On the Devil's Court

Joe describes the gathering winter darkness of Seattle and his monotonous routine, broken by three things: English class, gym class, and daily trips to his private gym. Since there is no light in the secret gym, it becomes increasingly difficult for him to see. The shadows are eerie, and Joe says, “the place was starting to creep me out” (91). Seeing the alternative world of the shadows and recognizing they are also real in their own way, Joe begins to understand the alternative world his English teacher is describing in Doctor Faustus. He perceives the presence of that world in the gym with him. With a thunderstorm outside, Joe feels a mist enveloping the gym and himself and perceives that the devil is in the mist. He sinks an uncanny basketball shot from the top of the key, and the spin on the ball makes it bounce right back to him. With darkness and mist growing in the gym, he makes seven straight shots with the ball bouncing back to him each time. He realizes at that point that the devil is tempting him: “He was showing me the power of his world” (93). After two more perfect shots, Joe spontaneously makes a vow: “Give me a full season, give me twenty-four games of this power, and my soul is yours” (93).