Personal Narrative: I Remember The Best Shot

On January 22, 2017 at Lower Macungie Community Center gym two Lower Macungie Youth Association (LMYA) were playing against each other. They were playing basketball. No team was getting demolished.

It was dead silent as the ball sat in the air and as if time had stopped. It was December of 2015, I was 13, my team and I was playing for 3rd place in the Colt Classic Tournament. It was a night game at Barrington Station High School. We were playing the Barrington Colts, which was weird considering they are playing for 3rd in their own tournament that they were hosting, before the game, I was talking to some of my teammates Aaron Pattis, Stephen Harris, Bradley Jenkins, Ayden Anderson and I were talking before the game, going into that game we speculated that we had this game in the bag easily as a result of how well our team was playing. Little did we know, we had another problem coming.

When I was younger I used to play sports especially football. I remember playing in the championship game for Coral Reef Senior High against American Heritage Senior High. It was my last high school game and for us to remain undefeated throughout the season. I also knew I had to bring my “A” game because of college scouts were going to be at the game. Our game was to be played at Florida International University at 7pm. My team and I went to the FIU stadium two hours before the game started to stretch and loosen up. So as the time was winding down for us to play we step on the field, all I could see was a lot people in the stands cheering us on. I kind of had butterflies in my stomach but I had to put that feeling aside and help my team win.

After the the first shot I took my mind went blank. The adrenaline that flowed throughout my body, the feelings of rush, excitement, and success all in one combination of emotions. These were the feelings I had no idea excited until after that moment. Although I had a slight ache in my shoulder due to the force of the 12 gauge shotgun pushing against my shoulder. I was at a lost of words my only reactions was to run, run as fast as I could to get to the dying turkey. Once there the turkey was not fully dead yet It was still flopping around and blood camp oozing out splattering me. Looking at the suffering bird I places my boot on it head to the ground, then grabbed the turkey's body pulling it so its

Even though it was a struggle for me to even go to practice everyday, I still pushed through and I made the best of every single situation. When game day came, and it was time to play, all I could think about was the feeling I would get when the ball hit my hand. Many people don’t understand what it feels like. It feels like you found a missing puzzle from your life, which you didn't even know was missing. It’s like every worry you ever had, big or small, is gone. For that split second that the ball touches your hand, nothing else matters. It’s just you, the ball, and the court.

I can remember the day that my cousin Andrew got shot. Andrew wasn’t really my cousin. Andrew was my babysitter. When Andrew would babysit me he would always tell his friends to bring their siblings over for me to have someone to play with and company for him. Andrew was well known; everyone knew not to mess with him or get on his bad side because his family had a bad reputation, but Andrew was really a good guy. He had all A’s, wasn’t really a fighter, just an overall guy who lived the street life. He always told me that he never wanted to be in the streets and do the things he did for money, just to be successful and go to college. Andrew had a brother name Andre around my age and sister a little younger, so we were all close.

When I was a kid I loved playing basketball with my dad. He would let me stay up late on school nights and we would play against each other in the backyard until my mother made us come in for dinner. After dinner we would go back outside and he would teach me how to shoot,pass, and defend the ball. He once told me “The key to success is hard work,decision, and perseverance.”

Headshot! It was the newest, hottest game and everyone who was everyone was playing it. It had spent the last few months in an open Beta, but that hadn’t stopped it from being one of the most powerful Absolute Reality experiences anyone had ever filled their skull with.

Alright. First of all, personally, I think this AU would work better as a multi-chaptered fic, at least around 60K with more interaction, more imagery and a more complex storyline. I read the prompt and thought the schedule changes, freaking out, not knowing each other's name etc. were a good add-on to the story. It would make it more complex and thus interesting.

When I started my production I had a few ideas that I thought would work out well. Originally, I thought certain shots involving the bus, the sibling and some interior shots would further the production and provide a better-rounded story. After rethinking the logistics involved in getting the shot as well as the pacing of the video I decided that those shots were not pertinent to the production.

Christmas morning 3 years ago I woke up extraordinarily early because it was Christmas. Walking into the hallway, I saw the Christmas tree all lit up with tons of presents under it all different shapes and sizes. I went to my brother’s bedroom muttering saying, “Hey wake up you sleepyhead.” Then we went downstairs and woke up our parents jumping on them. My mom’s growled “What time is it you bunch of crazy people?”

It had been dark, and looking back at it, Magnolia could see how her intentions had easily been misinterpreted. After all, manipulating gigantic chunks of metal around a room with what appears to be a stick would be quite uncanny, especially for one who is not used to magic. -------------------------------------------------------------------

It took awhile to come to realization that my best friend had left me alone at prom, and it took longer to overcome the feeling of loneliness. Now that the person, whom I trusted and loved, had abandoned me I decided to take pictures. With the camera around my neck I walked the cafeteria, and the loneliness faded as familiar faces appeared within my camera’s lens. Illuminated only by the DJ’s light projectors, most of the room was shrouded with shadows. Nonetheless, the people lit up the moment they saw, so all my friends and acquaintances would stop me in my tracks to ask if I could take their picture. Senior students who I’ve never met before would all smile and pose as if we’d been good friends. Regardless if the picture was taken or not

“Basketball is my favorite sport, I like the way they dribble up and down the court” – Kurtis Blow. My love for basketball started when I was very young, fifth grade to be exact. Growing up I always wanted to try out for my school’s basketball team. When I was young I use to always hear stories about my mom playing basketball throughout junior high and high school. Some of which made me want to play and do something that she loved to do. I eventually started loving the sport as much or even more than she did. This story goes way back to the fifth grade when I first tried out for the basketball team at my elementary school.

Think of your favorite thing in the world to do. Something that defines you. Something that you can only experience from your eyes. For me it is soccer, and through that came a rite of passage that will be with me forever.