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Throughout the book Owen and Johnny practice slam dunking a basketball. This is very significant in the conclusion of the book. When they start dunking the ball they are trying to do it in under 4 seconds. They think this is impossible at the start but finally accomplish it and are astonished. Then Owen decides that it isn't fast enough and that they must try for under 3 seconds. Johnny doesn't believe they will ever accomplish this however. After trying every time they get together they start to get closer to there goal but not fast enough. Then in the end of the book when Owen knows he is going to die trying the shot one more time, however this time its different. Owen and Johnny have now traveled to Arizona where they meet Dick Jarvits. Dick, a 15 year old, can't wait to go to war and has decided to try to kill Owen. Dick follows through with this is the bathroom of the airport as Owen and Johnny are preparing to leave. Owen goes into the bathroom to help a group of Vietnamese boys go to the bathroom. While doing this Dick comes in with a grenade and throws it to set it off. Johnny catches the grenade and throws it to Owen who then jumps on Johnny's shoulders and reaches up to the windows in the bathroom and holds onto the sill and covers the grenade in order to save the children's lives. This is why they have been practicing the shot in under 3 seconds. Then when the grenade goes off Owen disappears and is found by Johnny in the sink without arms, which is why there were so many references to armlesssness in the book. Owen then bleeds to death. |