#2 Who is the first game against? How is he treated by the crowd at the first game? How does the team (and coach) react / support him? How does this impact him? (Xavier I)

 Why is Junior hesitant to tell Rowdy? Why does he tell him? How does Rowdy react? Why does he react this way?
(Caroline Roche) 3#3

In chapter 6 we learned that Junior made a decision to transfer from the Rez’s school to Reardon. One of the things that was pulling him back and making the decision even harder was Rowdy. Junior is hesitant to break the news to Rowdy because they have been best friends since they were babies. Rowdy doesn’t have a family that he can fall back on, so it’s always been Junior. Junior thinks to himself, “he only talks about his dreams with me.” (Alexie 23). Junior tells Rowdy the next morning that he is transferring because, first, Rowdy is his best friend and he needs to tell the truth, and second, he wants Rowdy to transfer with him. While telling Rowdy the upsetting news, Junior says “I’m telling the truth. I’m leaving the rez, man, and I want you to come with me. Come on. It will be an adventure.” (Alexie 49). Rowdy doesn’t take the news very well. At first he convinces himself that Junior is only kidding because, he doesn’t want to believe it. For example when Junior first told Rowdy he says, “That’s not funny’’, and, “And when are you going on this imaginary  journey.” (Alexie 49). Rowdy acts that way because he thinks Junior is too much of a wuss to transfer. For example, Rowdy says, “You’ll never do it, you’re too scared.” When Junior’s decision finally came across to Rowdy, Junior touched his shoulder. Rowdy turned around and said, “Don’t touch me you retarted fag!” (Alexie 52). Rowdy starts crying and screams to the top of his lungs. Junior describes the scream as pure pain. Rowdy is this upset because he has no one else to turn to. His parents are alcoholics, and everyone else is afraid of him. On page 48 when Junior was approaching Rowdy, Junior says to himself, “He was alone, of course, Everybody was scared of him.” (Alexie 48). Rowdy was more mad then he was sad. After Junior pokes him on the shoulder again, Rowdy punches him and runs away. Poor Junior realized that, as he states, “my best friend had become my worst enemy.’’