Captain's Ball & Scraped Knees

It was the only game they allowed us to play, for one whole term in Primary School. We didn't mind, of course, any game would do as long as we got a chance to escape the stuffy confines of the classrooms.

I particularly liked it, and would be one of the most enthusiastic players in the class. Always the first to change up. Always the first to prepare the court. Always the first to get injured.

There was once though, that I hurt myself worse than usual. Scraped my knees so bad I could swear I could see bone. Before I knew it I was bundled off to the side, and had them so thoroughly wrapped up I couldn't bend my knees anymore!

It hurt, a lot, but it was the last PE lesson of the term. When the pain subsided after a while, I wanted to rejoin the game, simply because it was my last chance to! But I thought about how my knees stung, and about how I didn't want to risk hurting myself again, and as the doubts sprouted like a poisoned flower I slowly put back the bandage I was beginning to unwrap.

And so I sat out the last PE lesson of the term while my favourite game played on. But maybe I shouldn't have, because time heals all wounds, and all the pain in the world at that moment cannot surpass all the regret I harbour now.