Micah’s younger brother (Christopher) is quite the athlete. He has played a wide variety of sports including baseball, basketball, bowling, football, golf, soccer, and tennis. Over the course of time, Christopher has grown to favor baseball, basketball, and football as his top sports, playing them as young as kindergarten. Micah and his older brother (Matthew) were never really big on sports, despite playing baseball and soccer (with Micah also playing basketball) a couple of times or so throughout their earlier childhoods. It may have taken a while, but Micah and Matthew finally worked up the courage to tell their mother that sports aren’t for them. Micah has grown to favor golf, tennis, and bowling as his top sports while Matthew only grew to like golf. This, however, hasn’t stopped Micah and Matthew from attending Christopher’s games for whichever sport he was playing, especially football. One day, Micah, Matthew, and the rest of their family watch Christopher play football with Micah’s mother shouting, “Come on, Christopher!” At one point in the game, Christopher’s coach rallies up the team to discuss positions, sending them out onto the field afterwards to continue playing. Not long after the players hike the ball, one of Christopher’s teammates tosses Christopher the football, who catches it and runs to his appropriate goal, scoring a touchdown for his team with Micah, Matthew, and the rest of their family cheering.
“Yeah, Christopher! Keep it up!” shouted Micah. The referees then arrange for a kickoff with one of Christopher’s teammates being assigned to kick. After the players hike the ball, Christopher’s teammate kicks the ball and scores another point with the referee shouting, “It’s good!” Micah, Matthew, and the rest of their family cheer for Christopher’s team with Micah’s mother shouting, “Yes! Let’s keep it that way!” Micah, Matthew, and the rest of their family continue watching Christopher play football with Christopher’s team winning the game later with Micah, Matthew, and their family cheering. Micah, Matthew, and the rest of their family pick up Christopher afterwards with Micah saying, “Good job today, Christopher!”
“You were on fire!” said Matthew.
“Thanks, guys! It was a lot of fun!” responded Christopher.
“I’m so proud of you, Christopher, the way you worked with your team and won the game!” said Micah’s mother.
“Thanks, mom.” responded Christopher.
“It’s always fun watching the three of you play.” said Micah’s father. Micah goes about his life while attending Christopher’s football games whenever they’re scheduled until the end of the season. Fast forward to Micah’s 6th grade year, there comes a day where Micah attends another one of Christopher’s football games at the ball diamonds in the Arcanum Community Ballpark.
“This is just my opinion, but I think it’s silly for Christopher and his team to have their games here at the ball diamonds. They need to be used for their sole purpose, and so does the football field.” said Micah.
“I know, but Coach Sprada and Coach Schondelmyer are too worried about them tearing it up.” responded Matthew.
“And yet, they let high school play on it.” said Micah’s mother.
“Yeah. I mean, it’s getting worn out anyhow. What difference does it make for Christopher’s team?” asked Micah.
“Let’s just watch the game.” said Micah’s stepfather. Micah watches Christopher’s game with the rest of his family with Christopher’s team losing in the end.
“Tough loss, Christopher.” said Micah.
“Ah, it’s still early in the season. There’s still time to catch up.” responded Christopher. Micah goes on about his life with his family, attending Christopher’s games until the end of the season. After football season ends, Christopher continues playing football with some of his friends and tossing footballs back and forth with his family while occasionally playing football video games. Sometimes by himself and sometimes with his friends when they are over at the house or when Christopher is at their house. Fast forward again to Micah’s freshman year of high school, Christopher (who is now in 7th grade), has football practice right after the first day of school. During practice, he and his team practice tackles, in which one of his teammates gets injured very badly with the coaches rushing to his aid. Seeing his teammate groaning in pain scares Christopher into wanting to quit the team, but continues practice with his teammates under the direction of his coaches. After practice, Christopher walks home in tears with his mother asking, “What’s wrong?”
“I’m scared.” answered Christopher.
“Of what?” asked Christopher’s mother.
“Getting hurt.” answered Christopher.
“Did someone get hurt during practice?” asked Christopher’s mother.
“Yes.” answered Christopher.
“How serious was it?” asked Christopher’s mother.
“Not too serious, but it could escalate into that. I want to quit the team before it happens to me.” answered Christopher.
“But you just had your first practice. Give it some time, ok? It’s probably just the depression of starting school from summer break.” responded Christopher’s mother. Christopher walks to his room, still in tears, and enters Micah’s laboratory while asking, “Micah, I’m scared of getting hurt in football. Do you have anything that will protect me?”
“I’m afraid I do not.” answered Micah.
“What about your Shield Ball?” asks Christopher while pointing out his Shield Ball.
“You could use that, but here’s the thing…” responds Micah while activating the Shield Ball onto Christopher. Micah then takes a football and throws it at Christopher, in which the Shield Ball deflects the ball with Micah asking, “How will you be able to catch the ball in that state?”
“Point taken. What about your Micah Coin?” asks Christopher while pointing out the Micah Coin.
“The invulnerability only lasts for 16 seconds. You could reactivate it after the effect wears off, but doing it so many times in one day is a major health concern, so I do not advise going that route. Also, the coin makes you run faster and jump higher, which would be cheating.” answers Micah while deactivating the Shield Ball and storing it away.
“Oh.” responded Christopher.
“I’m sorry, Christopher, but there’s really nothing I can do for you. I’m a scientist, not an athlete. I’m afraid your only dilemma would be to continue playing as you already are or quit the team.” said Micah. The next day in school, Christopher gets distracted by thoughts of getting hurt in football while attending football practice later on. As this continues, Christopher’s grades start to decline to the intimidation of his mother, who eventually says to herself, “You know what? It’s not worth it. We’re taking him off the team.” After coming home from football practice in tears one other day, Christopher’s mother approaches Christopher and says, “I’ve decided I’m going to take you off the team. I can clearly see how much it’s stressing you out. Your grades have not been very good lately in school. I’ll talk to Kyle and your coaches about it, ok?” Christopher sighs in relief and hugs his mother, subsequently going to his room and playing video games. On one Sunday, Christopher’s mother brings up Christopher’s situation with football to her husband, who does not take it lightly and begins an argument to the dismay of Micah and Matthew, who are in their rooms working on homework. After the argument ends, Micah and Matthew exit their rooms and enter the hallway to approach their mother, who is in tears and says to them, “I had to get it out.” Their mother then enters her room to get dressed for the day and cleans out her eyes with water from her bathroom sink. After Labor Day, Christopher’s mother approaches Christopher’s coaches during practice and talks with them about Christopher’s situation.
“I don’t blame you. He hasn’t been doing well lately with drills. I had a feeling something was on his mind.” said one of Christopher’s coaches. As Christopher fearfully practices tackles with his teammates, the coach approaches them and says, “Time out!” The coach then escorts Christopher to a more isolated area of the football field and says, “You can leave. I’m sorry this hasn’t worked out for you.” Christopher removes his football gear and gives it to his coach while subsequently approaching his mother, who drives him home. Christopher, now relieved of playing football himself, just enjoys playing it by himself or with some friends, whether if it’s watching games, playing video games, or even tossing a football back and forth. He no longer fears getting hurt, which has made him happier and able to concentrate on his school work, getting better grades and enjoying life for what it is.
The End
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