The Softball Story Bluff

I am kind, sweet, honest and more importantly, I have epilepsy, and a learning disability so trying to make friends was difficult for me. But, one day I thought that was all going to change. My gym teacher, Mrs. Iraj saw me playing catch in her gym class. Later that day she saw me at my locker and leaned up against my locker and asked, “How come you never join sports?” and I said to her, “It’s my brother’s thing and I just won’t make the team.” She said, “If you join my tryouts, I’ll automatically put you on my team.” I looked at her and said, “Really? You’d do that for me? Why?” and Mrs. Iraj said, “I think you have potential and I want to make that happen.” I said with a nod, “Alright, I’ll see if I can go.” She smiled and said, “Great, see you at tryouts” and walked away from my locker.

I walk over to the elementary school to go see my mom at work. While she is crossing me, I pointed with my finger to a cement bench near the big oak tree. We both walked towards it and sat down, and I asked my mom about trying out for softball and she was curious as to why all of a sudden I’m interested in wanting to play sports. So she said it’s up to my doctor and we just happened to have an appointment with him the next day.

The next day, we get to the doctor’s appointment and I asked him if I can play softball but he flat out said no without any hesitation. I told him you only live once and I don’t want my disability letting me miss out on the greater things in life and please let me join while I was on my knees, begging. He took a second to think and said firmly, “Alright, you can play softball just please don’t hurt yourself.” And I got up off of my knees jumped for joy and hugged my mom and the doctor. We left the office and my mom dropped me off at school for tryouts.

Everyone trying out for softball had to walk over to the elementary school to go to the baseball field. We all get to the field, Claudia and some other girls were walking up to me. Claudia said, “Why are you here? You don’t belong here retard" and pushed me. Claudia and the other girls started laughing and then they walked over to the dugout. I tried to not let that bother me and then a girl from my class, Tara walked over to me and said cheerfully, "Do not mind them and just go have fun!" Mrs. Iraj came to the field and told us we have to run around the field to warm-up. I kept running and panting because I have asthma and I knew asthma would define me but I wasn’t giving up. I managed to stay the entire practice and then we all had to go back to school to find out if we made the team. I already knew I made the cut because the teacher told me I did yesterday at my locker. We get into school and standing outside her office, some sat down on the steps. As we were still all waiting for the piece of paper to determine if we made it or not, I overheard her talking to her niece telling her that she is going to get my spot while in her office. Her niece walked out of her office and starts passing out the tiny pieces of paper. Then Mrs. Iraj walked out of her office and told everyone to not open them until you get home.

I waited until almost no one was in the hallway and I decided to open the piece of paper, standing right next to the double doors. It read, “I’m sorry you didn’t make the team. Try again next year.” I bit my lip so hard and crumpled up the paper. I was angry, upset, and I knew that this was all a lie, too good to be true. I ripped up the paper and ran outside to my mom’s car with just a little bit of tears in my eyes trying not to show anything is wrong. I just felt like this was all some kind of bad dream. I got into the car and my mom knew something was wrong. While trying to explain this all to her, I started crying. She was so furious because that gym teacher hurt me. She wanted to go into the building and straight-up tell Mrs. Iraj off. I told her while still sobbing, "Why? It wouldn't matter anyway. It's not like you can do anything." My mom starts up the car and I thought we were going home. Instead, she drove us to our favorite ice cream place, Lang's while we wait for my brother to get done with his baseball practice at the high school.

To Be Continued...