The Front Of My Throat Is Stuck To The Back Of My Throat (Part 4 of 5)

I tried out for the basketball team and failed miserably at that. I really just wanted to be popular and that was my perception at that time of what popular was. All through the winter I looked forward to the track season in the spring. In gym we usually had to go out to run one lap around the track. I always went out and I always was the first one to make it around. In seventh and eighth grade I envied the boys who could do that, now I was the one who always did it. I developed quite a reputation in my gym class for being the first one around. One day, some other ninth grade boys were running, too. In fun, they cut across the field and made it to the track sooner than me. Half way around the track they were waiting for me and tried to stop me. I ran around and eluded them several times and still made it to the finish line before any body else.
As the spring approached, I knew it was getting close for the track season to start. Finally they announced the time trials for the track team would start after school. I did the shorter races including the 440 yard dash and did okay, but then we lined up to run the 880. The half mile. The only other race that was longer for a junior high track student was the mile. I had been goofing off and realized at the last second that we were going to run the 880. "Mark, set . . ." And I jumped into the starting line. ". . . Go!" I was off in a flash. By the time we reached the curve of the track I was twenty yards ahead of anyone else. I kept up my pace for the next lap as well. There was one kid who was determined to catch me. I could hear his breathing in back of me, but then he fell farther and farther away. As I came to the finish line, I could tell that the girl's track team was just coming onto the field. I finished and thought I was going to die. That was a tough run! Coach Rank looked at his stop watch and smiled, "Looks like Loveless is going to run the 880 for us!” A few minutes later, a kid came up to me and said, "Loveless, as you were running just now, every one of those girls was looking at your bawd!" Was that the recognition I was seeking? The popularity? I'm not sure, but it sure was nice to know they were looking at me.