-^-for posterity-^-

i'm sitting in an internet cafe off of a busy road with oscillating fans all about twisting their grated heads back and forth like security cameras. i'm eating a bag of 'curry chicken chips' that advertise on the back (in english), 'curry chicken chips make any fun or party occasion just great, indoors or outdoors, jut any relyon our packed fresh goodies to bring on those taste satisfying smiles. cheer!' i just finished drinking a can of 'zone' which claims, also in english, 'zone nutitional power drink offers a great way to rejuvenate your mind and boost your blood circulation at anytime you need a dramatic lift. the active ingredients of taurine, nicotinamide, pyridoxine hydrochloride and other nutrients in zone are well known for their remarkable stimulating properties.' it's one of those days.

the game last night was intense. the young team played first. they played in a pitched battle that raged up and down the dusty court, four 15 minute quarters, lots of time-outs and huddles. lots of advice.

the older team sat on the sidelines in their jerseys, getting up to stretch or jog around every once in a while. i sat with them and the tension grew into something one could almost hear. it was intense. my stomach began to turn, and i tried to ignore all the people looking at me from the stands. i tried to ignore the fact that i would make a mistake and everyone would laugh at some point.

the first game ended with long xuyen squeaking out a victory. the older team had its mind on other matters and was already making plans for how they would also achieve victory. we ran out to the center court, bowed to everyone and began five minutes of intense warm-ups.

game time.

we played a fairly even game for a while. i scored my share of points and also was laughed at when i missed two free-throws in a row. it was all made up for when, after a court-length drive and a twisting lay-up, the crowd chanted my name for a bit. 'jon! jon! jon!'

the game came to an end with the long xuyen team on top by about 10 points. we all ran to the middle of the court, shook hands and felt the game's tension release. the game was over. the artificial high of being a minor celebrity for a few minutes had dissipated. we were human again, though we might have touched a cloud.

we went out to eat rice porridge with duck. it was a good night.