Box Out by John Coy Page B

eraser.
    â€œI need to make more cuts.” She circles a number with a red pencil. “Maybe I’ll lay myself off. I could get back to mypainting.” She circles another number. “But somebody has college coming up, so I guess I have to keep plugging away. Do you have any more of those chocolates?”
    â€œNo, I finished them.”
    â€œDarn. I could really use one.”
    â€œMom, remember when you asked about Coach Kloss?” Liam squeezes the eraser.
    â€œYes.” She crosses out a line on her page.
    â€œWell, he’s kind of into religion.”
    â€œWhat do you mean?” She looks up.
    â€œYou know…prayers and stuff.”
    â€œWhat kind of prayers?” She sets her pencil down.
    â€œHe makes up his own prayers.” Liam rolls the eraser around.
    â€œChristian prayers? Does he mention Jesus?”
    â€œYeah, he talks about the Lord and doing His work. Then we always say the Our Father.”
    â€œI don’t believe this. He can’t be doing that in public school.” Mom stands, dumping Dizzy to the floor. “He’s a teacher whose salary is paid by taxpayers. He can practice any faith he wants, but he can’t lead you kids in prayer at school.”
    Liam taps the eraser on the table. “That’s kind of what I thought. Coach acts like everybody on the team is a Christian, but he doesn’t know that. Not everybody at school is.”
    â€œOf course not.” Mom’s face flushes when she gets worked up. “Leah Braverman is on the girls’ team and she’s Jewish. How do you think she’d feel if her coach led Christian prayers?”
    â€œUncomfortable.” Liam slouches in his chair.
    â€œOf course. Separation of church and state is a fundamental American principle.” She sits down directly across from him, and her eyes zero in. “What are you going to do about it?”
    â€œI don’t know.” He shakes his head. “I just wanted to talk about it, not do something.”
    â€œLiam, it’s wrong. When something is wrong, you have an obligation to take action.”
    Liam concentrates on the wood grain of the oak table. Suddenly, he feels in over his head. He’s not like Mom. He’s not looking for controversy.
    Besides, he can’t jeopardize his place on varsity.

10
His Call
    Monday morning, Liam arrives at school early and goes straight to the gym. JV players in street clothes are finishing up their one hundred free throws.
    â€œBergie, you’re back,” Seth calls out. “You missed us so much, you couldn’t stay away?”
    â€œYeah, you especially.” Liam blows Seth a kiss and the guys laugh.
    â€œSick.” Seth drains a free throw. “Fifty-eight.”
    Liam leans against the Blazer Country mat behind Seth’s hoop and watches guys shoot. It seems ages ago that he played with them.
    â€œFifty-nine.” Seth hops around as the ball rolls around and drops in.
    Coach G moves among the players, offering advice. He’s a good coach—serious about winning but low-key in practice. Liam improved a lot playing for him.
    Seth sinks another shot. “Sixty percent.” He dances overto Liam. “Hey, just because you’re on varsity doesn’t mean you can’t come to our games.”
    â€œI know.” Liam folds his arms.
    â€œWe’re playing here Friday.” Seth puts him in a headlock. “Come support your boys.”
    â€œI’ll try.” Liam breaks free as guys head to the locker room to write down their percentages on the chart.
    â€œHey, Coach G.” Liam holds out his hand.
    â€œHi, Liam.” Coach G squeezes with a firm grip. He’s got reddish-brown hair and a bushy mustache.
    Liam picks up a loose ball and sets it in the cage. “Coach, I’ve got something I want to ask you.”
    â€œShoot.” Coach gathers two more balls and tosses them to Liam.
    â€œWhen I played for