Being down 20 points....

Ok, so I relate everything to basketball... Qouting our former head coach of the
Kansas City Chiefs "get over it!"...

Sometimes, friggin' life just lends you that.. that being down 20, dismal,
"I'll never get outta this", shitty, horific feel.

Thenya look around. You realize perhaps my life ain't so gosh darn bad after all.

The late 70-something lady at the Piggly Wiggly who refuses to reduce herself to
the motorized cart, yet you can tell from her limp it's a GD struggle to navigate
the aisles...

Ya look around and view the folks that just lost someone VERY close. Makes being
down 20 remind you "it's justa game."

The ones you see, observe, think "man, I am soooo glad I am not them" and then you
see them smiling, moving, acting, talking as if they were the Queen, King of England.


Today, prior to lunch (close your ears, whatshername would shoot me) I was feeling
down, down, down.. I'd just gotten up from the computer after a plea with my mortgage
company to "find a way to work this out".... I made two right turns... and there in
the median, a man, cardboard sign... hoping to feed his family... (His wife was on the
adjacent corner)...

Tactics... I'm reminded of the coaching days.. "howinthehell do you get one outta
this 'down 20 points' mess?"... Tried numerous tactics... One recently I loved about
MU's coach Mike Anderson... after his team had demonstrated not-so-great performance,
behavior.. he called time out... had them in his huddle... arms crossed... silent...
made sure his head swiveled to meet each and every set'ta eyes in the huddle... and,
after some 15 seconds of very, very uncomfortable feel, he finally said "WE CAN'T DO
THAT."..."we CAN'T do that!:...

I even did the silent treatment back in the day. Team wouldn't listen, down 20 at
halftime... would walk in... say.... "I'm not saying a word to you all... because
you don't listen anyways.... come on out when you're ready to play the second half."
Twas risky, but too, leaders happened. Eight times outta ten they overtook the team
with the 20 point margin.

Finally, it's justa game. Basketball. Life. Fleeting. We're approaching March
Madness... Soooooooooo important to many of us.. yet... when you spin the globe, it's
very doubtful if 97% of the resta the Earth even have any idea all this crap is going
on. Down 20 points? Who cares...

Life, like basketball, and being 20 points down, is perty groovy. There's turnovers,
missed layups, dunks, sweet three-pointers that don't hit the rim... awesome assists..
High fives.. touching your chest "My bad"... smiles, frowns.. grit, determination...
emotion.. acting pissy... jubilation... bit player.. key component.. mastermind...
official.. it's all so complex and so wonderful...

Perhaps, at age 56, I'm 20 points down.. Tis cool. I love all aspects of the 'game'.
I have great faith for every minute in the game remaining. I will take some time
outs. I will take my turn on the bench to rest. I will cheer my teammates on. I will
willfully thank my 'coaches'. I am very thankful I ain't gotta suffer thru 'down 20'
alone. (When two lean upon one another, they walk upright.)

Regardless of the outcome... I'd like to think... when the buzzer sounds.. I will have
given it my all.

By Henri Gibson, or Dickie V... your call. I'm the baby, gotta love me.. Love, Victurd.