Basketball
Agoraphobia, that’s what I have and it took me a minute to find that word. Maybe less because of the great internet. I knew I had it but I hide it well since it seems I’m always in a crowd doing one thing or another with my kids or just simply because I had to. I think the greatest invention ever made was the shopping malls all split up into single stores. It’s the reason people like me just started shopping there. You can laugh but I know I’m not the only one.
So you can imagine the things that were going on in my mind when I looked at the door to the American Airlines Arena. I one of the biggest basketball fans you could imagine and a die hard Lakers Fan. Yes I had to get that in, I was on my way to my first NBA basketball game to see a first round game between the Dallas Mavericks and the San Antonio Spurs. I was a so so fan of the Mavericks but my son and many of the people I knew in Dallas we die hard fans. I also was a so so Fan of the Spurs and can tell you they were my number two team for awhile.
There were people everywhere and I couldn’t see two feet in front of me. I found myself zipping up my pockets because I had watched to much TV and knew someone would try to rub up against me and take my money. After walking half way around the building which I guess we should have checked which door would be the best door to go in we finally came to the escalator which I can say yes I’m afraid of those too because I’ m sure I’m going to get either thrown on or off of it one of these days or better yet I’m going to get stuck. Don’t laugh I’m dead serious. After this I have come to my section and it’s time to find my seat. I hand my ticket to the usher and she points me up to where I need to go and guess what I’m scared of heights did I fail to mention that too. I look up and then I do the one thing that you should never do but you always do I looked down. Damn I thought, I see why they were free tickets. I finally set down and realize yet again another reason why I should be hitting the treadmill these seats are way too small for some one with all these hips and thighs.
The Spurs run out and around me there are more boos then clapping that can be heard and I feel bad because I finally understand how hard it is for an away team so I clap and get the evil eye from a few people but I laugh half fear half it’s only a game they won’t hurt me right? Then the lights go out and silence is everywhere while the loud speakers anounces the home team. The screams are ear piercing and the fans can been seem all around the stadium people are losing their minds with the excitement of the Mavericks, who knew I thought I was yelling too. SHHHHHHHH don’t tell the Lakers I cheated on them they will always be number on with me till the day I die. I was excited I was laughing I was enjoying myself and eating the best Nachos I had in a long time. If I think the screams couldn’t get any louder I was wrong when the started calling out the players name it was pure pandemonium and that was nothing compared to when the got down to there super star Dirk Nowitzki. You would think he was Michael Jackson or somebody but I’m sure to most of those fans that night he was close.
As I’m watching the game I’m getting into and looking forward to the timeouts as much as I’m looking forward to the game. Who knew so much happened. I guess all those people who were in the stands of all the millions of game that I had watched from the comfort of my own home with remote in hand ready to turn the channel as soon as the commercial came on. I was enjoying myself. I screamed with the crowd when they team made a great play, I ahhhhed when they missed it I was a part of the crowd no longer and outsider looking in. I even booed the refs it was great. I enjoyed looking and the big TV in the middle and a small part of me wanted to see if they were going to swing the camera my way. So suffice it to say all my fears were released in that first scream and all I can really tell you is that I’m counting the days until my nexted game.
© Charita Chrisian 2010
So you can imagine the things that were going on in my mind when I looked at the door to the American Airlines Arena. I one of the biggest basketball fans you could imagine and a die hard Lakers Fan. Yes I had to get that in, I was on my way to my first NBA basketball game to see a first round game between the Dallas Mavericks and the San Antonio Spurs. I was a so so fan of the Mavericks but my son and many of the people I knew in Dallas we die hard fans. I also was a so so Fan of the Spurs and can tell you they were my number two team for awhile.
There were people everywhere and I couldn’t see two feet in front of me. I found myself zipping up my pockets because I had watched to much TV and knew someone would try to rub up against me and take my money. After walking half way around the building which I guess we should have checked which door would be the best door to go in we finally came to the escalator which I can say yes I’m afraid of those too because I’ m sure I’m going to get either thrown on or off of it one of these days or better yet I’m going to get stuck. Don’t laugh I’m dead serious. After this I have come to my section and it’s time to find my seat. I hand my ticket to the usher and she points me up to where I need to go and guess what I’m scared of heights did I fail to mention that too. I look up and then I do the one thing that you should never do but you always do I looked down. Damn I thought, I see why they were free tickets. I finally set down and realize yet again another reason why I should be hitting the treadmill these seats are way too small for some one with all these hips and thighs.
The Spurs run out and around me there are more boos then clapping that can be heard and I feel bad because I finally understand how hard it is for an away team so I clap and get the evil eye from a few people but I laugh half fear half it’s only a game they won’t hurt me right? Then the lights go out and silence is everywhere while the loud speakers anounces the home team. The screams are ear piercing and the fans can been seem all around the stadium people are losing their minds with the excitement of the Mavericks, who knew I thought I was yelling too. SHHHHHHHH don’t tell the Lakers I cheated on them they will always be number on with me till the day I die. I was excited I was laughing I was enjoying myself and eating the best Nachos I had in a long time. If I think the screams couldn’t get any louder I was wrong when the started calling out the players name it was pure pandemonium and that was nothing compared to when the got down to there super star Dirk Nowitzki. You would think he was Michael Jackson or somebody but I’m sure to most of those fans that night he was close.
As I’m watching the game I’m getting into and looking forward to the timeouts as much as I’m looking forward to the game. Who knew so much happened. I guess all those people who were in the stands of all the millions of game that I had watched from the comfort of my own home with remote in hand ready to turn the channel as soon as the commercial came on. I was enjoying myself. I screamed with the crowd when they team made a great play, I ahhhhed when they missed it I was a part of the crowd no longer and outsider looking in. I even booed the refs it was great. I enjoyed looking and the big TV in the middle and a small part of me wanted to see if they were going to swing the camera my way. So suffice it to say all my fears were released in that first scream and all I can really tell you is that I’m counting the days until my nexted game.
© Charita Chrisian 2010
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