When I was about 5 years old (estimate), I was playing basketball outside late at night with my father and one of my brother's friends. I was acting obnoxious, trying to show off to someone I've never fully met, before. That was my nature when I was little, and knowing me, I couldn't stop myself. Half way through the game, the friend (it's tedious to repeat ''friend'', but I would rather not name him) we had over was getting irritated with me constantly, since I kept jumping through the game, and having my father stop because, from his observance, ''I was being super adorable'', thus making the game stop periodically. Close to the end of the game, the friend told me to go underneath the basketball hoop, so I can catch the ball in my hands. My dad wasn't paying attention to what the guest had said, so I ran underneath the hoop to catch it to impress him. He made a perfect shot, which landed right on top of my head (the impact was a lot worse than it should have been, because I had the tendency to bang my head against things when I didn't get my way. Sad, but true. The constant hitting of my head made my skull/head more vulnerable to attacks). I was too little to remember what I had felt, but my dad tells me from time to time that he could have sworn he heard my skull crack. (From my dad's point of view) I fell on the concrete, and passed out. He had called my mom, and disregarded the guest we had over. I was immediately rushed to the emergency room.
For some odd reason, I remember waking up on a bed that had a white sheet on it in a dark room. Directly above me was a yellow, dim light. I was looking around, not even sure where I was, until I heard voices. I sat up, and saw my mom talking to the doctor. They didn't hear me get up, so I walked into the hallway, and looked both ways. One way was all white, with a white door at the end of it. Above it was an obnoxiously red 'EXIT' sign. The other side of the hallway was an endless strip of white tiles and a perfectly waxed floor. It seemed like you could walk for an eternity and never find the exit. This all seems like a dream to me, at least the end of it. I can't fully remember if I dreamed of this when I was older, or if this really happened. If it was a dream, it was very descriptive and it seemed realistic. Each time I tell the story, more gets added, or I leave out a big chunk of it.
I don't have any pictures of the event (thank goodness. I would question what my parents/who took the picture and ask why they were taking a picture of me passed out on the concrete rather than helping me? But, whatever). So, this is what I looked like when it happened!
Who would have thought a basketball could have caused so much damage. I know what you mean about not wanting to repeat "friend" over and over. It's hard to find an original way around that dilemma.
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