A Goal By My Hero

These images are a montage of this weekend.



They capture certain aspects of this weekend -- food and kids' sports. The highlight was my 14-year-old's soccer game yesterday because HE SCORED A GOAL! This kid has barely even taken a shot in any soccer game the past four years. He is, rather, the epitome of an unselfish athlete, the one who sets up a drive that lets others claim the glory of scoring, or the one who streaks back to strip the ball at the very last second from a rival shooter who is already smelling his goal just when an unseen force ends his fantasy.



Yesterday, his coach put him at left forward for a few minutes at the start of the second half. His team was ahead 2-0. Aidan is right-footed, so he is not a natural choice at that position, but the team's one left-footed shooter was absent, so he was sent there.

Within two minutes Aidan had the ball in the zone, with defenders on him, but he employed one of the moves he's been practicing -- by slamming the ball hard from the outside of his right foot towards the open angle of the net.

Bam! Goal!


In soccer, a 3-0 lead is insurmountable unless you fail on defense.



So, his coach moved Aidan back to defense. That is where you want your best athletes when there still is a lot of game to be played.



As it turned out, the opposing team never did score. On its best drive, a certain 6-foot-tall redhead caught up to the breakaway opponent at the last moment and diverted the ball from its would-be shooter's grasp harmlessly out of bounds.



Sorry if I sound like a proud parent, but I am. Whenever I see art, dance, beauty in action, I'm mesmerized. That's what being at this game felt like for me.

As for all of the flowers and foods showing up around here lately, we are experiencing a bountiful spring in the Mission District. Everything grows. The air is heavy with the sensual scent of new life, pushing its way up through moist soils like volcanic eruptions or, if your prefer, erotic erections.

Whatever, it is all about life. Tomorrow, I think, I will post a photo of a lonely blade of grass growing far above the earth...



Meanwhile, here is a photo of the kid who does more in his way, every day, to be a great human being than I ever will accomplish in my lifetime. He is a big-hearted guy. Once I am gone,I hope he will discover these writings, and know just how much he inspired me to keep writing, even as much else faded away, wordlessly.

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