10 Again

the sun broke through

the clouds 'round noon.

raising the temperature up

to a cool, yet mild, 52 degrees.

my first instinct 

was to reach into the change jar,

count up my dimes & nickels,

then go buy a forty of Olde English

and contemplate life by the railroad tracks.

somehow i managed 

to bypass that exit

turning instead to my basketball.

with a loping stride                                                     thump, thump

i made my way to the apt. complex court.

in a very regimented manner,

i played "around the world" with myself.

concentrating on form,                                                thump, thump, thump

and studying the dirt-stained backboard,

i aimed for the imaginary red square.

a little kid, not much older than six

worked the court, back and forth                 thump, thump

shooting at the rim, dodging defenders

in his mind. i would pause when he entered

my side of the court. his face was stern.

                                                                            thump, thump.... thump

concentration ebbed out of his head.

for each shot i missed, i made myself

return to the previous spot until i made it

all the way through the rotation.

from spot #1 (bank shot off the backboard from right side of the rim)

to spot #9 (top of the key).

i felt better after awhile.                              thump, thump

i felt like i was 10 again.

                                     ba-donk.