A Challenge, A Contusion, A Little Brain Confusion

So I was going up for a shot last week and a guy raked me across the right side of my head (and eye). A little bit later in the game, I was defending him on a breakaway at the other end of the court. As he dribbled toward me I could tell he had decided not to take a jump shot but to approach the basket and try to get a lay-in. Over the top of me. Well, that wasn’t going to happen. I wasn’t really set on revenge but I was determined that he would not score on me, especially after the physical play earlier.

So he jumped and I jumped. I was going for the ball, and think I got some, but unfortunately his head and my elbow also met with some force (as evidenced by the nasty contusion pictured here). I guess I should have gone for something softer. I just didn't really have time to aim.

This exchange reminds me of a time when I was goofing with friends at the church in American Falls. So after a lot of running around, I had one hand on the doorknob that led from the kitchen to outside and the other hand held a squirt gun aimed at my buddy Brad’s face. He gave me fair warning, at least, ”Walker, if you squirt me with that, I am going to break your head,” but you know what you have to do if someone puts up that kind of challenge, especially if you are a a male teenager. I got two squirts off before he started his charge across the room.

As I twisted to get the door open, I realized, too late, that it was locked. I got it unlocked and was halfway out before I felt his fist smack into the back of my head. I staggered, then turned. Brad was holding his wrist and grimacing. It seemed he was hurting at least as much as I was, and maybe more. In the end, my head hurt for a few days. But he was wearing a cast for a long while, having broken several bones in his forearm.

Not sure what kind of macho madness causes us to stop thinking when a peer throws up a physical challenge. There’s a lesson somewhere in these events; somehow I think I am yet to learn from it in a practical way.