Give Amanda Arrowood a Chance

By Susan Gabriel

“Hey, look at that,” Jeremy said to Paulo. A big message in bright blue chalk was written across one entire end of the paved basketball court.

“Who’s Amanda Arrowood?” Paulo asked.

“Beats me,” Jeremy answered.

“Hey, do you all know Amanda Arrowood?” Jeremy asked a group of older girls walking by the playground.

They shrugged their shoulders.

“Never heard of her,” one of the girls said.

“Why does it matter to you?” Paulo asked Jeremy, shooting a basket.

“Because she wants to be given a chance,” Jeremy said, taking his rebound and bouncing the ball mid-court.

“A chance for what?”

“That’s what I want to know…. Hey, come on. Let’s ask those ladies.”

Jeremy bounced the basketball toward the park bench where two women with babies in strollers were talking.

“Hey, I thought we were going to shoot baskets,” Paulo called after him.

“In a minute,” Jeremy said, walking up to the women. “Excuse me, but do you know an Amanda Arrowood?”

“Arrowood?” one mother asked. “Martha, don’t the Arrowoods run the diner on 8th?”

“No, that’s the Arnolds,” the other mother answered. “I don’t know any Arrowoods. Why do you ask?” she said to Jeremy.

“Someone left a message on the basketball court that said, “‘Give Amanda Arrowood a chance!’”

“That’s odd,” the first mother said. “Who is Amanda Arrowood?”

“That’s what we want to know,” Paulo chimed in.

“And why does the dear girl want to be given a chance?” the other mother wondered aloud.

Jeremy, Paulo, and the two mothers, pushing strollers, walked over to the basketball court to look at the message. Meanwhile, several children from the playground joined them, as well as an entire shirts-and-skins basketball team from the apartments nearby. Soon a crowd had gathered. People were pointing to the message and everyone was asking the same question:

“Who is Amanda Arrowood? And why does she want to be given a chance?”

Jeremy led the way as the crowd surged through the neighborhood, asking everyone they saw whether they knew Amanda Arrowood.

Finally a little boy on Maple and 3rd Street said, “Sure, I know Amanda.”

Everyone stopped, looking expectantly at the boy. “Well, who is she?” Jeremy asked.

“She’s staying with her aunt.” The boy pointed to the flower shop on the corner. The growing crowd crossed the street and scrambled into the small shop, where there were almost as many people as flowers.

“Excuse me,” Jeremy said to the surprised woman behind the counter. “Do you know Amanda Arrowood?”

“Yes, of course. Amanda’s my niece. She’s just moved in with me. Why do you ask?”

“We just wanted a chance to meet her,” Jeremy said.

“How nice,” the woman replied. ”Amanda?” she called.

A short, timid-looking girl walked through the door in the back.

“Are you Amanda Arrowood?” Jeremy asked.

“Yes, I am,” the girl answered.

“Oh! Well, welcome to the neighborhood!” Jeremy said.

Jeremy, Paulo, and the entire crowd cheered, all giving Amanda Arrowood a chance…to be their new friend!