Intermediate School: stink, innocence, and fear

After-school basketball was humiliating: choose up sides with whomever wanted to play. Could have eight or nine players to each side. Pushing, bumping and hacking. No ref.

I was usually last, way after the good guys, the medium guys, and the girls. The junk guys had to play defense. Shirts versus skins, except for the girls. Gotta remember who was on your side. No need to run down court. No need to shoot. No graceful leaping layup. No shot from the free throw line. No one-handed looping hook. No nothing.