Atomic recess

Soccor boy

Soccer boy

It's a new day at third Street elementary school, at the start of recess King Bob called all grades to the monkey bars for a special announcement. "Behold! The King Bob royal cup!" King Bob said, holding up a trophy made of cans and other kitchen equipment, and all the kids started muttering to each other excitedly.

"Look at that thing." Spinelli explained as the eight friends were all standing near the front of the crowd of kids.

"It must have cost a dozen bucks." TJ agreed, feeling just as excited as everyone else was.

"Whompin' Bob-utabulous!" Vince said, ever the sports guy.

"This grand chalice will be awarded to the winning soccer team in this year's annual King Bob classic. Those who aspire to this honour will register with my royal referees Jordan and Jerome." King Bob said now holding the trophy in one arm and he gestured to Jordan and Jerome who were next to him. "As my royal scorekeepers, I appoint Smart Girl and friend of Smart Girl."

"Us?" Gretchen and Gus asked, making sure they heard correctly.

"Yes." King Bob confirmed. "Go and construct for me the finest of scoreboards. As for the rest of you, the tournament starts on Monday, so practice heartily and amuse me with your skill."

"Gee, sorry you guys got stuck with scorekeeping duties." Spinelli said to Gretchen and Gus as TJ grabbed a soccer ball from the basket.

"Are you kidding? We're royal scorekeepers. I feel like a duke." Said Gus, excited about his role.

"My heart is positively a-twitter with pomp and purpose. Come along, Gus. I've already visualised  a state-of-the-art scoreboard design." Gretchen gushed.

"This is going to be fun, fun, fun!" Gus said as the two walked away.

"Those guys really know how to live it up." Said Paloma, happy that her friends were still gonna have fun, despite not being able to play in any of the games.

"Yeah, but we're going to have a ball." Said TJ.

"Ah, soccer, the passionate pastime of the romance-languaged nations. The mere thought of that hallowed sport moves me to verse. Playground warriors, athletes we, frolic, thither merrily--" Mikey recited.

"And crush them! right, guys?" Spinelli interrupted, ready to get started on practising. "Boy, I can't wait. A real-live tourney!"

"Yeah, but it won't be much of a contest. once I put a team together, that trophy's going to be ours for the taking." Said Vince, his competitive side coming out.

"You think so, do you?" A new voice said, making the remaining six look over to see Lawson and his gang standing there.

"Lawson."

"I got you this time. My buddy Jocko here went to soccer camp. Why, he can bounce a ball off his head." Lawson said and threw the ball to Jocko who head butted it back to Lawson. "beat that."

"OK." Vince said before he started to do a bunch of tricks, ending it with shooting the ball into one of the holes in the cheese box behind Lawson and his friends, making them gasp.

"Man, that guy's good." Said Jocko.

"Good? How many of you guys get fan mail from Brazil  addressed to "El yanqui fantástico"?" Asked Dede.

"Well, all of us, but so what? You guys are a bunch of dummies. Now, come on. We got practising to do." Lawson said before him and his teammates left.

"Man, those guys are going to be toast." Spinelli said as she and TJ high fives each other.