Sunday afternoon around 5:15 p.m. I decided to go over to a partner of mine house to chill and check out sports and his family.
There is a basketball goal by the house so I walked over to the house across the street to grab the basketball.
Things happened fast from there. I told Kameka who lived and hung at the house along with quite a few other people I was going to shoot for a minute, I had not played ball in a minute and felt like dribbling and shooting. I was rusty with my shot.
A young dude of 20 with dreads came up and asked me did I want to shoot, I did not know he meant game, so I said yes. Next thing I know, people are coming outside, Kameka's little girl of 8 came out stating, "Is that William?". I did not know she knew my name, I would joke some and speak to her little brother playing cards on their porch, anyway.
Dudes line the court, 10-12 females (teenagers to 30's) are sitting on Kameka's porch.
When that little girl Kameka's daughter said my name and I did not know she knew it, I knew this little girl looked up to me.
I had beaten this dude that palyed ball everday named Doochie 1:1 to get him to change his life, I won, Doochie joined the Navy and coincidentally called home when I came over there. Doochie had asked me about the military and talked of a change in his life from the norm that was around him, he did not want to be a deadbeat dad or have a bunch of children. A young black brtha going into the Navy to have something for a wife and kids someday at the age of 19. Deep.
Well I was trapped, I had on brown Docker heavy shoes, jeans, orange t-shirt underneath, a backwards hat on, hoop earring and a blue jean shirt. Also necklace, ring on each finger, braclet etc. Dress down mode.
I let him take the ball out.
He drove right by me and I said, Man you are fast". He was maybe 6'0 0r 6'1, athletically built, muscular, young, brash and played basketball everyday. Played in highschool also, good enough to go somewhere but yall no the story...
So he was up 1-0.
He took the ball out, shot from the outside, missed, hit the rim, the dude got the rebound and went straight back up. I asked the dude, "I thought you are supposed to takwe the ball out when the ball hits the rim?" He replied, "Not around here dude."
Okay, 2-0. Game goes to 11 by ones.
He takes the ball out again and hits from the outside, 3-0.
My heart kicks in, he tries to drive, I blocked his ball, he called foul, I said comeone dawg, but hey he called it.
Now people watching a plus 35 yr old man verses a 20 yr old guy with those expensive tennis shoes on, white shorts, ensign read t-shirt and wrist bands on.
He got the ball and tried to drive on me again but changed to shoot outside, I blocked his ball and honestly was surprised I blocked it, I did say it had been a minute.
My ball.
I tried to drive but was too slow with brown Dockers on, jeans etc.
He tapped the ball and I got it back.
I had to shoot outside.
My ball, I shot from the free throw line, swish
3-1.
My ball, I faked right, went left and posted up to shoot, swoosh, 3-2.
My ball, I faked left and went right and posted up, 3-3.
My ball, I drove, missed the back board shot, got my rebound and went back up. 3-4.
My ball, he passed the ball to me at a distance, his fault, I shot, 3-5.
My ball, I wnet left, went right, got hard headed and tried to drive, he fouled I called, took out, gort the ball and shot, 3-6.
My ball, I'm in a zone. He passed the ball again to me deep and did not come up to guard, I shot, missed, ran to grab my rebound, hit backboard, 3-7.
My ball, I missed he got the rebound, I was there, made him go outside while he was trying to bogard me, he missed, I played his trick and went right back up with the ball. 3-8.
I missed the next shot, he got the ball, he made.
To make a long story short I beat him 11-10 after game was tied at 10-10, last shot made would win.
As I sat tired the brutha was asked who won by another male and he stated I won by one. I had gotten his respect.
He was tired also....
Heart overcomes many things ask Evander Holyfield when he beat Mike Tyson.
I could not lose in front of all those people.
Many things we do and we are has a domino affect in many other aspects of our lives.
Peace.
Posted By: WILLIAM W. HEMMANS III
Tuesday, January 31st 2006 at 5:41PM
You can also
click
here to view all posts by this author...
