Mickey Z
Cool Observer
Saturday, July 10, 2004
On the court...
It’s a sunny, dry Friday afternoon so I’m down at the local park...shooting hoop. A kid glides by on his bike. Maybe 15...cigarette dangling from his lips just like he learned from watching movies and music videos. He’s got it all figured out, right?
He circles past me and then rides back...calmly parks his bike and looks up to see me staring at him incredulously. Does he think it’s automatic that he can interrupt my b’ball meditation?
The kid reads my expression. “I can shoot with you, right?” he tries. Without skipping a beat, I reply: “Not with that cigarette in your mouth.”
This is slackjaw city. He’s in shock...searching my face for any hint of humor.
“I’m not kidding,” I continue, “I don’t wanna breathe in your smoke.”
The kid makes a show of extinguishing the butt and saving it for later. We shoot together for a bit and when he sees I can play, he no longer looks like he regrets joining me. Even says “thanks” when he leaves.
Sometimes you just gotta speak up…
Copyright © 2005-2007 Mickey Z.
