Kids Are Really Bad Judges of Age
Today's adventure, so far anyway, was playing basketball at the school across the street. I've been trying to get myself to get out of the house and either run with the dog, jump rope, or play ball so I break a sweat everyday and try to get myself into some semblance of shape. I've gone many afternoons to the school and played by myself at around this time, but today there were a bunch of kids out there, of the age that go to this school (K - 6, I think).
I took one or two shots before one said something like "Can I play?" or "Lemme see". Then there was another. And another. Until finally there were seven of them, one of me, and one more kid sprawled on the ground, in the middle of the court, playing Game Boy, totally oblivious to the possibility of getting trampled.
We played four on four. The opposing team was stacked with younger kids who all had at least touched a basketball once in the last month, whereas my team had apparently all the kids who maybe liked basketball, but didn't really play ever. I felt bad that by the time everyone had to go, I had let my team down, and we were losing 10 - 20. I had maybe 50 blocks, and scored all our points, but like the guys in the NBA say, it's not your own numbers, it's whether your team wins.
They kept asking how old I am.
"Ain't telling."
"Why not?"
"You don't want to know."
"Aw come on, he's like 17 or 18."
"Naw, he's like 50. You're 50, right?"
"Okay, fine, I'm younger than 50."
"Are you in the 40s? 20s? 30s?"
"Nope, nope, yup."
"39! 35! 34! 36! 38! 38! 32! 34!" and so on... every one of them is standing in front of me, screaming every number except the right one, until finally...
"30!"
"Yeah, that's right. I'm 30."
"Wow."
I took one or two shots before one said something like "Can I play?" or "Lemme see". Then there was another. And another. Until finally there were seven of them, one of me, and one more kid sprawled on the ground, in the middle of the court, playing Game Boy, totally oblivious to the possibility of getting trampled.
We played four on four. The opposing team was stacked with younger kids who all had at least touched a basketball once in the last month, whereas my team had apparently all the kids who maybe liked basketball, but didn't really play ever. I felt bad that by the time everyone had to go, I had let my team down, and we were losing 10 - 20. I had maybe 50 blocks, and scored all our points, but like the guys in the NBA say, it's not your own numbers, it's whether your team wins.
They kept asking how old I am.
"Ain't telling."
"Why not?"
"You don't want to know."
"Aw come on, he's like 17 or 18."
"Naw, he's like 50. You're 50, right?"
"Okay, fine, I'm younger than 50."
"Are you in the 40s? 20s? 30s?"
"Nope, nope, yup."
"39! 35! 34! 36! 38! 38! 32! 34!" and so on... every one of them is standing in front of me, screaming every number except the right one, until finally...
"30!"
"Yeah, that's right. I'm 30."
"Wow."