Hosanna

I’m watching Mickey shoot hoops with his cousin Hosanna. He shoots well for a nine year old. Mickey is benefiting from a long line of basketball players in his family. Last week he was shooting hoops with other cousin, Leslie ..who is Hosanna’s older sister. Leslie used to play varsity hoops at Santa Barbara High and now plays for the University. Hosanna is a high school freshman and was playing JV until she ran into a coach that didn’t like her older sister for some reason. Once the coach learned who she was ..Hosanna stopped seeing much play time ..which is required for advancing to varsity. If it happens again next year she plans to join a ‘traveling team’ outside of school. It saddens me when I hear coaches making decisions based on personal bias rather than merit. Even though it looks like it’s teaching Hosanna to be resourceful and explore other options ..I can tell it’s left a bitter taste in her mouth. I’m hoping she’ll have sufficient success with other coaches to overcome the setback she experienced at the hands of this one.

Thunder road

Slum guy

I walk to State Street where I meet Richelle and we go see the movie ‘Slumdog Millionaire’. For me it’s a little disturbing ..reminding me of how cruel people can be to one another. Afterwards, we sit and talk about ‘karma’ ..which I believe is closer to the law of cause and effect than it is to the notion of destiny or fate. No argument there. The next morning I send my sister an IM simply saying that I saw the movie. When I don’t get a reply before I have to leave ..I add: “don’t take it as an endorsement or anything.” She responds immediately asking: “why not ?” ..and says she’s planning to go see it this weekend with my niece. I know she doesn’t like to watch disturbing movies ..so, I tell her to brace herself. She asks me what I mean and I tell her it’s not like what you see on PBS ..it’s a different ‘slice of life’. She’s disappointed ..which makes me feel bad, so ..I tell her to go; it’s definitely worth seeing . She tells me she intends to ..and reminds me that I’ve lied to her about these things in the past. I know she pays close attention to the entertainment news, so, like a jerk, I add: “Ignore the critics who say it’s not a balanced portrait of India ..it may not be balanced ..but it sure is realistic” ..to which she replies: “Well, duh .. how else would they have time for all the romantic stuff” ..and I’m like: “That’s right” ..knowing full well that I’ve just chucked whatever credibility I had left out the window.