#debukefarmhold

"She tells good jokes." He admits.

"Yup. I like her 'why did the chicken cross the road' jokes"

"Yeah." Adam agrees with something.

Connor looks up at Adam, and frowns a little his ears pricked. "Yeah?"

"What you said about games."

"They got basketball here, Adam" Lily says

"Yes! I can't reach the basket, but I'm good at the drooling part."

"I know, Lil." Kindly.

Jack Flap says "And I am AWESOME at the running around yelling 'pass it to me I'm open' part. Then.. I lose the ball"

"That's an important part of th game."

"Not losing the ball. Getting open and passing." Adam clarifies.

"Maybe you can show me? I'm good at bouncing with both hands, but I can hopscotch - but if I miss the basket, I stillhave to come back down..."

"I could use some help with holding on to it " Jack admits

Adam looks uncomfortable. "I bet Coach DeBuke would show you."

"COach DeBuke runs the team for the wilders" Jack says "For us it's just fun be more fun if I were good at it though"

"I don't want Coach DeBuke. I want Coach Adam."

He grins. "Trolls can't jump as high!"

"Except Gerd." He adds loyally. "But Flying and just REACHING don't count."

Lily says "My brother is the best basketball player ever..well, except for that Micheal Gordon guy and La Brain he goes on about"

"Gordon's ALIVE?"

Adam sighs.

"What. you knhow I don't play the sportsball stuff "Lily says "Not like you or dad."

"No, it's cool Lil. I just.... you know I haven't played ball since before I left Jersey."

"We can play now. Can we? CAN WE?" Excited.

Very reluctantly, Adam says "I... guess so."

"Oh boy! Oh boy! Ball!" He spins in a circle!

He stands. "Where do they keep the balls?"

"This way" Jack zooms to the lead

Lily follows "thank you, adam. this is very nice of you"

turns out there are some spare balls in a wire container

"Welcome, squirt. You guys just want to play, or train?"

"Can we do both?" Jack says fishing one ball out

"Yeah. Let's do some warm ups for train8ng, then we can just shoot. Everyone grab a ball." He does the same.

And soon the balls are bouncing. Even Lily tries, though the way she does it is just embarrassing

Adam helps with gentle corrections and demonstrations.

Jack Flap says "So .. don't run until you've got the dribble steady? At least until I'm better?"

"Yeah. Dribbling is a basic skill, you gotta get it right. Walk, then run."

"Okay. I just have a hrd time being patient." He looks to Connor and grins "Hey, Connor. I'm drooling too!"

Adam also shows them a bounce-pass and straight-arm pass before the go freestyle shooting.

Connor tugs his ears and spins in a circle, and points a finger - and the ball Lilly holds spins into the air towards the basket!

"Good throw, Lilly!" He chortles.

"My ball is haunted" She declares proudly

"Good shot, both of you." Adam grins, and shoots. Boom. Easy.

Connor watches in awe. "Gooosh."

Adam jogs over and gets his ball. "Lotsa practice, Connor."

A bell chimes... or maybe it's a horn, or just a teacher bellowing. "Awwww, class again. Same time tomorrow?" Looking at Adam hopefully.

"Cuz if so, I can call it homework and play more at home to get better for tomorrow!"

"Yeah, I guess. We'll all be here."

"Kay!" And he waits for Lilly and Jack, before heading off to Dreaded Class.... which is actually not all that bad at all.

Adam goes back with them, but to his own section.

"Wow, youre' good" Jack Flap says admring as they part