Kingett reads Basketball Jones Chapter 6

In chapter six of Basketball Jones, I live up to my faults but watch Dray like a hawk and feel very sad that I can’t hug AJ to death. Intrigued? It’s time for Kingett to read Basketball Jones.

I’m jumping right into this because this chapter is really short but there’s a lot of content. It may not seem like it, but it’s there, and it’s definitely showing me that AJ isn’t happy. Oh god, so many feelings for AJ are racing through my heart. I want to jump through the pages and hug him forever!

Sometimes I don’t know if I chose the life I lead or if it chose me. No, I don’t mean the age-old question about whether or not one picks one’s sexual orientation (I know I was born this way), because I’ve always been comfortable with the skin I’m in. I’m talking about the situation I’m in with Dray. Why couldn’t I have picked someone who wanted only to be with me? Why didn’t I meet a man who was man enough to admit who he really was? Could I really be ashamed of being gay but telling myself otherwise?

I’ve expressed previous thoughts about this kind of dynamic. I can sympathize with AJ, though, mainly because Dray is not exactly the brightest bulb in the box. Then again, Dray isn’t a dummy either. He isn’t totally void of emotion, I believe, and he does love AJ. Why? You will see.

At the beginning of the chapter, though, there’s reflections about the relationship, and this makes me wonder if this is a kind of relationship I’d want to have. There’s no common ground, and what I mean by common ground is in a split second, Dray can yank all of this away from AJ. Dray has so much control over AJ that Dray doesn’t even know how much. I’d definitely like living in this kinda lifestyle, one with money and definite security, and the ability to provide for whoever I wanted, but I’d want to feel like an equal. If I were in this kind of position, I wouldn’t feel like I had any sort of power because Dray has all the money. AJ is using Dray’s money but Dray and AJ don’t even know what this means.

They are no longer equal but they sure used to be.

At times like this, I wish that Dray and I were still back in college when we could be together whenever we wanted. I longed for the days when I had the upper hand and Dray needed me more than I needed him. Back then the two of us didn’t have two nickels to rub together, but we were happy. At least I thought we were.

Dray loves AJ but Dray is a total idiot on expression… as I have said I can definitely understand why AJ feels the way that he feels here. I’d want to have some kind of assurance that my man truly did dove me, such as telling me every now and then, letting me cheer him on at big events, and being all kinds of sport, but Dray is simple. He isn’t that kind of guy at all, and he doesn’t understand what he’s doing to AJ, or what anything he does means to AJ.

Oh my god, I want to hug fictional characters. What’s wrong with me?

Even though I’m totally caught in the emotion, I just HAVE to say something about this line because it irks me.

Tomorrow I have my second workout with Cisco and I’m looking forward to it. Anything to get my mind off Dray. I’ve been lazy the last couple of days, feeling sorry for myself and eating a lot of comfort food like fried chicken and pasta.

Does AJ SERIOUSLY have to eat fried chicken? I feel like that’s just an intentional stereotype thrown in there. “Hi! I’m black! Look what I’m eating! Yup! I’m black! Look at what I’m eating!”

Why does he have to eat fried chicken? Why not throw in some goddamn grape juice in there while you’re at it. Why couldn’t he eat some cookies, or Hamburger Helper? Why fried chicken? Why? Why?

Okay. I’m done… I seriously am!

AJ has a conversation with his trainer, Cisco that I, quite literally, don’t understand. I don’t know what they are talking about but I definitely notice something.

I located the tall bottle and drank until it was empty. The flat-screen television hanging from the wall showed Michael Vick dressed in a nice blue suit entering a courtroom surrounded by reporters.

“I think he’s going to jail.” When I lived in Atlanta, what a big fan I was of that handsome quarterback until I met Warrick Dunn, another Falcons player who was really doing something in the community. Every year Warrick built brand-new homes for single moms in the Atlanta area. I was so impressed with his charity that I called his foundation and offered my services gratis. I’m sure Vick had a foundation as well, even though I’d never heard of it. After some persuading I had convinced Dray to start two foundations, one to give back to the community he played for and the other in his hometown in Mississippi. It didn’t take much to make Dray realize the importance of a positive community image for a highly paid athlete, especially one with a secret boyfriend on the side.

AJ THINKS for Dray! The two are a perfect couple. I’m not joking!

After a while, Dray comes to see AJ and snuggles up at night as they hash out what happened the previous chapter. They have a small make out session before it blows up into full-blown make-up sex.

And the next morning comes….. Oh my god, you are not prepared. You’re so not prepared! Dray has cooked AJ breakfast for the first time, like, ever. He even has drinks ready, like juices for AJ.

Yes, I’ve judged Dray too harshly. See? Dray loves AJ. He even stays and serves him food! The two agree to change their password that they ask one another if they get a suspicious email or text… keeping their identities from Judy, and the chapter literally ends right there.

Dray does love AJ. I had a hard time believing it, and perhaps that will change yet again but here, and now, I believe it. In my mind, he’s apologizing multiple times over, and then some. Oh my god! Dray, you’re as dumb as a doorknob, but you’re really sweet!

I’m still curious to see how Judy finds out about the two, even if she does. She’s Dray’s wife, naturally she’s going to snoop. I also want to know why Dray is still in the closet when AJ is not. This is fascinating to me, and I officially have learned not to judge a book by its cover. I’m sorry Dray; I’m still going to call you an idiot, though.

Oh god! I’m talking to fictional characters, help me! Stay tuned for chapter seven, where I may need endless hugs myself!