Two boys could never be so different yet so much alike. Makaha became their sacred grounds. Its there they met, bonded, surfed, swam, fished off the shore, and shared their secrets. They fast became friends and slowly became brothers. They needed each other. The two of them completed the cypher. The yin and the yang. The sunrise and sunset. One was a little awkward in his own growing body. Often tripped. Spilled his drinks. Stuttered. Was a nervous boy. The other a graceful panther. Smooth. Sure of himself. A natural pro. A charmer. They spent many days and nights together. Often camping out by Nanakuli beach park. Fishing all night. Laughing. Playing in the sand. Being boys. Sun drenched, natural, anything goes, boys!

As the school year progressed, so did their bond. It wasn't long before Kaipo moved in to his best friends house, and they became brothers from another mother. Waianae intermediate school noticed changes in both boys. Escalating grades. Uplifted spirits. Just an all around happiness shined off each boy. The "new kid" and the "reject!" One thing Waianae intermediate school never expected was for both boys to try out for the Menehune baseball team. A team that has never won more than a few games a season. A team that was under funded, and catered to the under privileged. Yeah, I aint gonna lie, Waianae is poor! Poorer than poor! The poorest area on Oahu. But the spirits ran high and brotherhood runs strong.

Both boys made the team because there really wasn't too many kids interested in a losing team on an island dominated by football. Football and surfing that is. One thing Hector never told Kaipo or anyone else for that matter is that back in New York city he was a star. He played shortstop and pitched for the Junior Yankees, The YBL baseball league, and the Peligro League. Peligro was the local Dominican community based league. It was the league Hector got his start and rose to local fame with. He was the kind of boy who took baseball very seriously. He even went to play ball in Highbridge park with his friends, wearing his little league uniform! The locals all knew he could be the next Manny Ramirez who hailed from the next block as Hector. Baseball isn't the only secret he kept from Kaipo. There were others. Hector kept many things to himself as he learned from a small boy to be untrusting.

After their first practice it became obvious to Hector and the coach that he would be the strength behind his team. It was also obvious that Kaipo was scared of the ball and wouldn't get much besides bench time. Afterward both boys headed straight for Pokai Bay where they shed their school clothes and jumped off the jetty to cool their sweaty bodies. After about an hour of cannonballs and splashing about, they swam to the shore and laid in the sand to talk.

"Shoots bradah, u da kine huh? I neva seen no kid whack a ball like you! You da kine!" said Kaipo in his local pidgin.

Hector just laughed and replied the best way he knew how. He took to local talk like local boys take to the water!

"Shoots Kaips, you da kine no me! I jus wen for whack tha bugga is all!"

"Bradah, you no seen tha coach face?" replied Kaipo

With this, Hector rolled over and grabbed Kaipo in a head lock and the two wrestled around on the sand until they chased each other to the shore and kicked water at each other until they both ended up in each others grip and fell backwards into the crystal blue water.

The boys headed home and shed their shorts to shower the sand off of each other. They quickly dressed and went out back to play catch. Hector noticed that each time he threw the ball to Kaipo, he clamped his eyes shut and turned his head! The stronger boy took to coaching his brother every chance they got. During practices, he soon became the captain and was coaching the whole team more than the Samoan coach that headed the Menehunes. He was used to coaching a losing team, so if this boy had the natural talent that he did, hey…why not!

Hector went easy on his team. Pitching slowly and telling them to "keep your eyes on the ball!" That's when he remembered how he learned to hit so well. He came to the next practice with a pocket full of corn kernels! A Caribbean secret to excellent batters! The theory was, if you get used to hitting a corn kernel then when a baseball comes, it's a sure shot! So he tried his technique on his team mates! He underhand pitched kernel after kernel and they slowly got the hang of it.

It was at their first game against Mililani that Hector realized just how under funded his team was. There they were, Mililani intermediate team all with spankin new uniforms! All perfect. Names on the back of their jerseys. Matching Nike cleats. Hats perfect! His heart sank! He looked down at his own uniform. What he saw was cut off black sweatpants, scruffy sneakers, A tee shirt that read "sponsored by Waianae Market" a big number, and the Waianae Menehunes. No name. Nothing fancy, and no one really matched. They looked like a raggamuffin group. He started to realize one reason why morale was low on his team. Well, uniforms or not, Hector struck out boy after boy. His team handled well each hit he did let slide off, and their batting was average. All except Hector that is. He was clean up so all they had to do was get base hits and he would do the rest. He hit 3 homeruns and had 5 rbi's. Kaipo on the other hand missed a fly ball going directly into his mitt and struck out both times they let him bat. Nonetheless, Waianae beat Mililani 11 to 4. Anyone watching would know that it was Hector who was the backbone of the team! He was getting noticed and it was only the first game of the season.

As the days went on, both boys continued to practice in their yard or down at Pokai bay. Hector never grew tired of encouraging his closest friend to keep his eyes open, to hold his mitt in front of his body, to keep his eyes on the ball as he swung. Still, Kaipo didn't seem to progress much and Hector was the best player on their team. He pitched corn to his friend day after day, hour after hour, yet he rarely hit the things.

The Menehunes were climbing the ranks for the first time in Waianae history, and it was Hector who was responsible. He not only led in batting, but pitched so many strikeouts, his team could only respond by doing the best they could, despite raggedy mismatched uniforms. The people of Waianae came out to support their winners. Each game drew a bigger and bigger crowd. Hector shined like a star and Kaipo did little more than warm the bench. An occasional hit actually landed him on first base a few times, but for the most part, he was tagged out before he could pat his scruffy sneaker on the base. Kaipo got little support from his team mates. At first they complained to the coach. Whining like only a boy can do! There was the usual; "don't put him out there he's junk!" and the "c'mon coach, we need hits and runs, not stikeouts and tag outs!" But soon after, Hector spoke up! After all, he was the captain, wasn't he? He told them in his steadfast way, "he don't play, I don't play!" and soon after only encouragement followed.

There were certain things only Kaipo knew about Hector. Things one would only know if they lived together. There were frequent bouts of body pain. But these Kaipo rationalized as his best friend over exerting himself. But there was more things. Things that troubled the boy. Like why did he have so many fevers recently? Why the vomiting? One time Hector passed out while they were tossing a ball in the yard. Actually just dropped to the ground and was out for about a minute or so. Kaipo panicked but there was no one home, and Hector just joked it all away like he usually did with his charismatic personality.

"Man, aint nuttin wrong with me bradah, I just got too hot! You think if something was wrong I could be so great?" Vanity wasn't his best quality. Yet Kaipo sensed deep down that something wasn't right.

As the season was drawing near the end, it seemed that Hectors' bouts of illness were getting more frequent, and some days he just spent the day in bed as his brother Kaipo went through the school day worried and preoccupied. It wasn't until he went unconscious at one of his games that he landed himself in Waianae Coast Comprehensive. The local hospital. He was on the pitchers mound, had pitched a perfect game, when all of a sudden everything went black and Hector went out! People from all sides rushed the field. The coach called EMS and they shortly arrived and wheeled the boy off the field. He protested, and fought against them, but in the end both Kaipo and his coach convinced him that even though he was awake, it was the wisest decision. Hector knew what the problem was, but that was one of his deep secrets he never dared to share with anyone. Not even his father.

The Menehunes had only 2 games to go and were in the first place. Either way they were going to the championship. They won the game Hector interrupted. It was a close one, but in the end they won by 1. With only 2 more games in the season, not only the coach was worried, but so were his team and the people of Waianae. Everyone was riding the wave. It was the first year the Menehunes had climbed so high and so fast. There didn't seem like anyone was going to get in the way of Hector and his team, but without him, doubts were strongly creeping.

It wasn't long after the star was admitted to the emergency room that he was soon transported to the Oncology unit at one of the biggest hospitals in Hononlulu. It was then that Hectors father learned his son had Sickle Cell Anemia. A disease rarely treated with anything other than painkillers. Strong painkillers. Morphine Sulfate, Dilaudid or Percocet. The prognosis was grim. Hectors small body had given in to the Sickle Cells and he needed a transfusion immediately. His heart was enlarged due to the Sickle cells fighting his body. At war with his white blood cells. He had an infection in his lungs and fluid was rampant. When he woke from the morphine haze, the only two things he asked his dad were; "did we win? And "Where is Kaipo?" His father was doing his best to hold back the tears. Fighting his hardest! There before him, lay his son. So vulnerable. So hurt. Yet his only concern was about his team Kaipo. "Such a brave strong boy!" he spoke to himself out loud. Not meant for any ones ears but his own.

"What daddy? What did you say? I asked did we win? And where is Kaipo!"

With that his dad broke down in sobs, unable to hold them back, and more angry at himself than anything, because he was so weak, and his son, so strong.

"Im so sorry my son!" he started but stopped himself because he didn't know where to go with it! There was so much to be sorry for. He was sorry he was never there for him and he had to suffer god only knew what deranged hardships at the hands of his drug addicted mother. He was sorry he wasn't the father he wanted to be. He spent way too many hours working and not enough doting on his beautiful son. The spitting image of his mom. The high set cheekbones, deep latino tan, wavy hair, and his big almond shaped piercing eyes. There was a lifetime flashing in his mind. The young love. The newborn baby boy. The fighting and arguments, and the eventual breakup. Here before his eyes laid his boy. His baby boy. He was dying, and he knew he was dying yet his only concern was so unselfish. So wise beyond his years.

"Whats all tha cryin for? I been sick like this lotsa times! Just answer my questions!"

So brave! This was all he could think of. He didn't even really hear the words his son spoke, but he answered from earlier!

"Hector, your team won! Don't worry about that now! And Kaipo, he is at his aunties house. He'll be just fine! He is very worried about you, but I just phoned them and told them you are doing just fine"

"Daddy, he don't know?"

"No son, he doesn't." replied his father.

"Good! Keep it that way!"

Secrets. So many secrets. He was never sure if he kept all of his secrets because he feared what people would think of him, or to protect the people he loved and cared about. He didn't let Kaipo visit him during his stay, but they spoke on the phone daily. Usually for hours at a time.

"We get the last game before tha championship next sataday! Don't forget!" reminded Kaipo.

"No worry bradah, I gone be there! I keep telln you I stay fine!" replied Hector. He knew in his heart he wouldn't be there! He was still hooked up to machines and IV's and it was already Thursday. Still yet, he didn't want to discourage his best friend. His brother.

Game day came, and the Menehunes were up against Kapolei intermediate. Of course, the star of their team was not present. Before the game, the coach rounded his team into a circle as the always did for their pre-game prayer. This time though, just as he was getting ready to start, Kaipo spoke to the group for the first time.

"Coach, I think we should all say a prayer for Hector."

The coach didn't say a word, but led them into prayer for their captain and surrogate coach. Kaipo had to hold back his tears as he was already labeled as weak and didn't want to show his vulnerability. He was the only one on the team who had any insight into the seriousness of the situation. There were a few fans on the sidelines holding signs like "Get Well Soon, Hector" and "Hector We Love You" Fans filled the sidelines. Parents, friends, family and supporters.

The game was a close one. Many hits. Decent fielding. What they lacked was the pitching skills of Hector though. Even Kaipo actually got a hit that landed him to second base. They had the crowd in their corner, but spirits were low as they feared the worse without the champ. The Menehunes ended up losing in the 9th inning by 2 runs. It was a hard loss, and most of the boys were seen leaving the field in tears. Kaipos' heart sank, as he wanted nothing more then to win the game for his closest friend, Hector.

He was scared to make the call and let down his brother, but it was something he knew he had to face, so face it he did. He slowly punched each number on the keypad. With each one, the butterflies in his stomach grew. Until he heard the ringing and the sound of Hectors voice saying hello.

"Hector, it's me! Hector! We lost! We lost tha damn game!" said Kaipo. Tears were streaming down his face. He waited for his best friends response, but everything was silent, except for the sniffling on Kaipos end.

Then he heard it. The sound of his buddy crying. He never heard Hector cry before, but this was his green light to let his own sobs escape.

"I'm sorry Hector! I'm so sorry!" he managed to blurt out between his tears.

"I…I…" he started but not before Hector cut him short.

"What you mean you sorry? Is my fault! Is all my fault! I should had been there!" They both blamed themselves and sobbed heart wrenching tears into the phone. Hector eventually hung up as he felt awkward for exposing his feelings. His tears into the phone. He just said, "I gotta go!" and hung up without waiting for any reply.

There was only one week left before the championship game and Hector knew he had to be there. He didn't have a choice. He needed to be there as much as his team mates needed him there. He started first with his dad. Begging and pleading to be released. But his dad was apprehensive.

" I don't know son. I really don't think it is a good idea"

Hector looked at his father with a pleading look in his eyes, "dad, I don't have a choice! I have to go!"

"But…"

"But nothing! I never wanted anything the way I want this, daddy. They need me there. I worked so hard all season! Not just me, all of them! We didn't do it for nothing! This is all I want. The only thing I want, and I never asked you for anything, EVER!" Silent tears were streaming down his cheeks. He was speaking from the heart. He didn't leave his dad much choice, but to try his hardest for his boy. He'd do whatever was in his power to make his wish manifest itself to reality.

He started with the nurses by asking simple questions about the possibility of the event, then slowly worked his way to each and every doctor involved. He finally got to the head doctor a few days later and arranged a meeting. It was obvious, there was no way this was going to happen. The boy was too weak, over medicated, and his body was racked with infections that they just couldn't seem to get a handle on. Hectors dad started getting irate as he saw his sons wish come crashing down before him.

"Don't you understand? This is my baby's wish! Quite possibly his last wish, at that!" the boys father was practically screaming at the head doctor.

"I understand your position Mr. Mendoza, however, it just doesn't seem feasible. How can we take a boy out of hospital bed in critical condition and put him on a playing field. I'm sorry sir, but that just wont happen under my care! Impossible!" Both men locked eyes in mutual determination.

Both set in their decision. Each thinking they know what is best for the boy.

Nothing more was said at the meeting, and both men left with their emotions running high.

Kaipo showed up at Hectors' home. It was the first time he had been there without him. He went into the room they shared and laid on the bed. His mind tripped to the days they spent at Makaha, surfing wave after wave. Nights they spent at Pokai bay, cooking bbq spare ribs over an open fire. Laying in the sand on their back, talking almost until dawn. Sharing, as they stared into the star filled Hawaiian sky. He was thinking about everything. Even the silly stuff. The jokes they shared. The few times they trooped all the way to Pearl Ridge mall by bus just to window shop. The times they went to Waikiki wall just to boogie board all day until they finally took the 2 hour ride home on the Makaha bus. He smiled. He missed Hector more then he ever thought he would. All he wanted to do was visit him in the hospital, but that wasn't going to happen. Hector insisted on NO visits! Kaipo never felt so alone, but just sitting in their room brought him a step or two closer to his beloved friend. He picked up one of Hectors discarded shirts off the floor and brought it up to his face. It smelled like Hector. That was the last thing he remembered. He cried himself to sleep on the bed and didn't wake up until the morning. When Kaipo awoke, he showered and dressed in Hectors "Quicksilver" surf shorts and his white "Lost" shirt, and even put on his NY Yankees hat before walking himself to their school.

The final game was the next morning. The team arrived a few hours before the game for warm ups and a pep talk from their coach.

"You guys can do this! You are champs! I want you guys to go out there and play your ultimate best! You owe it to yourselves, but more so, you owe it to Hector!"

The team agreed, and were psyched. Everyone was charged! Fans slowly trickled onto the sidelines. The opposing team arrived and took the field to warm themselves up. The game was soon underway. Halfway into the 2nd inning, the score was tied 2 to 2. Just as the Menehunes were to start their batting lineup for the inning, the crowd and field grew silent. An EMS ambulance was whizzing into the parking lot and right onto the field with lights flashing and sirens blazing. People in the crowd were scanning the field and benches to see who was injured. The teams were looking nervously around. Just then the drivers jumped out and opened the back door. People couldn't believe their eyes. They wheeled out the stretcher with Hector on it dressed head to toe in his uniform, and clutching his lucky mitt under his arm. Following the stretcher was both his father and what appeared to be a doctor due to his white official looking "lab coat."

Both men spoke with Hector for a few minutes before the EMS worker raised the top end of the stretcher, allowing the boy to view the field. The crowd was roaring and chanting his name!

"Hector, Hector, Hector!"

The umpire yelled, "play ball" and the teams assumed their position. He wasn't being cold, just that it was an awkward moment and he was on the clock! Hell, he himself felt like running to the stretcher and hugging the boy, but he had a job to do.

While his team was batting, Kaipo excused himself and sprinted over to the stretcher. The guy in the lab coat went to stop him from reaching the vulnerable boy, but Hector said to let him pass and his father nodded an approval as well. Kaipo didn't care what anyone though right then and there, he just wanted to see and speak to his brother Hector. Hector reached over and extended his hand for a shake and Kaipo took his hand, shook it, but didn't want to let it go.

"How you doin my bradah?" he asked

"Hangin tough Kaips, Hangin tough" replied Hector

"Yeah you one real trooper huh?" Kaipo said back to him and Hector replied, "Hells yeah! I stays one trooper! Shoots!"

Both boys laughed.

Then Kaipo took a step closer to the bed, took Hectors hand and placed it over his own heart and told him, "This games for you my bradah! We gonna wipe they butts!"

It was all too obvious that emotions were in overdrive. Both kids were holding in tears. One look into their eyes and you could see the tears actually welling up along their lower lids. Kaipo then took his left hand, touched his own heart, then brought the two extended fingers to his lips, kissed them, then he reached over and touched Hectors fore head with his "blessed" fingers. He couldn't look his friend in the eyes as he jetted back to his bench and watched the other players.

Hector tried his hardest to keep his eyes open and focus on the game but he kept drifting in and out of a nod. Half awake, half asleep. The doctor seemed to keep fussing about him. Increasing the flow on his IVs, checking his pulse and blood pressure. One thing Hector noticed though was that as the game was progressing, both teams were neck and neck. Down by one, up by one, tied. Back and forth. By the 8th inning, Hector didn't blink! His eyes were latched onto the game. His dad and the doctor took a walk to the side of the truck to talk. The game was still in any ones hands. The Menehunes were down by 1 and now their enemy was up at bat. During their time at bat for the 9th inning, they managed to score two more runs!

Hectors eyes were peeled to the field. The excitement. The action. He watched intensely as Keanu went to bat, hit two foul balls, then struck out with his last pitch. Josh was up next. The pitcher stepped back, threw the pitch, and all Hector heard was the hardball meeting aluminum. He got a base hit! The crowd was ecstatic. Hector was sitting up in his makeshift hospital bed. His heart was beating a mile a minute. Next up was Elijah. He got a base hit on the first pitch, sending Joshua to second base. Again, the crowd roared.

With one out and two men on base, it was Kaipos turn to bat. The crowd grew silent in nervous anticipation. Shouts were heard from the opposing team. The usual "little league" chants, such as; "He's no batter, he's no batter…swing!"

Swing he did. The first pitch was thrown and he swung and missed the ball. The second pitch went, and he tipped a foul ball, causing Joshua to steal a base. Now there was a kid on first and one on third. Kaipo took a step away from the base, looked towards Hector and again he touched two fingers to his heart, brought them to his lips and kissed them then flew the two fingers in the air to god. He stepped to the plate, the pitch was thrown and Kaipo smacked the ball with all of his might. He never took his eyes off the ball from the time it left the pitchers hand, all the way until it soared over the outfielders head and over the fence.

"HOMERUN!" yelled the umpire. "Game over!"

Kaipos team came running from the bench screaming cheers, followed by the coach. Everyone on the sidelines was standing in awe and screaming.

"Waianae, Waianae, Waianae!"

Just then the crowd got silent. So silent you could hear a pin drop! Hector got up and out of his bed after disconnecting the IV's from the catheters. Everyone turned on the field and faced him. It was all eyes on Hector and everyone, including fans, parents, coaches, team mates, even the losers were chanting Hectors name over and over.

Kaipo slid down off the parade of players arms that where holding him in the air and started running toward Hector. Just as they were only a few yards from each other, Hector dropped to his knees first, then fell face first into the grass. As Kaipo reached him and wrapped his small arms around his best friends neck, lifting Hectors eyes to meet his own, Hector took his last breath. He had a smile on his face and a blank look in his eyes. His dad, the doctor and the EMS workers reached him at around the same time.

Kaipos head was buried in his friends shoulder, he was sobbing. He raised his head and yelled only; "Whyyyyyy god, whyyyyyyy!"

Hectors dad hugged Kaipo and Hector at the same time as they shared tears of agony together. The medics carried Hector back onto the stretcher and into the ambulance, but not before his dad could kiss him on the cheek and say, "Goodbye my precious son"

There wasn't a dry eye on the field. People were sobbing, hugging each other, and just feeling the general pain of it all. Mr. Mendoza left with Kaipo who he later adopted and raised him as his own. Together they would grow. One learning to be the father he never knew how to be, and the other learning to be the son he never had the chance to be before.

Before the next season was to start, the Menehunes playing field was re-named the Hector Mendoza Memorial Field. New matching uniforms donated by Mr. Mendoza graced the back of each boy on the team. Kaipo became the heavy weight on the team, and it was all due to Hector. He himself turned the Menehunes into champs, and changed Waianae forever!

"Such a brave boy"