Chapter 45

             "Come on out, buddy," Aaron yelled to George.  It was noon on Saturday and Charles and Aaron had devised a plan to evangelize.

            The three men climbed into Charles' older vehicle and headed out to a basketball court on campus.  They figured the older car was likely to give the impression that they were students.

            They drove around the campus until they found a game of three on three being played.

            "Next!" Aaron called.

            "Next up, next down, two more points and you're in, buddy."  The lanky ball player then leaped high in the air, released the ball at the apex of his jump and called swish long before the ball got there to actually swish the net.

            "Whoa! I told you so, He bragged.  "Where are the next chumps?"

            Aaron, Charles and George took the court.  The three opposing players welcomed the three although none had seen the trio before.

            "If we lose," Aaron announced.  "We'll buy you ice cream."

            "Hey, this ain't for gambling," The lanky one stated.  "It's just for fun."

            "I understand," Aaron replied.  "If you lose, you don't have to buy us anything, just listen for a few minutes."

            "Well, we ain't losing," said Lanky.  "So get ready to buy."

            Aaron surprised them.  He started off scoring and doing so easily.

            Lanky made his own come back dunking the ball several times in a row.  Although George was of no big help on scoring, he did manage to hold his man down to four points.

            Charles used his height to snag rebounds.  Finally the score was tied sixteen to sixteen.  They were going to twenty going by twos, and the winners had to win by four.  When the shorter man in the opposing team went down with a twisted ankle, they looked for a replacement. 

"I'll come in," someone called out from the side lines.  George thought he recognized the voice.  He looked about to see who it was, as Jesse King came running in. 

"I get the strongman.' he said as he pointed to George.

            As it was the ball was passed to George.  "Shoot!"  Aaron yelled; but George hesitated before going up for the shot and Jesse who had jumped high to block the shot came down hard on George.

            "Hey, watch it!"  George complained. 

            What's the matter, rich guy?"  Jesse taunted him.  "Cant' you take it?"  George got the ball again and began a dribble when Jesse hacked him hard across the arm.

            "Man!  This is basketball, not football, get off me!" he yelled.

            Aaron got the ball and shot a jump shot which scored.  Lanky returned the favor and the score was tied again.  The ball was passed to George again.  He shot it but missed.  Jesse went up for the rebound and came down swinging his elbows.

            One caught George in the nose and blood went splattering. "Ow!"  He howled.  "You did that on purpose!" he said.

            "If you can't take the heat, stay out of the kitchen," Jesse laughed.

            George moved toward Jesse but Aaron and Charles held him back.  "Remember, your Christian witness is on the line."  They whispered. 

            "Let him come! Let him come!" Jesse yelled.  It seemed that this fight was what he had wanted all the time.

            This time there was no mistake, as soon as the ball was passed near George, Jesse came in swinging.  George managed to duck under the second blow and grab Jesse around the waist with a mighty grunt, he lifted him clean off the ground and then rolled to own back, held Jesse in a bear hug.  He then tied up Jesse's legs so he couldn't kick either.

            "Let me go! Let me go!"  Jesse yelled.

            "No, I love you with the love of the Lord, my brother.  But I won't let you hurt me or my friends."

            "Fight!"  Someone yelled and many came running to see a melee.  Instead all they saw was a helpless Jesse being held tightly around the waist and arms by a mad and stronger George.

            "Why didn't he hit him?"  Lanky said not understanding why George was being so kind.

            "Security is coming!"  Someone yelled.  George let Jesse go and as he got up Charles, Aaron, and George stepped in front of him to take the blame.

            "What's going on here?"  The officer questioned.

            "Sorry, officer, it's my fault.  We just got kind of tangled up and someone thought we were fighting.  No damage done.  Forgive the commotion, please."

            "Oh, all right,"  the officer said, although it was obvious that he didn't completely believe the story as reported.

            "Game's over, we're buying ice cream.  Come on, guys.  Let's go to the Dairy Queen."

            At the Dairy Queen, they discussed their belief in Christ and the difference it had made in their lives.  They also invited their basketball counterparts to meet them at the big tree in the park that evening where they planned to eat hot dogs and hamburgers and talk more about spiritual things.

            They had planned to bring the whole fellowship group, reminding them that the church is not a place or an organization but people and wherever the people met there the church was meeting.  Still they had no idea that that meeting too would have a major disruption.