Everyone hates a sore loser. I’m walking through Newbarry Street in the afternoon and see a pickup basketball game going on. I walk over and see if I can join in on the fun. I go up and yell “Yo I got next.” and then wait my turn to get in on the action. I am sitting there for a few more minutes waiting for the game to end. It is very entertaining and hard not to watch with there being good ball movement. It comes to an end on a good last shot so I try to get on the court. Everyone trying to get in the game has to shoot free throws to get on so I make a shot to get on the court and then I can be on a team and play.

But there is always somebody who has a problem. There is one person that is left out and they are furious. He says “Oh lord, I’ve had enough of these people out here.” my response is “what does that mean?” Someone told me to forget about him and play. He wasn’t happy about that. He was not happy about getting kicked off the court and feeling left out. As he is walking away he says just loud enough for everyone to hear “I am sick of trash basketball players being on the court.” I am not happy because this person is hating on me for a small reason. So I yell back at him “If you’re so good play me for the spot on the court.” He whips his head around and says “That’s a good idea.” So we play one-on-one in the middle of everyone.

Some people thought it was dumb and left to go play somewhere else but most of the other basketball players were excited. We start it up and he shoots for who gets the ball and he makes it. So we check up and he starts with the ball and instantly blows by me and makes a layup. He taunts me by doing a little dance trying to get in my head. He tries to blow by me again but I block him at the basket and the ball is mine. I am at the top of the key and I go for a move and instantly in a flash the ball is out of my hands and he shoots it from behind the arch and makes it. So I am down by three and I haven’t even gotten close to making a shot. He makes a few more shots by shooting long shots and making more layups and now I am down by eight and still haven’t scored yet.

He goes for another shot and misses it so now it is my ball. I am dribbling around trying to get by him and his defense is just too good. He is getting in my head and I have no other choice but to shoot so I go for a shot and make it. My first point in the game and I didn’t stop there making three more shots. Just like that the score is tied eight to eight. The guy I am going against is mad looking like a volcano about to erupt. I took advantage of the situation and dribbled right by him and scored a layup. I try for another and miss and he gets the ball and makes another two point shot.

The score is ten to nine and all he needs is one more point. He has the ball, and I quickly take it and make a layup all tied. It comes down to having to make a two point shot and we are battling going shot for shot and playing good defense on each other. Finally, I shoot the ball and it goes in and I am not jumping up and down with excitement. I am sitting there with relief that it is over and it looks like he is doing the same thing till I go over to shake his hand to say good game and he ignores it and walks away. I obviously was sour about it but I let it go due to the fact that I was done arguing for the day and just wanted to go home.

I see him walk away and all his friends and I know they will be back but for now I am going to enjoy my game.