Temeka is excited for basketball tryouts but has chores to do first. She dreams of playing in the NBA but knows she must focus on school to achieve her goals. At tryouts her coach wants her to help others improve instead of just focusing on herself. She gets in trouble for losing track of time playing basketball and not finishing her chores. The next day she has a test but didn't study and worries she will be benched from the team if she does poorly. Though she gets a C+, she knows she needs to make better decisions to reach her dreams.

1. DECISIONS, DECISIONS,
DECISIONS
BY: TEMEKA JOHNSON
&
QUENCY PHILLIPS
EDITOR: KIMI ALLI
ILLUSTRATOR: JOSE DANIEL OVIEDO

2. AuthorHouse™
1663 Liberty Drive
Bloomington, IN 47403
www.authorhouse.com
Phone: 1-800-839-8640
© 2010 Temeka Johnson and Quency Phillips. All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,
or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.
First published by AuthorHouse 7/15/2010
ISBN: 978-1-4520-5758-3 (sc)
Library of Congress Control Number: 2010910462
Printed in the United States of America
This book is printed on acid-free paper.
All proceeds from the Meek Moments book series benefit the Jewel Johnson Scholarship Fund;
helping our youth reach their full potential in their secondary educational institutions.
ATTENTION SCHOOLS AND BUSINESSES
Meek Moments books are available for bulk purchase for educational, business, or sales
promotional use. To place an order or for more information, please email:
HOPE@FuzionAM.com.

3. This book belongs to:

5. FOREWARD
Temeka Johnson, known to most as Meek, has
always been about the children. She has adopted
many schools in her hometown and is the first to
volunteer to work with students. However, due to
her busy schedule and always changing location, she
desired another avenue to connect with the youth.
She wanted to spread HOPE, share her journey in
becoming a WNBA Champion and the many life lessons
she’s learned along the way. It was at this point that
the book series was born. This series
will highlight critical moments in Temeka’s life that
had brought her to the place that she is now, while
making the lessons easy to understand and relevant
to all.
We hope you enjoy reading the book as much as we
did writing it. ~F.A.M.

6. 6

7. “I can’t wait to get to school today,” said Temeka.
“What’s so special about today?” asked Grandma.
Temeka has been looking forward to this day since
school started. Today is the first day of tryouts
for the girls’ basketball team. Last year she played
on basketball courts all around Louisiana, as she
practiced to be the best. She was very good, too.
She was the star player on her team, and very popular
at school. She had lots of friends, and had the
most fun when she was playing basketball with her
teammates.
7

8. “We have tryouts today,” said Temeka. “I can’t wait
until after school, so that I can play with all of my
friends again!”
“Well, did you clean your room?” asked Grandma.
“Because you’re not going to play anything unless you
have all of your chores done!”
“It’s kinda clean,” said Temeka, as she finished taking
a bite of her sandwich.
“Kinda?” Grandma asked, as she turned around to
look at Temeka.
Temeka’s mood changed, and she was no longer happy.
She hated doing chores, especially cleaning her room.
But she knew that if she did not listen, she would not
be able to play basketball.
8

9. 9

10. 10

11. “I can’t wait until I’m older,” Temeka said under her
breath as she walked towards her room.
“I won’t ever have to clean my room! I’ll just play
basketball all day, and do all the things that I want
to do.”
Temeka was not your perfect angel, but she knew
right from wrong. She knew that if she did not do
what her Grandmother asked of her, she would not
be able to play basketball. Besides chores, Temeka
also had to get good grades in school. Because she
knew that getting good grades would help her reach
her dreams. Not only did she like to play basketball,
but she also dreamed about going to college. She
wanted to make her Grandmother proud.
11

12. “Bye Grandma,” said Temeka. “My room is clean now
and I’ll see you after basketball tryouts!”
“OK baby,” said Grandma. “You know I will come to
school to get you if your room is not clean!”
“I know Grandma,” Temeka replied, as she ran out of
the house to catch the school bus.
12

13. 13

14. 14

15. Off to school she went.
All Temeka could think about was basketball. In her
classes she daydreamed about dribbling and winning
the game for her team. During recess she was the
first to grab a basketball. She ran around her friends
showing off her best moves. Her dream was to become
the first girl in the NBA. She told all her friends
about her dream and they just laughed saying, “Girls
can’t play basketball.”
“I’m going to make it,” yelled Temeka. “You just wait
and see!”
15

16. The bell finally rang for school to be over. Temeka jumped
out of her seat and ran to the gym.
“No running in the hallway,” yelled her teacher.
Temeka was already down the hall, turning the corner
for the gymnasium. Inside she saw her coach waiting,
and basketballs everywhere. She was in heaven.
“Hey Coach!,” said Temeka. “Wanna play me one-on-one?
I practiced all summer, and I know I can beat you now!”
“Slow down Temeka,” said Coach. “You’re not ready
for me just yet, but I want you to help some of your
teammates get better.”
“Aww man,” sighed Temeka. “Do I have to, Coach? All
they have to do is pass me the ball, and we will win. I can
do it all!”
16

17. Temeka kept going on and on about all that she could
do and how good she was, but her coach was not
pleased.
It’s going to be a long season, Coach thought to
himself.
17

18. On her way home from practice, Temeka saw some boys
playing basketball at a nearby church.
18

19. “Let me play,” said Temeka. “I’m better than you now!
Watch me!”
Being so focused on beating the boys, Temeka forgot
that she had to be home to finish her chores before
dinner. Before she knew it, it was 6PM and the street
lights just turned on. She knew she was in trouble!
“Temeeeekaaaaaaaaa!,” yelled Grandma.
All the boys knew that Temeka was in trouble.
Embarrassed, she tried to hide behind the other boys
hoping her grandmother wouldn’t see her. As her
Grandmother continued to get closer, Temeka knew she
was caught and in trouble, so she began to apologize.
“I’m so sorry, Grandma,” replied Temeka. “I didn’t know
it was so late. I--I--I will clean up as soon as I get home,
and I’ll do all of my homework, too! I promise!”
“I’m sure you will,” said Grandma. “I’m SURE you will.”
19

20. “Temeka, you know the rules,” said Grandma. “In life
you have to make a decision to do what you have to
do to get what you want. No chores, no basketball.
Bad grades, no basketball. Disobey me, no basketball.
So what’s it gonna be?”
“I--I’m sorry Grandma,” replied Temeka. “It won’t
happen again, I promise!”
“I know you’re excited, babygirl, but if it happens again,
you’ll be on punishment,” Grandma responded.
Temeka had a long night ahead of her. After dinner
she had to clean the kitchen, straighten up her room
and do her homework. But Temeka could not stop
daydreaming about basketball. She pulled out her
basketball books and began reading them, instead of
studying. Temeka quickly forgot about her test on
the following day.
20

21. 21

22. 22

23. The next morning in class, the teacher instructed
everyone to put away their notes and clear their
desk.
“Oh no!” Temeka thought. “We have a test today and
I didn’t study! What am I going to do?”
“Everyone ready for the test?” asked her teacher.
Temeka was in trouble again. She was not ready.
All she could think about was basketball and her
grandmother’s words “Bad grades. No basketball.”
She knew that if she did not do well, then she would
not be able to play. She was scared.
23

24. All practice long, all Temeka could think about was
her test. She prayed that she would somehow pass
the test, but knew deep down that she didn’t deserve
to pass the test. She knew that she did not make the
right decision by not studying, and now she could
lose it all. No basketball. No TV. No more playing
with friends. Nothing.
“Temeka, what are you doing?” asked Coach. “What’s
wrong? You are not focused today!”
“I--I’m sorry Coach,” she replied. “I didn’t study
for my test and I don’t know if I’ll be able to play
basketball.”
“Well, you know school comes first,” said Coach.
Temeka sighed and put her head down trying to hold
back the tears.
24

25. 25

26. The next day at school, Temeka got her test back.
She was so nervous to look at what grade she got.
She cautiously turned the test over.
“Wooohooo!” Temeka yelled, “I got a C+.”
Temeka knew that this wasn’t a good grade but she
was sure she failed. She thought all day about how
she was going to tell her Grandmother about her test.
She even took the long way home from school. When
she opened the door, her Grandmother was there to
greet her.
“Hey babygirl,” said Grandma. “Did you have a good
day at school?”
Temeka’s eyes started to fill with tears. “I--I got my
test back,” said Temeka. “I got a C+.”
Before her Grandmother could say anything Temeka
quickly added. “It won’t happen again, I promise! I’ll
get an A next time.”
With a stern look and waving one finger, Grandma
replied, “Decisions, Decisions, Decisions.”
26

27. COMING SOON
A STAR IS BORN
THE BIG NEXT STEP