Specky Magee by Felice Arena Page A

walking home from school the next day when Specky spilled the beans.
    ‘No way! That’s awesome! You’ll be able to get us tickets to see Sensational Stuff!. He’s always on the show,’ said Danny.
    ‘Now you’ll have to barrack for Geelong! Are you sure he’s your dad?’ added Robbo.
    ‘No, I’m not exactly sure, but everything points towards it being true. Blade just hasn’t admitted it yet. I sort of have his nose, don’t you think?’
    ‘What are you going to do now?’ asked Danny.
    ‘I don’t know. I was thinking I’d write him a letter. I’m not sure if I want to meet the old woman from Fernsville—the one who spoke to the newspapers.’
    ‘You know that woman is your grandmother,’ said Robbo.
    Specky hadn’t made the connection until that very moment. He was so caught up with his new-found ‘celebrity dad’ that he hadn’t thought about the rest of his biological family.
    ‘Hey, look. I wonder what they want?’ said Danny.
    Specky looked up to see that three other boys, a couple of years older than him, were approaching him and his friends.
    ‘Is that your footy?’ one of them asked, pointing at the Sherrin football Robbo was holding under his arm.
    ‘Yes,’ said Robbo, looking slightly worried.
    ‘Well, I don’t think so. It looks like mine,’ grumbled the other boy.
    Specky could sense that there was trouble brewing. ‘Just ignore them, Robbo. Let’s keep walking,’ he said.
    ‘You’re not going anywhere until you give it to me!’
    The older boys stood directly in front of Specky, Danny and Robbo, and blocked them from passing.
    ‘Get lost, will ya! Go and pick on someone your own size,’ yelled Danny.
    ‘Oooh, tough words, shrimp,’ cackled the tallest of the bullies as he suddenly lungedtowards Robbo and snatched the younger boy’s football.
    ‘What the…?’ croaked Robbo, as he watched the bully run off with his ball and casually kick it around with his mates.
    Specky and Danny also looked on, stunned.
    ‘We’ve got to get it back. It was a gift from my dad,’ said Robbo.
    ‘They’ll kill us! Look how big they are,’ added Danny, who was now having second thoughts about standing up to the older kids.
    ‘Well, we can’t let them steal Robbo’s footy, that’s for sure,’ said Specky. ‘Let’s go for it.’
    Specky dropped his school bag and charged for the bullies. Danny and Robbo hesitantly ran after him.
    The bullies sniggered to themselves as they watched Specky charge for them. ‘Come and get it! Come on, here it is,’ they teased.
    They were happy to play and torment Specky and his friends. Every time Robbo, Danny or Specky got close to the football, the older boys quickly kicked it away. They out-marked, outran and out-dodged Specky and his friends. Robbo and Danny were becoming visibly frustrated, and more upset with each missed grab. As for Specky, he was determined to keep his cool.
    Then one of the bullies kicked a wobbly old punt.
    ‘This is it,’ whispered Specky under his breath, ‘it’s mine.’
    He made a dash towards the ball as it began its slow descent.
    The bully nervously positioned himself underneath it. He knew he had messed up the kick. His mates were screaming at him to hurry.
    Specky grinned. He knew this was his chance. He imagined he was playing in the grand final, and the team’s success depended on this crucial mark!
    ‘It’s mine,’ he continued to say to himself, as he drew in closer to the bully.
    The bully stumbled back and forth, trying not to lose sight of ball or to be put off by Specky’s fast advance.
    ‘Time to fly!’ shouted Specky at the top of his lungs.
    Danny and Robbo stopped running and looked on as their friend took an almighty leap for the sky. Their jaws dropped in unison. They were witnessing the biggest spring Specky had ever made. Not even during their Saturday morning matches had they seen him get up so high before.
    ‘Yahooooo! Go Speck! Unreal!!!’ they yelled proudly.
    Specky hadn’t