The back-to-school ads had started, a subtle, unwelcome reminder that the long, lazy days of summer were over. The air held a particular stillness, a kind of quiet before a storm, even on a day as bright as this one. The sun, already dipping, cast long shadows across the cracked cement of the court, worn smooth by countless games. The large fenced yard connected to a local school that included basketball courts and a painted baseball infield with bases. My school, a private catholic one, was a