Amanda Takes Off...

It's Friday, so we played soccer in class. The first goal was scored by me with my back to the goal. I kicked the ball with my heel, pushing it behind me and somehow managed to get a clean goal. In the first five minutes I scored three goals. Sounds good, right?

We use these net goals that can be folded down. They falls sometimes, the supports on the side were busted early on, they flop around, and so forth. At one point I was the goalkeep (not "goalkeeper"). One kid nearly scored a goal on me. The ball was right up onto the goal; it was really a fight to keep the ball out of the goal. We ran into each other, I started to fall, my feet got caught in the net, I fell on the floor—hard—and smashed my head against the wall.

Falling on the wooden floors didn't hurt. Slamming my head into the wall did.

Poor kid, it was an accident and I was playing really hard, but he felt bad. I rolled over onto my side, hand over my head, and slowly stood up. This didn't hurt as much as the ball straight to my face, but I thought if I want to cry, I will this time.

When I stood up, Master was standing there and asked if was OK.

I could stand, I could see, I wasn't bleeding, I could move all of my body parts. "I'm OK, I'm OK."

He made me sit down and breath while he played for me (and got scored against). He felt my head and said, "Umm...bump?"

"Yes, bump."

The kid left at 9 and said, "Amanda, so sorry. You OK?" I know he doesn't understand a lot of English but I said, "It's OK. I'm OK. You play, good! I play, good! Accident." I smiled and patted him on the back. I really need to learn the phrase "it was an accident."

During the second half of class, I rejoined the game. Studious told me to kick and I said, "I am kicking."

"No. Kick more."

"I am kicking."

He whined, "Amanda, no yell at me. Go home."

I was really hurt. "Go home? No!"

Cocky jumped in right away. "Amanda! Joke! Joke!" Studious looked at me and said, "Amanda, joke."

Ahh. So. Misunderstanding humor goes both ways.

By pure, beautiful chance, my very next kick bounced off the wall and hit Studious in the head. I thought that was fabulous. He said, "OK, Amanda, no kick" and laughed. I was doubled over, I was laughing so hard. Master said, "Oh! Amanda! Good!" I couldn't've planned that better had I tried.