last thursday, my coach told me i had to retire my basketball because it had a tumor. i told him i knew but it was still a small tumor...we still had some time left together. he said i had to get a new ball, and i told him i would do no such thing; i'd charged the ball's symbol with so much energy that i play ridiculously with it (there's a chinese symbol i drew on that i always say means "dragon" to anyone who asks, but it is actually my family name). he said i had to get over it. that my ball was no good anymore.

i asked him, if you saw a kid in a wheelchair, would you tell the mom her kid's no good anymore and she should get a new one?

oh shit!, he said, with a surprised laugh. i can't believe you went there.

i took my ball back from him, turned it until i found the symbol and rubbed it, as is my habit. he didn't mention it again after that.