Day 114: Remember The Time...I Had Someone In My Corner

You see it in ring fights, basketball games, tennis matches or any competitive arena. There’s always people that root for a team, and in that, there’s always people that will root one person. From grade school to the professional leagues, it seems that the players are carried by the crowd. Remember the time someone I had someone in my corner? I don’t either.

It’s interesting. I’m a super competitive person and a perfectionist to say the least. I try to compete in just about anything I can; pool, cards, driving, basketball, paintball, story topping, cooking, etc… I wonder what it would be like to have one person, just one, a girlfriend even, behind you, to see you at the end when you walk back to the bench or what not. Granted, I can be a bit of a loner, a little bit of support would be kind of nice, I surmise.

I’m not really one to really seek name screaming, but it’d be damn nice I bet. I won a poker tournament, the biggest I’ve ever entered. It was a very long, stress filled, tough decision making day. It was the biggest field I’ve ever played in. When the last card was dropped, and I had won, I turned around hoping to see a familiar face. I did not. I collected my money, and went home.

I’ve played basketball for quite a while as part of the NY Urban Athletic League. Besides my team 14, among 4 of which actually knew how to play, not a single girlfriend came to watch and not look completely bored. Taking her to my games was extremely short lived. My friends’ girlfriends would watch and be into the game, and hell, the team would cheer each other on, but I guess it’s not the same.

I’ve won a few pool tournaments. Hell, pool is my absolute favorite sport, but it’s incredibly tricky when you’re having an off day. I bet it would be nice to see a supportive face, to make eye contact with someone and have them make a face that says, “Calm down.”

 After playing I’d come home, and whoever would be there would ask, “So how’d you play today?” I’d respond, “Oh I entered a tournament. I won” all nonchalantly because I just don’t feel that leisurely competing is anything to really talk about anymore; like it’s suddenly not a big deal if you talk about playing the game of your life, because you’re the only one who finds it important.

One day that spark will come back, and someone will be there to at least high-5 me. As needy as this entry sound, dear reader, traveling home and sitting next to not a stranger does feel kind of nice after a heartbreaking loss or an extremely hard fought win.