My Emasculation.

I found a basketball court my first night here, much sooner than I expected too. There were quite a few guys here who play ball but I didn’t know how to articulate myself into a game. So that night I thought I would just watch and get an understanding about who this court works. Every basketball court has a different way running things, especially when dealing with international courts.

An hour into watching guys play I get a sharp poke in my lower back and there were 5 old heavily inebriated Korean gentleman with an average height of 4’5. One of the guys spoke English well enough where I could tell him what I was doing, where I was from, etc. Once I said I was American and that I play ball. All hell broke loose...

4 of the 5 guys stepped onto a game already in progress and started yelling at the players in Korean and began pointing at me. The 5th guy grabbed my hand forcibly and yanked me onto the court and told me to play. He stood there in the middle of the court with my hand firmly in his ordering the Koreans ballers to allow to me play.

The guys who were in the middle of a game looked at me like I was an asshole…as if I organized this hostile take over. I tried to plead with the drunk let the players finish so I could get next game but the guy holding my hand would NOT let me leave nor would he let go of my hand. He was soo strong, I couldn’t break his hold. I felt like big baby trying to plead with this little drunk guy while he was holding my hand...
Seeing as there seemed to be no other way out of this, I asked who wanted to play with me and we made teams. My first day I played horribly, a combination of a 14 hour flight, jet lag, and the usual aches and pains, kept me from being the force that I usually am. ;) It didn't help that the old guys turned into the loudest, rowdiest audience anyone could ask for. Every brick (missed shot) and turnover was met with hostility and laughter, and I knew they were making fun. They were a kin to those old guys in the Muppet Movies except they spoke Korean and were smaller.
overall though it was fun, I lost my first game and the guys got their court back. I continued to play for the next 2 hours or so and I left. I said good-bye to my ‘fans,’ and I went home.
The next week or so, those drunks are still there and still super fans of mine, but they keep calling me Obama…which has become my official nickname on that basketball court….
3 months since that day, those guys I played ball with that first time are some of my closest friends. (Pictured from the left: Leo, Jin Bam, Sung Yung)


Basketball is my constant, it keeps me social, vibrant, laughing, and happy no matter where in the world I am...