by
Adina
licked my lips nervously. The score was even and the last play was up to me. I dribbled the ball and darted behind one of my rivals. The basket was so close yet so far ... I saw Joey up ahead. My eyes flickered from the basket to my friend. All the players on the opposing team were expecting me to try for the basket. I threw the ball over to Joey. He caught it and made a swift throw into the basket. I watched as the ball circled the rim before falling neatly through the hoop.
We had won the gam! Joey and I high-fived and shared a quick smile as we were raised onto the shoulders of our teammates. Silently, I thanked Joey for being there to receive the ball and make a basket. What would have happened if I try myself, without having a teammate to pass it to? It was the night before our final exam. I sat at my desk, cramming. Different numbers floated through my head, making little sense. How would I ever pass? And if I didn't ... I knew my consequence: No going to tennis camp in the summer. I was growing desperate. How would I ever get over this exam with a passing grade? I dived at the phone when it rang. Anything to divert my attention from math equations! It was my friend Judy. "Judy? What's up?"
"Rachel, would it be a problem if I came over now? I'm having some trouble studying for the math exam and I thought that if we put our heads together, we'd be able to make some sense of this stuff. Whaddya say?"
What do I say?! This was music to my ears! Judy was a math whiz! No doubt, with her help, I'd pass the exam in no time. Judy and I spent the whole night cramming for the upcoming test. We studies, tested each other, snacked, and studied some more. I might even go to say that it was fun having a friend to study with. Whenever I became frustrated with a certain concept, Judy would patiently explain it to me until I understood completely. The next day, I nervously bit my finger nails as the teacher handed out the thick exams. We had an hour and a half to take them. Slowly, I worked out each problem, thankful that Judy had helped me the night before. When our time was up, my teacher looked at the clock and announced, "Put down your pencils."
I laid my down on the desk, satisfied. I had a feeling that this was the best test I had ever taken in my life.
When my teacher handed our exams back a week later, I stuffed mine in my backpack and headed home. I wanted to look over my test in the solitude of my room. When I finally extracted it from my back pack, a bit cautiously, and peered at the large red leeters, I almost fainted. An A! I had gotten an A!
Before even going downstairs to tell my parents, I phoned Judy."Judy," I exclaimed loudly into the receiver. "I got an A! Now I can go to tennis camp with you! Thank you so much for all your help!" She congratulated me and we hung up.
What would I have done if Judy hadn't been there to encourage me and guide me along? I wondered as I headed downstairs to share the good news with my parents.
I stared with mounting horror at the mess I saw before me. The posters which I had worked on with painstaking care were no amidst a flood of water, soap, and bubbles. And my little sister was sitting in the middle of it, laughing! No sound came out of me to scream, which was a good thing beacause that would have produced a fountain of tears to add to the already mounting mess. I'm glad I kept my cool and calmy extracted the little angel from the soapy bathroom floor and quietly threw out my now-ruined posters. I mopped up the sudsy floor, my mind numb.
I was not able to accept the fact that the posters which my friend, Josh, and I had worked on all through last night were completely ruined. Ruined ... ruined ... ruined ...
Numbly, I reached for the phone."Danny? Is that you? Something wrong? You don't sound yourself."
"I'm ... I'm okay, Josh. Listen, uh, my sister somehow got into the posters that were drying in the bathroom. She ruined them all ... Look, I'm really sorry." I was afraid he would blow up at me, yell, scream ... anything. I was shocked to hear the cool, collected voice at the other end of the line.
"No problem, Danny. I understand perfectly. I'll be right over. I'm sure we could scrape up something in a matter of minutes. Okay with you?"
"Are you sure about this?" I asked, not quiet believing my ears.
"Course. What are friends for?"
Josh and I worked together diligently, not stopping for a minute. Josh snapped me out of my numb appearance and got me back to my old self. Finally, at 12:00 midnight, I allowed myself the luxury of a long, drawn out breath. The situation had worked itself out perfectly. I had controlled my emotions,I told hold of the situation and cleaned up, Josh came over to help, and together, we got the job done. Together.
Teamwork is what really counts between two friends. It's the connection that binds two people together. Teamwork enables a smooth, easy process and effectiveness to get things done. In the above three incidents, if those friends had not been there to encourage and help out, the situation would have been lost. It was the teamwork that made the difference.
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