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4 years in a row!
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4 years in a row! |
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LoveBug
Moderator
Member Elite
since 2000-01-08
Posts 4697
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“I am one person, and the pope is one person”... This from the opposite team’s side. We were waiting for the competition to begin, and I was listening to one of their players prove mathematically that he was the pope. I then became lost in thought. I thought back to a time when people actually cared if their school did well in academics. Back to a time where brain was over brawn at our high school... back when my sister played. I remembered watching her on TV (yes, these things were televised back then), sitting there, seeming to wait until her team needed her. Then, right when everyone thought that they were going to lose, she would buzz in with the correct answer, winning yet another state title. I saw them put the medallion around her neck, and I would have given anything to be her at that moment. When she got home, whenever she wasn’t looking, I would put the medallion on my neck, and pretend that I was the one that won the state championship... But that was a long time ago... So now, I was in the same building my sister was in when she won so long ago… and I was having second thoughts about coming. Sure, I had earned enough points to come; beating out several opponents who had wanted the #6 spot on our team, but that was easy enough to do at practice. And there was no pressure at practice. My coach had made it clear that she expected the same things from me that she got from my sister. My teammates, although kind, didn’t think much about me, seeing me as the “required female”, the player usually put on teams to assure the public that there was no discrimination… and the fact that I was a freshman didn’t help much, either. But I remembered what my sister had told me before I left; “Remember, you deserve to be there just as much as anyone else does”. But I was still having second thoughts as the other team’s player finished his mathematical explanation of how he was the pope... Soon after, we were all herded into a room where we were going to be given the “everyone here’s a winner” speech. As the president of the program droned on, I was looking at the medallions being taken out of boxes and set out on a white table. I wanted one of those medallions, I wanted it more than anything else at that moment. I went over author lists and geography in my head until they sent us off to our first match. It was in a dark room that reminded me of those hippie hangouts of the 1960’s with it’s shag carpeting. We all took our seats, and the match began. I’ll be the first to admit that these matches are never EVER exciting to anyone other than the people playing and the coaches. And they aren’t usually that exciting to those who are playing, especially when you have a lead as big as ours. After 15 questions, we were leading 100 to 30 (10 points for each question). But I still hadn’t buzzed in. The main reason was good old self-doubt. One of the questions named several famous authors and asked, “what award did they all turn down?” I thought of the Nobel Prize for Literature right off, but I had some doubts. My buzzer finger was itching, but I didn’t ring in. I figured that one of my teammates would buzz in with it eventually, and I didn’t want to take the opportunity away from them if I buzzed in with the wrong answer. I heard a buzzer go off, but it wasn’t one of ours. The other team’s player said “the Nobel Prize for Literature”. “Correct!” was the reply. I could have kicked myself. But this didn’t happen just once. In nearly every match, there were several of these episodes. Literature, geography, current events, and astronomy were just a few of the categories of questions that I KNEW, but didn’t KNOW that I knew… Ah, self-doubt... And so, the day wore on. Our team did very well, advancing to the afternoon play-offs. But I still hadn’t answered one question. Not one. Even if we did win the medallions, I wouldn’t deserve mine, and that was almost as bad as not having it. I was having doubts about what my sister told be about deserving to be here. But I couldn’t do anything about that now... And so, we won all our afternoon matches. We were undefeated, no thanks to me. That self-doubt was still there. And then we advanced to the championship game. We had watched this team play in a round we were sitting out, and they were VERY good… they had the kid who had mathematically proved that he was the pope. This game was one of the few exiting ones. After 25 questions, the score was tied. And I STILL hadn’t buzzed in. The reader gave the tiebreaker. I saw my coach looking at me, and I knew she was hoping I could be like my sister. I was hoping, also. But I doubted that would happen... But then, a miracle happened. I don’t know if it was God or what, but I couldn’t believe when I heard the question... “Hitler called this car...” There was only one answer, and I knew it. I buzzed in right then, not letting him finish. I knew is was dangerous to ring in before the question is finished, and I heard one of my teammates moan. But I knew that I was right. That old self-doubt was gone, although I knew all eyes were on me. The reader recognized me, and then, with my head held high, already wondering how the medallion would feel around my neck, I gave my answer. It was my obsession, my desire, my lucky charm... and my dream car. “The Volkswagen Beetle” There was a pause before the reader said “Correct!” So, all the dreaming, all the self-doubt, all the looks I got from my teammates, and my love of this little car had all lead up to this. It was funny that I had studied all these “intelligent” things all year, and my love of the New Beetle was what brought us to victory. I took my little toy beetle out of my pocket... my lucky charm. I gave it a little pat before I put it back in my pocket. But the highlight of the game had to be the awards ceremony. I remember walking up the stairs and feeling the cloth and the cool metal of the medallion around my neck. I thought back to when I was wearing my sister’s, and wondering what it would be like to have one of my own. And now I knew. I was just like my sister, coming through for my team right when they needed me. My sister was right, I deserved to be there just as much as anyone else. Thanks, in part, to me, we had won the state academic bowl championship for the fourth year in a row. And, even though we would probably be on the fourth page of our school newspaper in –5 font while the loss of the regional basketball championship would be on page one, it still felt good. But my work isn’t over. I’m only a freshman, and I still have nationals to conquer! Look out, Chicago! "We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars." -Oscar Wilde |
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| © Copyright 2000 Erica N. - All Rights Reserved | |||
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LoveBug
Moderator
Member Elite
since 2000-01-08
Posts 4697 |
I hate to beg for replies, but PLEASE!?!  "We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars." -Oscar Wilde |
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bboog Member
since 2000-02-29
Posts 303Valencia, California |
LB~ I remember reading a poem a lot like this one once. This one gives us more details, like the "cool medalion" on your neck and wanting to be like like your sister. I suppose if I'd have to choose one over the other, I'd prefer the prose because you bring in more details, but that's just me. best regards, bboog |
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Mellon Collie Junior Member
since 2000-03-25
Posts 49united states of america |
dear lovebug, well, let me say that i was never much for competition, but i WAS a member of the academic team in my high school days (not TOO long ago, mind you) and i know exactly the type of situation you're talking about. in fact, here's my little story: our team had a running joke with John Jay (the first chief justice of the supreme court) in which any answer we absolutely didn't know we answered "John Jay" (yes, even to math questions). we were in the finals against another highly ranked school (one of those prep schools *ugh*) and they asked a certain question... the answer to which was "John Jay". wouldn't you know that this was the ONE time no one on our team answered with that response. neither team got the question and my friend kenneth and i (the substitutes for that match) verbally beat our team for the rest of the day. it was really quite wonderful anyway, all that to say that i liked your piece and that i hope you all DO take nationals  sincerely, the beautiful freak |
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LoveBug
Moderator
Member Elite
since 2000-01-08
Posts 4697 |
Thank you both! "We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars." -Oscar Wilde |
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Dusk Treader
Moderator
Senior Member
since 1999-06-18
Posts 1187St. Paul, MN |
Great story you have here! Saving the day at the very end with just a little knowledge of the little car, lol. Wonderful writing! (Sorry I didn't read this sooner, I've been falling behind  < !signature-->Abrahm Simons Put one foot on the path of life and tread the dagger's path betwixt dark and light. [This message has been edited by Dusk Treader (edited 03-27-2000).] |
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