Old Days and Old Guys

I used to love playing basketball. I used to think that I’d never give up the game. No matter how slow or ineffective I became. I played consistently up until about eight or nine years ago, into my early fifty’s but havn’t played since.

As much as I loved playing, I never wanted to become one of those ‘old guys’ that I’d occasionally cross paths with in pickup games at the YMCA or wherever random games were formed. Those guys who couldn’t run or jump anymore but who survived on the court with the younger guys because they mastered the art of pushing, shoving, holding, elbowing, stepping on an opponents foot, etc ….. anything to slow a person down. I always hated those guys!!

If there were ever five guys in my world that I truly wanted to punch in the face at some given point, four of them would likely have been one of those old guys. I have a visual image of the particular real life poster boy/geezer for those old guys burned into memory. It was this one specific dude who was rather accomplished at getting under my skin. The memory of his name, which I likely knew at one time, has faded but the image of his low life face remains as clear as ever. I wouldn't be surprised to discover that he's in his 80's or 90's now and still pissing people off on the basketball court.

Up until the day that I quit playing, I could still run and jump without a problem, though many friends, upon reading that might ask: “You called that spectacle running and jumping?” Well Ummmmm Yes! It wasn't a concious decision to stop playing. Just one day I went home and never returned. The thrill was gone. It became a pattern.

Each time that I watch a particularly exciting game on television, I get the urge to air up my basketball, lace up the sneakers (I’d need to purchase a pair first), throw a couple ice packs into my gym bag and make my return to the court. But I fear these days, that I’ve reached that cheating for survival, dirty tricks playing, old guy phase of my life. I can tell whenever I’m called on these days to pick up the pace a little, be it either by request or out of necessity to avoid oncoming automobile traffic.