A Painful Encounter with Concrete

My legs were full of energy as I ran down the court. My blood singing, as if it were as excited as my head to play. I could taste the dryness in my mouth, and almost feel the roughness of the basketball’s surface, even though I didn’t have the ball. There! Now! Dart in, block the shot, and get out of there. The game is almost like the so-called sport of dancing you stay on your toes so much. You have to watch what’s going on in order to ever get the ball, and avoid being trampled or smacked in the face.

Finally passed to me, I hugged the ball tightly to my chest and glanced over the court to see what my options were. Dribble the ball through there, take it up the left side of the court toward the basket near the school, pass it off, and let them shoot. Miss the basket or not, it didn’t matter; for me the game was never about winning, but the smell of rubber, the pounding of the ball against your hand as you dribbled it down the court, the tension being created, the squeaks of shoes, and yells of teens thoroughly enjoying themselves.

The rebound was taken by the other team, which I had expected, but wished for not to happen. He took it down the court. I was ready, waiting, and tense. Poised like a tigress stalking her prey. Am opening! I grabbed for the ball, and met unexpected resistance; I never let go. I fought for the basketball as if it were my own child. Suddenly, I was falling. How, I don’t know, but my instincts reacted and I tucked my head in some as I fell backwards. I was lucky “he” had not fallen on me I later realized as my force had pulled him down as well. Then I blinked my eyes open. I saw people towering around me, and then I felt the pain coursing up my arm and originating from my elbow. I think I was saying, “My elbow, it hurts.”

My vision clouded with tears as I pulled myself off the court, but I couldn’t allow myself to think too much: walk into the school, turn left, open the ‘fridge, grab the ice-pack, go back outside, and most importantly-try not to cry. I stepped back outside and took deep breaths of the sweet-smelling, fresh air as I sat down on the warming driveway to watch the rest of the game.