settled there. Gwen had actually talked to him today. It was fleeting, but she did say something nice. Mike rolled over, reached for the shortwave radio, turned it on, and scrolled through the channels. Even though he couldn't understand a word, he liked to stop for a few seconds to listen to some of the different languages he ran across. The sports were unbelievable, too: hockey, basketball, soccer, and of course lacrosse. After briefly listening to a few games that were underway, he found what he was looking for.
The Toronto Rock were playing the Buffalo Bandits in the Air Canada Centre. John Tavares played for Buffalo. He was a terrific forward and was the NLL's leading scorer of all time. Mike listened intently as he absorbed the flow of the game. Tavares scored, and Mike shook his head. When he listened to lacrosse games on radio, he seemed to feel the matches more than he did when he watched them on television. He didn't tell people that because he didn't think they would understand. Closing his eyes, he sank back into the intensity of the game, a grin on his face.
T
he next few weeks were a lot of fun. Mike had six lacrosse sticks at home. Each day he brought them to the gym after school, and the guys took turns fooling around with the ball. They caught on fast. Mike, for his part, looked on with amazement as they practised the different events for Arctic Sports. There were various kicks of different heights, the kneel jump, the airplane, the one-hand reach, the knuckle hop, and the head pull. All of the events were extremely difficult, and Mike realized even more what incredible athletes his friends were. He tried each of the events and was pretty bad at them, with the exception of the airplane. It seemed each time he tried that event he went a little farther than before. The boys were all impressed. After one particularly good try in which he covered a decent distance, Gwen even said, “Good one, Mike,” as she walked by. She still wasn't that friendly, but the hate she had exhibited before seemed to have cooled somewhat.