Promised Land

Bill Reiter: Eddie Johnson walked through the door of the Cadillac dealership in crisp white clothes and dark tinted sunglasses. A small fortune in diamonds hung from his wrists and ears.
The words "4 Real" were trimmed into his hair, a statement to his critics that he would be as big as he'd always dreamed. The tattoo "God's Child" was etched on the right side of his neck, a mark of the pressure he'd placed on himself since he was a child. His right arm bore an ode to his mother — the tattoo of a large, flowing angel.
No fans rushed forward. No whispers floated from the waiting room. Without any ado, the 23-year-old soccer star for the Wizards moved slowly across the showroom floor, past the $21,745 Buick LaCrosse, past the $41,288 Cadillac STS4, to the empty space on the gray-colored tile where the gift he'd given himself had waited.
"Your car is ready, sir," a man said.

The words "4 Real" were trimmed into his hair, a statement to his critics that he would be as big as he'd always dreamed. The tattoo "God's Child" was etched on the right side of his neck, a mark of the pressure he'd placed on himself since he was a child. His right arm bore an ode to his mother — the tattoo of a large, flowing angel.

No fans rushed forward. No whispers floated from the waiting room. Without any ado, the 23-year-old soccer star for the Wizards moved slowly across the showroom floor, past the $21,745 Buick LaCrosse, past the $41,288 Cadillac STS4, to the empty space on the gray-colored tile where the gift he'd given himself had waited.

"Your car is ready, sir," a man said.