Raymond’s Run by Toni Cade Bambara (cont.)

[Red02102002]

“In first place . . .” and then three or four voices get all mixed up  on the loudspeaker and I dig my sneaker into the grass and stare at Gretchen who’s staring back, both wondering just who did win. I can hear old Beanstalk arguing with the man on the loudspeaker about what the stopwatches say. Then I hear Raymond yanking at the fence to call me and I wave to shush him, but he keeps rattling the fence. Then like a dancer or something he starts climbing up nice and easy but very fast. And it occurs to me, watching how smoothly he climbs hand over hand and remembering how he looked running with his arms down to his side and with the wind pulling his mouth back and his teeth showing and all, it occurred to me that Raymond would make a very fine runner. Doesn’t he always keep up with me on my trots? And he surely knows how to breathe in counts of seven cause he’s always doing it at the dinner table, which drives my brother George up the wall. And I’m smiling to beat the band cause if I’ve lost this race, or if me and Gretchen tied, or even if I’ve won, I can always retire as a coach with Raymond as my champion. After all, I’ve got a roomful of ribbons and medals and awards. But what has Raymond got to call his own?
   So I stand there with my new plans, laughing out loud by this time as Raymond jumps down from the fence and runs over with his arms down to the side, which no one before him has quite mastered as a running style. And by the time he comes over I’m jumping up and down so glad to see him—my brother Raymond, a great runner in the family tradition. But of course everyone thinks I’m jumping up and down because the loudspeaker is announcing, “In first place—Miss Hazel Elizabeth Deborah Parker. In second place—Miss Gretchen P. Lewis.” And I look over at Gretchen wondering what the “P” stands for. And I smile. Cause she’s good, no doubt about it. Maybe she’d like to help me coach Raymond; she obviously is serious about running. And she nods to congratulate me and then she smiles. And I smile. We stand there with this big smile of respect between us. And it’s real.