my life in 1979-1980 as a freshman boy in gym class
Oh
the dreaded sound of the bell signalling not only 2nd period, but gym class---aghhh!! !
I can still feel that feeling of the dizzy daze as I pushed myself onto that gym floor. It felt like trying to penetrate a brick wall in order to attempt to engage in two things that were incredibly awkward for me---1. contact sports and 2. socializing. The gym lights were too bright and the noises echoing off the shiny block walls were torture. And there I was, a 6'1" freshman weighing a mere 141 lbs. And I was expected to participate in this rite of organized chaos.
But first, it was off to the locker room to put on those ultra-short gym shorts from the 70s---if you grew up then, you know what I'm talking about. And what about those tube socks we wore back then that came up to our knees? Then I put on my super clean white T-shirt and fell in behind the line of the boys onto the maple floor as a few girls filed out of their locker room to join us in this coed experience.
Then, that terrible whistle---tweet!! ! tweet!! ! tweet!!!---
---STOP IT!! ! I HEAR IT!! !
"OK listen guys, it's basketball today." The coach barked.
Hmmm, basketball again? How original. It was basketball yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that. Why can't we go bowling? I hate basketball.
"Count off by two's!! !"
We all counted off as usual. The ones went over there, and we twos went over here. And then it happened as it always did. I felt the tingles of nerves spill down my spine as the coach opened his mouth to speak the dreaded:
"It's shirts and skins."
Oh please let the ones be the skins today and us twos be the shirts. I was so skinny and lanky, I didn't like taking my shirt off to go swimming, let alone this. When I was younger, it was different, but now?
"Ones are the shirts, and the twos are the skins!"
It's every single time. No matter what team I'm on, we're the skins! Why??? No wonder my gym shirt never needs washed---the coach won't let me wear it. Even when all the girls are on my team, we're still the skins. Why??? Why??? Why!! !???
Now I'm awkwardly fumbling around on the court wondering what to do. Now that I have the ball, now what? Make a basket. Ok. Time for a layup---
I missed. I didn't jump at the right time. Why's everyone rolling their eyes? Then don't give me the ball the next time---you keep it!
Then, after 40 minutes of torture, the coach blows the whistle. But it's not over yet. It's the shower---a communal shower---we're all together---except for the girls of course. Oh the agony.
"I'm turning the shower on!" the coach shouted.
I just want to get this over with as quick as I can. Why does the coach always stand in the shower entry watching us boys every time? He doesn't leave until we get dried off. Is he weird?
Once it's over, I watch the others fret over having to go to class. Their vacation of play is over. For me, my vacation is beginning---I'm leaving the gymnasium for English class.
_________________
"My journey has just begun."