“Boys don’t like it when a girl beats them.” My father would say, trying to temper my competitive edge. It didn’t work though. What was the point of even playing if you weren’t going to try to win, or at least try to help your team win? So I played the neighborhood ball games. Baseball in the spring and summer, football and basketball in the fall, I played them even after the other girls in the neighborhood stopped playing.
I liked Mike. He lived next door. That’s why I kept playing of course. I didn’t let him win although his team usually won. He got a sports scholarship and of course became a doctor but never asked me out.
Then there was the fireman I dated. Well, I dated for a little while. Right up until the day the guys were playing basketball. They were short a player and I offered to play but he said no. Wanted me to sit with the other girls and cheer them on, maybe bring him a beer when he was thirsty.
After they lost and were standing around talking I walked over and picked up the basketball and took a shot – swish. Everywhere I threw it from – swish It was great. By the time I set up for that last one, all conversation had stopped – swish. They had lost you understand. One of the guys said maybe next time – what was his name – should sit and cheer on the time and they should let me play. Yea that was the end of that relationship.
Hide and seek, now there’s a game. I’ve been playing it all my life. I keep seeking and that one guy, the one who doesn’t mind losing at childhood games, he keeps hiding. One of these days though, I’m going to find him. Then I’ll win!
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