| He was pencil thin and walked with a limp. A thirteen | | | | slouchingteenager. All Curtis could do was hound me. |
| year-old boywith huge yearning eyes who was | | | | "Is it a ballgame? Is ita concert?" "Rick, where are we |
| always an unlucky patient on thechildren's floor of the | | | | going?" I love to tease. Finally, heglimpsed the landmark |
| hospital where my youngest daughter was alltoo often | | | | dome of the arena from the freeway andknew he |
| incarcerated. | | | | was going to get to see his favorite team play. |
| Curtis had sickle cell anemia, an incurable, painful and | | | | We found the specified gate, parked and walked to |
| terminaldisease that plagues young people of African | | | | the entrance. |
| descent. | | | | Walking with Curtis was always a little frustrating for |
| I would meander into his room to spend a little time | | | | me (he woulddo the 'slow, cool stroll' and I am a brisk |
| with therebellious loner and would often end up | | | | walker) but this time Iknew there was something |
| refereeing a screamingmatch between him and one of | | | | special awaiting that we should almostrace to. |
| the nurses. The street-wise Curtiswould usually win. | | | | We were met by a well-dressed, executive-looking |
| Over the course of a few years (the hospital was | | | | middle-agedman, who just happened to be the |
| always my home-away-from-home), I eventually | | | | Vice-President of Public |
| learned of the horror of hisupbringing, the sad reality of | | | | Relations for the Detroit Pistons. Talk about first class! |
| his current life and the apparentdimness of his future. | | | | He escorted |
| My experience as a volunteer in the Big Brother-like | | | | Curtis not to his seat, but directly to the Pistons bench, |
| program in ourlocal Children's Aid Society was that a | | | | where |
| small dose of interest andsome one-on-one attention | | | | Curtis' eyes grew almost as big as the basketballs the |
| could go a long way to helping a kidwho was in trouble | | | | giantathletes had just started tossing around in their |
| with the law, failing school and in Curtis' case, asocial | | | | pre-game warm-up. |
| outcast. | | | | I was led to our primest of seats directly behind the |
| So, when my time was over with the last boy I was | | | | bench. Awaitress visited only seconds after that, taking |
| involved with, Iasked the CAS if I could hook up with | | | | my order forrefreshments. Everything was "on the |
| Curtis, albeit 'unofficially' thistime. Problem was, I was in | | | | house". I saw one of theassistant coaches introduce |
| the process of selling my drycleaningbusiness while | | | | himself to Curtis, and next thing Iknow, well, guess |
| building a music production studio (for my nextcareer) | | | | who's center court tossing the ball around withhis hero, |
| and my time was too much at a premium to commit | | | | Isaiah? Soon, he was running the court and |
| to astructured arrangement. They agreed, and I began | | | | shootinghoops with Bill Laimbeer, Dennis Rodman, Joe |
| to hang with | | | | Dumars and therest of the elite players! |
| Curtis. | | | | At this point, I couldn't even imagine the exhilaration that |
| I learned in very short order that among his survival | | | | this youngman who life never seemed to smile upon |
| skills was thetendency to cajole, cleverly manipulate | | | | was experiencing at thisvery moment! I mean, how |
| and even outright steal. | | | | could anyone's wildest imagination evenenvision this |
| Although always kind, I had to have a second set of | | | | ravaged spirit and body trying to "deek the Bad |
| eyes when inhis presence and was forced at times to | | | | Boysof basketball?" I just sat quietly in utter |
| be, well, curt with Curt. | | | | amazement, misty eyedand SO grateful to my legal |
| Also during this time, I was involved in a major lawsuit | | | | friend and the 'human' management ofthis professional |
| after havinghad a song of mine "lifted" by a one-time | | | | sports team who arranged all of this for oneperson. A |
| friend and co-writingpartner in Los Angeles, who had | | | | Canadian kid who was close to my heart |
| become a 'hot' producer of majorrecording acts. On | | | | When the warm-up was done, Curtis climbed up with |
| one of his multi-million selling records was thecore of a | | | | me. The firsthalf of the game was great. The Pistons |
| song of mine he had heard and we discussed in | | | | were pounding theiropponents. A few of the players |
| mypresence during one of my frequent music trips in | | | | even glanced back and motioned attheir new |
| the 1980's. I wasa little more than hurt and felt I | | | | teammate! By the time the half-time buzzer sounded |
| deserved not only the royalties formy creation, but | | | | Iwas certain Curtis' dream day was complete. |
| also the credibility that went along with a "cut" ofthat | | | | But hold on, this was only half time! The same |
| magnitude by a name recording artist. | | | | assistant coach whoinvited Curtis onto the hardwood |
| I retained a highly regarded entertainment attorney in | | | | floor pre-game, called for him tohang with the team in |
| Detroit (herepresented many of the athletes on the | | | | the sanctuary of the dressing room duringtheir |
| professional sports teamsin Detroit as well as one of | | | | much-needed break. Give ME a break! |
| the all time greatest boxers and evensome famous | | | | I'll never forget what I think was the widest smile I have |
| civil rights icons) who just happened to also be atruly | | | | ever seen asthe team emerged onto the floor |
| wonderful and giving human being. | | | | afterwards and my little guy 'coolstrolling' as proudly as |
| It was in a meeting with this man that I casually | | | | I've ever seen anyone. And much quickerthan I ever |
| mentioned Curtisand my desire to do something very | | | | recalled. What a night!! |
| special for him. See, in myheart, I had a feeling Curtis | | | | The ride home was quiet. Opposite of the ride there. |
| would not live for too many more years. | | | | Curtis sleptmost of long way home. I could only |
| Sickle cell sufferers often died in their early twenties, or | | | | imagine his dreams. Canada |
| evenbefore, a decade ago. I wasn't expecting anything | | | | Customs was kind and allowed him to sleep through |
| from my lawyerin this regard, but the next day the | | | | their few briefquestions for me. It was sad to see him |
| phone rang and I was instructedto have Curtis | | | | sleepily stagger up thesidewalk to his stark reality, after |
| "dressed up" and at the Palace of Auburn Hills at | | | | having just left a world where I'dbet no one would |
| aspecific gate number one hour prior to a Detroit | | | | believe he had been. |
| Pistons game laterthat week. | | | | Somehow I thought I would receive a phonecall from |
| He was a huge basketball fan. His hero of heroes was | | | | Curtis the nextday. But it never came. Two days later I |
| Isaiah | | | | had a very good reason tocall him. My attorney and |
| Thomas, captain of the Motor City NBA Champs the | | | | the team had arranged to have everyplayer on the |
| prior twoyears. But I didn't let on to Curtis where we | | | | NBA Champion Detroit Pistons sign the game ballfrom |
| were going that night. | | | | that night, and Federal Express it to my home address, |
| Just that we were hanging out. I just asked his foster | | | | to giveto Curtis. An autographed yearbook was |
| mother (and Iuse the term “mother” very lightly) to | | | | included too. |
| have him dressed nicely withhis birth certificate in hand | | | | I couldn't wait to tell him. I mean, I was flabbergasted at |
| by a certain time. | | | | thisunexpected and over-the-top gesture! I recall |
| Curtis was on time, eagerly waiting on his rickety porch | | | | excitedly dialing hisnumber and the deflation after |
| when Ipulled up. But to my utter dismay, he looked as | | | | hearing that "Curtis took off to |
| disheveled as healways did in his overbaggy, tattered | | | | Toronto yesterday." She went on to explain that she |
| clothes. And of course, goodol' foster mom couldn't | | | | didn't knowwhere he was or how to contact him. And |
| find his birth certificate. Now, can youimagine the fancy | | | | neither did the Children's |
| dancin' I had to do at U.S. Customs having this | | | | Aid Society. |
| 'gang looking' teenager with no identification trying to | | | | Little did I know that evening would be the last time I |
| cross theborder in my new BMW? Well, fate and | | | | would ever see |
| some silver tongued talkin'prevailed and we were soon | | | | Curtis. My instincts tell me that he is not with us |
| racing up I-75 to The Game. | | | | anymore. But ifhe is, he has one great gift still waiting |
| I tried to make idle conversation with the excited but | | | | for him - The Ungiven Gift. |