For The Love Of The Game (Book 1)

Chapter 5: We're Leaving

There we were, at we were at the rec center, as I could not wait to go ahead and get all of this started if I was not going to lie to my self. This was my chance to prove my worth to a lot of different people, as I knew that there were going to be some kids that were going to go to my high school, that were going to be on the team, all at the exact same time as well.
If I get their attention, whether it be jealousy or not, I knew I could for sure land my self a spot on the high school team, all at the exact same time as well, none the less. Sure, I knew I was short, but that did not stop me from winning our team a ring on the rec league that I had played last season, none the less. It had basically been all me, if I was not going to lie to my self, and I was not going to be humble either.
My team was pretty bad, as they had one decent shooter, and a kid that could get rebounds none the less, but that was about all that was good for my team mates on my team, as I was the one that really saved us, as it had been a very close game in that championship game, all at the exact same time as well, as it had ended up being a 5 point win for us, when we had been down by most of that game, at one point going down by 10 points never the less.
I had learned to feed my big men in the post though, as it was not hard for a kid that was the biggest player on the court to get an easy wide open layup every single time I threw him the ball, all at the exact same time as well. I hoped that this team was going to be better for me, as I knew that this rec league had 30 teams, and only 16 teams got in to the tournament, as the teams were based on the actual NBA teams with their names none the less.
My team was the Kings, but I was not all too worried about that at all, as I knew that the Kings were just a bad team in the actual NBA, and this had nothing to do with the actual NBA, so I was not worried about that. The kids names that I had seen on my team, I really did not recognize what so ever either, though that was due to the fact that we had moved to a new side of the city recently.
I breathed in quite a bit to my self, all at once, as I did my best to try to keep my self as calm as I possibly could, as I blinked my eyes a few times, and I stared at the big gym that was ahead of me, which was where there were going to be 8 or some odd teams practicing in, all at the exact same time too, which was going to get me quite a bit nervous, all at the exact same time too, as I knew that I was not used to that.
I was not all too sure how I was going to even make it on to a court in a high school game, if I was getting this nervous, all at the exact same time too. Hell... If I was to ever make it to the NBA, than I was going to be screwed when it came to that aspect, all at the exact same time too, as I got my mind, and I got my focus off of all of those thoughts, all at once, as I then all of the sudden nodded a bit to my self.
I knew that I could not be this big of a pussy, all at the exact same time too, as I then all of the sudden got my mind, and I got my focus off of all of those thoughts, all at once, as I then all of the sudden began to start to open the front door to my mother's car, all at the exact same time too, as I was ready to get out finally, and to get all of this started, all at the exact same time as well, as I breathed in quite a bit to my self, all at once, as I did my best to try to keep my self calm through of of it.
As I began to get out of the car, I then all of the sudden turned my head over to my mother all at once, and I tilted my head over to her, all at the exact same time as well, as I was not all too sure as to just what it was that she was doing right at this very moment in time any ways, as I knew that she usually was quick to get out, and quick to take me in the the gym with her, all at the exact same time as well. Though, that did not seem to be the case what so ever this time how ever.
I tilted my head at her, as I was not all too sure as to just what it was that she was even doing right at this very moment in time any ways, as I could see that she was scrolling through her own phone right now, as if she was trying to see her news feed all of the sudden, as I blinked my eyes, and I let out quite a bit of a loud cough, to get her attention, as I knew for a fact that I did not want to be late for practice, as I knew that was a terrible start to all of this, as it meant I would get less playing time in the 1st game.
My mother all of the sudden turned her head over to me, as it was clear that she had heard the loud cough come out of my mouth, to try to get her attention, all at the exact same time too, as I saw her blink her eyes a few times, as it was clear that she was quite a bit lost as to just what it was that I was even getting at right at this very moment in time any ways, for some odd reason or another, as I rolled my eyes at her, all at the exact same time too.
She then all of the sudden looked on ahead of her, all at once, almost as if she had forgot that we had gotten in the car to go to this place any ways. It had me a bit worried, because I knew that her mother had dementia, all at the exact same time too. How ever that had happened in her older ages, later in her life none the less, as I felt like my mother was far too young to have those sorts of problems just yet, as my mother was simply 29.
It still had me a little bit worried if I was not going to lie to my self how ever, as I then all of the sudden saw her turn her head over to me after a little bit longer, as she then all of the sudden began to start to remember as to just what it was that was even going on right now in the very first place any ways. She breathed in quite a bit to her self, all at once, as I then all of the sudden saw her nod to me, to let me know that she was about to go on ahead and speak to me, all at the exact same time as well.
I blinked my eyes a few times my self, all at once, as I breathed in quite a bit to my self, all at once, as I did my best to try to keep my self as calm as I possibly could, all at the exact same time as well, as I then all of the sudden nodded back to her, not all too much longer after all of that, to let her know that I was in fact paying attention as to just what it was that she even had to say to me in the very first place any ways, never the less. After she had seen me do as such a thing, she finally did in fact begin to start to speak to me, all at once, all at the exact same time as well, as I then did in fact begin to start to listen as to just what it was that she even had to say to me, all at once, none the less.
"You can go on ahead by yourself... They said that they would point to where your team was at once you tell them your name..." She said to me, as I was quite a bit shocked as to just what it was that she had even said to me in the very first place any ways, none the less, as I knew that I was so used to her always coming in to these kind of places with me, all at the exact same time as well, that it kind of felt strange to me, as to the fact that she was telling me to go on ahead by my self.
I knew as to just why it was that she usually went with me, as she knew that we were in Chicago, as there was a lot of gang stuff, and a lot of thug stuff, and she was always worried that I was going to randomly get attacked one day, all at the exact same time as well. How ever, as I began to think on it, at first I had thought that she was just telling me to go in, because she was too lazy to go in with me right now, but I realized that it was not tbe fact what so ever how ever, none the less.
It was either due to the fact that she had some thing in her head, or it was due to the fact that she felt a lot more safe around this side of the town, all at the exact same time too. Perhaps it could be both, as I felt like now was not the time for questions, as I could see the clock on the radio, and I knew that if I did not hurry, than I was going to be late for practice, all at the exact same time as well, as I then all of the sudden nodded a bit to my self, all at once, as I did my best to try to calm my self down, all at the exact same time too.
I then just nodded to my mother, as I was glad that I was going in by my self any ways, if I was not going to lie to my self, as it was kind of embarrassing to see that a bunch of kids were staring at my hot mom, as she took me in to practice each and every day, all at the exact same time as well. I breathed in quite a bit to my self, all at once, as I then all of the sudden got my mind, and I got my focus off of all of those thoughts all at once, as I knew that my mind just needed to be purely on the game of basketball right now.
I then all of the sudden got my mind off of the thoughts that I had been having before now, and I got my mind on the fact that I could see the gym, not all too far away from me right now, and I could see a bunch of other kids heading in to it right now, right as we spoke. I blinked my eyes a few times, once again, as I then all of the sudden nodded to my self once again, as well, as I then all of the sudden began to start to jog over to the front doors, with my marked basketball in my hand, all at the exact same time too.
Once I got to the front doors, I then all of the sudden opened them, as I let in an older lady and her grand son if I had to guess based off of how old she was, in to the gym with me, all at the exact same time too, as the older lady then all of the sudden nodded a bit of some thanks to me, all at the exact same time too, as to the fact that I had held the door open for her all at the exact same time as well, as I saw that her grand son seemed to pay me no sort of attention, as he just went over to the table, to see where his team was at.
I breathed in quite a bit to my self, all at once, as I did my best to calm my self down, all at once, as I got my mind, and I got my focus off of all of those thoughts instead, as I did my best to try to not get too upset with the kid, all at the exact same time as well, as I kind of hoped that the kid was not on my team, all at the exact same time as well, none the less, as it felt like it would make things awkward for me.
I sighed a bit of a heavy sigh to my self, all at once, as if I was not going to lie to my self either, it kind of saddened me to see a grand son and a grand mother going in to this place together, as it reminded me of my own grand mother none the less, all at the exact same time as well, as I did my best to try to shake off all of those thoughts from my head, all at once, as I then all of the sudden got my mind, and I got my focus off of the fact that had to do with any of that, as I knew that it was a dark and a bad memory to think on, due to how it had ended as well.
I shook my head, as I then all of the sudden began to start to head over to the table, all at once, as I then all of the sudden began to start to head over to the table, where I could see a man and a woman sitting beside each other, sorting through papers. As I drew closer, I saw the man tilt his head over to me, as if he was a bit confused as to just what it was that I was even doing right at this very moment in time as well.
He stared at me for just a little bit longer, as I let out quite a bit of a heavy sigh to my self, all at once, as I then all of the sudden handed to man my name tag, so that he would know as to just what it was that this was about, all at the exact same time too, as it seemed like the guy was an idiot, and he did not seem to realize that I was a basketball player for some odd reason or another, even with the basketball than was in my hands right at this very moment in time too.
The man blinked his eyes a few times, as I could see the shocked look on his face, all at the exact same time too, as he then all of the sudden began to start to sort through the papers, until he spotted my name on one of them, all at the exact same time too. I breathed in quite a bit to my self, all at once, as the man all of the sudden seemed to stop on one of the papers, as he then all of the sudden lifted his head up to me, not all too much longer after all of that, and he then nodded to me.
I rolled my eyes a bit to my self, all at once, as I was quite a bit annoyed with the man, if I was not going to lie to my self either, but in the end, I did in fact nod back over to the man how ever, to let him know that I was in fact paying attention to him, and to let him know that there was nothing to worry about for him at all right now. After just a little bit longer, he then all of the sudden turned his had over in the direction to the court that I was going to be practicing on, all the exact same time too, as he then began to start to speak to me, quite a bit slowly, as if he thought I was an idiot, not all too much longer after all of that, as I did in fact begin to start to listen as to just what it was that he even had to say to me in the very first place any ways, never the less.
"Alright shorty... You're in court 7, on the Kings..." He said to me, as I blinked a few times, as I saw that he had a smirk on his face, as if he thought that it was funny as to the fact that he had called me a shorty. I ignored it, as I knew that I was not going to let that kind of stuff bother me all too much, as I then all of the sudden nodded to him, and I began to start to walk over to the court that he had told me to go over to, all at the exact same time too.
As I began to start to walk over to the court, all at once, I did not fail to notice from the corner of my eyes, that the woman all of the sudden punched the guy in the chest, for him being such a jack ass to me, all at the exact same time too. I was not going to lie to my self either, that did in fact give me quite a bit of a smirk my self, as I saw that the guy began to start rubbing where it was that he had got hit, as it was clear that it had hurt him quite a bit.
I was glad that the lady had stood up for me a bit, as I kind of wish that she had said some thing about the way that he had treated me, but hell, for all that I knew, that could be or boss, or her manager, all at the exact same time too, as I knew that the man was a lot more in the wrong than she was, never the less, all at the exact same time as well, as I breathed in quite a bit of a heavy sigh to my self, as I did my best to try to get my focus off of all of those thoughts, all at the exact same time too.
I got my mind on the fact that I could see the court that he had told me to go to, all at the exact same time too, as I saw that there were some players wearing some purple and black jerseys, such as the one that I had on me right at this very moment in time too. I then all of the sudden got my mind, and I got my focus on basketball, all at the exact same time too, as I knew that this was my perfect time to impress the coach of the team, rather than to have it be in the season, and have to play in garbage time, with a bunch of garbage team mates, all at the exact same time too.
I blinked my eyes a few times, as I got closer to my team mates, all at the exact same time too, as I then all of the sudden opened my eyes, all at once, as my jaw nearly dropped, as I saw just how big it was that my team mates were in the very first place any ways, as I knew that my mother had signed me up for 14-16 rather than 11-13 even though I knew that I was still 13... That was due to the fact that I had told her that I wanted to have a bit of some competition how ever.
The players that were on my team how ever, I saw that a few of them were over a foot taller than me, as I was simply 4'11. It was quite a bit of a surprise to me, as I was in quite a bit of some shock as to the fact that it had me quite a bit surprised. Though, I suppose that I should not be all too surprised by that what so ever, due to the fact that I knew that I knew some of them were in fact 3 years older than I was, and I was quite a bit short.
I knew that I had to get used to that as well, especially if it was that I was ever going to go play in the next level, all at the exact same time too, as I then all of the sudden got my mind, and I got my focus off of all of those thoughts all at once, as I got my focus on the fact that I knew that I had to go join up with my team mates before it was too late, as I could see that they were all huddled up as it was already, all at the exact same time as well, as it seemed like the coach was counting names.
I cracked a bit of a smile on my face, all at once, as I was excited for all of this, and I was excited for this season that it was about to bring for me. I knew if I had such big team mates like this, than it would be easy to find an open man, and to get a ton of assists, all at the exact same time too. I blinked my eyes a few times, as I then all of the sudden began to start to head over to the circle, as I then all of the sudden saw the circle then begin to move, as I then saw them all start to notice me.
A few of them were confused at first, as to just what it was that I was doing, and just what it was that was going on with me right now, until they then all of the sudden saw the jersey that I was wearing, all at the exact same time as well. I saw that a couple of them had a bit of a slight smirk on their face, all at the exact same time too, as I did my best to try to ignore them, as I then all of the sudden began to start to walk up and join the circle with the rest of them, all at the exact same time too, never the less.
The kids seemed to be getting back to normal, all at once, as I was glad for that. But, how ever, it did not seem like the coach was any sort of normal at all, right at this very moment in time too, all at the exact same time too, as I saw that he had his head tilted at me, as it was clear that the coach was a bit confused as to just what it was that was going on right at this very moment in time too.
Coach seemed to stare at me with a bit of a confused look on his face, for quite a bit of some time, until he then all of the sudden got his mind, and he got his focus off of all of those thoughts all at once, as he then all of the sudden nodded to me, all at the exact same time too, which I thought was a nod to the fact that he was welcoming me on the team, but that was clearly not the case, as he continued to stare at me for just a little bit more time.
I breathed in quite a bit to my self at once, as I did my best to try to keep my self as calm as possible, all at the exact same time too, as I then all of the sudden nodded back to him, all at the exact same time as well, as I looked at the coach right in to his eyes, as I kept quite a bit of a blank look on my face as I did as such a thing, all at the exact same time too, as it kind of felt like it was the only thing that I really could do right at this very moment in time as well, none the less.
The coach seemed to stare at me for quite a bit more time, all at the exact same time as well, as if he was a little bit lost in his mind, which did in fact make me feel quite a bit uncomfortable if I was not going to lie to my self either, as I then all of the sudden began to start to move around a little bit, as I then all of the sudden began to wobble a bit, all at the exact same time too, as I did my best to try to keep my self as calm as I possibly could, as finally, after a little bit more time seemed to pass, the coach of the team then all of the sudden began to start to speak to me, all at the exact same time too, as I, along with the rest of the team began to start to listen as to just what it was that he even had to say to me in the very first place any ways, never the less.
"Kid... Are you in the wrong league or some thing? The elementary school kids don't play til tomorrow..." He said, as it did in fact sting quite a bit as to just what it was that he had said to me, all at the exact same time too. I could under stand as to the fact that the coach would think that I was in the wrong league, as no matter what, I was in fact in the wrong league, as I knew that all of the kids in this team were a bit older than me, all at the exact same time as well none the less.
But what it was that he had said at the end had seemed to be a clear intent as to the fact that the coach was mocking me, all at the exact same time as well, none the less, all at the exact same time too. I knew that I was short, but I was for sure not short enough to he in the 8-10 range, as it did kind of me quite a bit upset, all at the exact same time too, as to just what it was that he had even said to me, and to the rest of the team, all at the exact same time too, as I had heard a few snickers from the rest of the team, all at the exact same time too, which I did my best to ignore.
I looked at the coach dead in to his eyes, as he seemed like the type of coach that I for sure was not going to like what so ever, none the less. I didn't like the coach that I had last year, but I was not going to lie to my self, based off of the look that was on the face of the coach, I felt like he was not going to give me all too much of a chance to prove that I could be any thing for the team what so ever, all at the exact same time as well, which was quite a bit disheartening if I was not going to lie to my self.
I was tempted to dip my head to the ground, all at the exact same time too, but it then all of the sudden began to start to remind me as to the fact that there was some thing that my grand mother had always tried to tell me, and to try to preach to me, in every single situation, which was the fact that she had said that I always had to prove to every one that I was strong, all at the exact same time too.
I knew that this was for sure one of those situations before, as I knew that the coach did have a bit of a fair point, as all of these kids were way taller the the kids that I had played with last season, all at the exact same time too, as I was not expecting this at all, if I was not going to lie to my self. I did my best to try to calm my self down as well, as I did my best to try to make sure I did not get too freaked out, which was quite a bit hard if I was not going to lie to my self either, due to the fact that I knew I was worried about some thing like this none the less.
I knew the kids were going to be tall, but these kids looked to be far too tall for me to do any thing against them, all at the exact same time too, as I breathed in quite a bit to my self, all at once, as I did my best to try to keep my self as calm as I possibly could, all at the exact same time too, as I then all of the sudden looked at the coach right in to his eyes once again, and I then all of the sudden began to shake my head at him, all at the exact same time too.
I could tell that it had surprised him quite a bit, as I felt like he might not have been joking about the elementary school thing, as I knew that he was an older man, and he was probably not used to seeing kids as short as me. I did my best to try to shake it off, and try not to get all too worried about it, and try not to get all too shaken up about it, all at the exact same time as well, as I then all of the sudden, all at once, began to start to open my mouth, with the intent to go ahead and speak, all at the exact same time too.
Just as I was about to do as such a thing how ever, I then all of the sudden began to start to hear one of the kids that was on my team, begin to start to speak, all at the exact same time too, as I was a little bit low by it, as I did not have a clue as to just what it was that was even going on right at this very moment in time too, as I then all of the sudden turned my head over to the kid that had quite a bit of a deep voice, all at the exact same time too.
I blinked my eyes at the kid a few times, as soon as I looked over to him, as at first, I had thought that he was simply just speaking, due to the fact that he was trying to get the attention of the coach on the fact that he wanted to go on ahead and get this practice started, all at the exact same time too. I realized that was not the case how ever, as I saw the big smile on the face of the kid, as I then all of the sudden gulped a bit to my self, all at once, as I felt like this was not going to be any thing good no matter what the case was.
I breathed in quite a bit to my self, all at once as well, as I tilted my head at the kid, as I saw that he was looking right up at the coach, as I then all of the sudden saw a bit of a resemblance in between the both of them, as I realized that it was a father and son. I was not jealous of it how ever, as I just got my mind and my focus off of all of that, all at once, all at the exact same time as well, as I then all of the sudden did in fact just begin to start to listen as to just what it was that he even had to say to all of us, all at the exact same time too, none the less.
"It's okay dad! I didn't realize we were going to have a towel boy either!" He began to start to say, as all of the kids that were in the circle all of the sudden, all began to start to laugh, all at the exact same time too, as if they were a bunch of sheep, or a bunch of robots none the less, all at the exact same time as well. I blinked my eyes a few times, as I was a little bit lost as to just what it was that he had said at first, until it then all of the sudden began to start to hit me, all at the exact same time as well.
The coach began to start to burst out with laughter, all at the exact same time too, which seemed to infuriate me even more, all at the exact same time as well, as it was clear that the coach thought that it was funny, all at the exact same time too, as it was clear to me that he was not going to defend me a single bit, as it was also clear to me that the coach supported bullying, all at the exact same time too, which made me even more angry.
I began to ball up my fist, as the team began to stop laughing, all at the exact same time too, as I so badly wanted to knock that pretty little smile off of the face of that kid, all at the exact same time too, but I did not do as such a thing how ever, all at the exact same time as well, as I knew that I was not going to lie to my self either, as to the fact that I knew that if I was going to get in to a fight with this kid, than I was going to get the living shit beat out of me, never the less.
I got my mind, and I got my focus off of all of that, all at the exact same time too, as I then all of the sudden began to start to move back for some odd reason or another, out of the circle, all at the exact same time too, never the less, as I did my best to try to keep my self as strong as I possibly could, all at the exact same time as well. When ever it was that I began to move out of the circle how ever, it seemed like no one seemed to notice it one bit, what so ever, all at the exact same time as well, as I wondered if it was just better that way, never the less.
I breathed in quite a bit to my self, all at once, as I did my best to try to keep my self as calm as I possibly could, as I then all of the sudden nodded to my self, once again. As I watched as no one noticed my walk out of the circle, I did in fact start to walk off of the court, all at the exact same time as well. I knew that I did not want to be on a team like this, as I then all of the sudden got my mind, and I got my focus off of all of those thoughts, all at once, as I then began to start to walk back the way that I came in to this big room that I was in, all at the exact same time too.
I had a lot of feelings, and I had a lot of emotions flowing through my head, all at the exact same time too, as I was trying to do my best to try to keep my self calm, but it was quite a bit hard for me to do as such a thing right now, if I was not going to lie to my self either, as I then all of the sudden just got my mind, and I got my focus off of all of the thoughts that I had been having before, including the one that was me being excited for this upcoming season.
None of it seemed to matter to me one bit, what so ever, as I began to start to head over to the exit of the building, all at the exact same time too, until that was of course, that I saw that my mother was walking from that opposite direction, all at the exact same time too, which all of the sudden seemed to make me stop, all at once, as I saw her tilt head at me, as it was clear that she was a little bit lost as to just what it was that I was even doing right now.
I felt like I really did not want to explain it to her, if I was not going to lie to my self either, especially with the fact that the guy that had mocked me a few minutes ago, was sitting right beside her, all at the exact same time too, as I then all of the sudden got my mind, and I got my focus off of all of that, all at once, as I just looked at my mother right in to her eyes, all at once, as I then all of the sudden saw her nod to me.
It was clear to me that she wanted a bit of an explanation as to just what it was that I was doing right now. But I felt like I did not want to do that right at this very moment in time how ever, as I then all of the sudden shook my head at her, all at once, which I could tell confused her even more, none the less, how ever. I got my mind off of all of that, all at once, as I then all of the sudden began to start to speak up to her, all at the exact same time too.
"Come on mom... We're leaving..."