Everyone holds his fortune in his hands, like a sculptor the raw material he will fashion into a figure. But it’s the same with the type of artistic activity as with all others: we are merely born with the capability to do it. The skill to mold the material into what we want must be learned and attentively cultivated.” – Johann von Goethe
The strength of our striped superhero has been strrrrriped away; his britches are the biggest, and he’s been able to, thus far, navigate waters both murky and translucent. Nonetheless, he’s on the radar; on the upward descent, like a graph on a mundane Microsoft Excel spread sheet. His potential is limitless, they say, yet to be realized. He feels it, he knows it, and every which way he wants to be every bit a MASTER. It’s just a matter of time. He has mentors rooting for him. He works on his own, relentlessly and infinitesimally. He even mentee’s anyone willing to listen. He hasn’t arrived, but we are much closer to that than departure.
::::::AIRPLANE MODE::::::
“When we all clicking like Golden State
And you and your team are the motorcade
If you know, you know” – Pusha T
Here, Part 3.
Look no further than the events transpired in a weeks time.
Friday. I saw one of my mentor’s in the stands. I have to bring my A game because he may see me. No, scratch that – I bring my A game always, so it doesn’t matter.
Note to self. Repeat after me: You. Deserve. This.
He looked dejected- not because he was, but because that his demeanor when looking at him from afar. I had a good game, the details I’ll leave sparse. But it was a private school game at a high-level-yet-turned-to-be-a-blow-out when all was said and all was done. I was doing the junior varsity version of a triple header (Freshman, JV, Varsity respectively) Timmy, (my mentor) made a gesture with his neck and a face of disbelief as time in the 2nd quarter waned. I knew what he was talking. I was already doing the punishment on paper in my head as he said it. I had detention.
Dead loose. With the noose.
I will not not wear a lanyard
I will not not wear a lanyard
I will not not wear a lanyard
I will not not wear a lanyard
I will not not wear a lanyard
I will not not wear a lanyard
I will not not wear a lanyard
I will not not wear a lanyard
I will not not wear a lanyard
I will not not wear a lanyard
Halftime. The refs after us were there as we were from the game before us. I wasn’t expecting to hear anything euphonious nor untenable. As expected, I was getting chewed out – but soft as those Flintstone tablets that made medicine tolerable.
“What are you doing with no lanyard?” He quipped.“I – “ I said, hesitating.
I truly had no good reason other than that’s what I was used to at the point. It outgrew my original intent.
“A wise man told me don’t argue with fools – cause’ people from a distance can’t tell who’s who” – Jay-Z
FLASHBACK:
It was me. It was Darrin. It was the beginning of Flag Football season, and I had no whistle. He had one, but it was a finger whistle. I never liked that; even in the game of Lacrosse, they said to wrap the lanyard around your hand and proceed as if it is a finger whistle. I had the luxury of either. Darrin had an extra Fox 40, that I had no recourse to even clean. No lanyard – no problem.
Until it was. I remember dropping it in droppings of dirt, that was moist from the change in temperature. It was late march, and it was a brisk 41 degrees that day – not cold enough to freeze enough, but warm enough to make it moister than a staling cookie.
I dropped the Fox 40 a few times more. But the experience was low risk, and I didn’t drop it as much as I had. And so, cold turkey I decided to do it in Basketball. After all, the NBA Officials I see on do it. Why can’t I? It got further cemented when an NBA ref gave me some advice on why he doesn’t do it.
“It forces you to be patient with your whistle because you have no recourse if you drop it. So you better know what your calling,” he said, an unnamed NBA ref.
I never switched back. I got to the point where I mastered manipulating it with the subtraction of a lanyard.
Back to last week. Timmy had parting words for me before his game and after mine. “Stop using no lanyard. TRUST ME.”
Don’t worry Timmy. I do.
“This ain’t a wave or phase, ‘cause all that sh*t fades
This lifestyle’s forever when you made” – Pusha T
But I didn’t. The weekend passed, and I ran into another mentor of mine who just so happens to be a rules interpreter. He will be left without his government, but we’ll name him Steve. Steve had the game after me (I had another JV game) and I saw him in the stands. I started the game with no lanyard. I went into halftime and found mine. Put it on, because I didn’t want to get attention again. I didn’t. I evaded it this time. I live to see another day.
“I’m not looking at you dudes I’m looking past you.” – Jay-Z
THE VERY NEXT DAY was not so serendipitous. I had another private league game, but this time a Varsity match. I used no lanyard because that is my deep habit, more ingrained than thoughtful.
Silly Me.
I WILL NOT NOT WEAR A LANYARD
I WILL NOT NOT WEAR A LANYARD
Timmy’s daughter was one of the players. His wife was in the stands. I have sms to prove my culpability.
I killed the game. It was damn near perfection. Flawless as Beyoncé was singing and dancing. But that wasn’t the point. I failed to listen to the master. I took 2 steps forward, 7 steps back. Yet it was a good cautionary tale to say, hence, I left this to be the advanced portion of this series.
You see, I want to become a master, and when I boil the water down, I must listen to those before me when it’s all said and simmered. He called.
Look. I did it before. I know it looks cool, and you can do tricks. But I know where you are going. I know where you want to go. It’s not aligned with your goals. So if you want to do it in AAU, or Adult League. Do it as much as your heart desires. But when it comes to real games, visible games, don’t do it.
Understood.
I will not not wear a lanyard
I WILL NOT NOT WEAR A LANYARD
Thanks Timmy. You never know who’s watching. Even when they aren’t watching.
“I have eyes everywhere” – Timmy, my mentor, administer of digital detention.
No matter where you go, you are what you are player
And you can try to change but that’s the top layer
Man, you was who you was ‘fore you got here” – Jay-Z
Another post, another tomorrow.
