After he was in uniform and laced up
and physically ready to roll he closed his eyes. In the darkness he
pictured himself practicing running, jumping, shooting. He went
through each scenario that his squad had worked out, every
contingency they had discussed. Getting every possible way covered
was impossible and they all knew that, but they had to have most of
the points covered.
He stood up, crouched, dodged side to
side a few times, stepped, shuffled, spun, and jumped. Johnson mimed
several such maneuvers as this. Johnson side stepped invisible
opponents for several moments , then he was pushing unseen assaults
aside with his elbows. He was playing various scenes out in his mind
and in motion.
“Hey, Johnson! Let's get moving!”
“Right on, Captain!” Johnson
responded but not loudly. He headed out the door and up the long dark
hallway. “It's on now, Johnson,” he said to himself. “It ain't
all you, you got your team all about you and they all working with
you to one goal, to win.”
Kevin wiped his palms on his shorts to
dry off his palms, “Use it, man, use your nerves to stay on top of
the game.” Another deep breath, “Focus it, keep on target and
drill it in like in practice.”
The cheering crowds were barely audible
above his concentration and focus. Johnson paused to look over the
basketball court. In his mind he could see the game being played out,
each person playing his position, using his teammate to better the
team's standing. Everyone had practiced each play to the of near
reflexive reaction.
This game was a foregone conclusion,
they had it. They just had to go through the motions and win the win.
He connected into the now, the riotousness of the crowds filled his
ears, he jogged out with the rest of his team, his arms raised in
victory.
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