Some of you may know that I play volleyball at the school I teach at. I guess you could say it's become a hobby and a passion. I love practicing with the students and watching their progress, and I love the feeling of knowing that I'm improving as well. Well, today I fell in love thanks to volleyball. Let me stop you right there: I AM NOT IN LOVE WITH MY STUDENTS. That is just wrong and perverse on many levels. No, I'm in love with someone else who plays volleyball. Perhaps you could call it fate or destiny, but it's a destiny that I crushed. Oddly enough, the story begins with badminton.
Long story short, my Japanese friend invited me to play badminton with her and a couple other people at a recreation center a couple towns over from me. In the car I told her I play volleyball at my school, and she said there would probably be people playing volleyball at the place as well. My eyes lit up with joy even though she told me it was a "Mama-san" team. Basically a bunch of middle-aged women playing. I didn't care. I needed my volleyball fix. So we get there and I'm surprised to see 3 or 4 younger girls playing as well. They were the daughters of some of the women. Naturally I watched them practice and wished I could play with them. There was one girl in particular who caught my eye because she was damn good at volleyball. We'll get to her in just a bit. After a little while of playing badminton, my friends could tell I desperately wanted to join in on the volleyball games. There were a couple dudes playing/horsing around with the volleyball crew, so they said it shouldn't be a problem joining them. So I embarrassingly walked over and my Japanese friends asked if I could join. All the people called the girl (the really good one... and cute as hell one) over and she talked to my friend in Japanese. And then she turned to me and said in perfect English, "I can speak English. Do you want to play volleyball with us." My jaw just about hit the floor. My friend told her that I played at school, and she seemed to be a little impressed. Anyway, I joined the opposite team (damn), and we started playing.
Let's take a break here and sum up the situation.
- I love volleyball
- I love women who play volleyball
- I wouldn't say I'm crazy for Japanese women, but the hot/cute are HOT. I like them.
- I LOVE Japanese women who play volleyball and speak PERFECT English.
It's not everyday you meet a cute girl who plays volleyball. It's like a one in a million chance you meet a cute Japanese girl who speaks damn good English. Not "good for a Japanese person English" either. I mean like she could live in America and be just fine with no help. We good? Ok, moving on!
So the game plays on. We yell English to each other during plays and after. I make some good plays, everyone is amazed by my awesome skillz. Blah blah blah, that whole crap. Cut to the girl. She's about to spike. She spikes REALLY HARD. Harder than me. Foolishly I tried to block it. Even more foolishly I didn't really protect my face very well. One thing lead to another and I got a really hard volleyball spike to the eye. It didn't really hurt, but it sure did a number on my contact. She ran up and was like I'm sorry and all that. I said it was cool, part of the game. Everyone was looking for my contact. About 10 minutes later I realized it was lodged in my eye :lol:
Anyway, we continued after a short hiatus. And then it ended. I walked back to my friends who of course asked if I got her number. I said no. They said ask for it. I said no. They were pretty dumbfounded. As was I, but when you have so little confidence in yourself, your're a shy person, and you tense up and get nervous, I knew why I didn't ask her. She walked by, I said thanks, she said sorry, I said no problem, my friend asked if they play every week, and she said only sometimes. They were more guests tonight rather than regular players at that center. And then she left. I blew my chance at destiny and a little bit of happiness.
Looking back on it, I had nothing to lose. Even if she didn't give me her number or said she had a boyfriend, would it have really mattered? I don't even know her, so why would that bother me if she didn't want to associate with a stranger. A foreign stranger mind you. At the very least I could have asked her to play volleyball with me. It is one of my loves, and I really only get to play at school which hasn't been too recently lately. In a nutshell I blew it big time. But I'm used to blowing it, so it doesn't sting as bad.
In the depths of my mind though I knew that someone was trying to look out for me. Whether it was God, or a spirit, or whatever kind of higher being may be up there. And I didn't take the bait. Sorry. Maybe I'll see her again by chance at the recreation center, but I actually hope I don't. I would just blow it again anyway. Then I'd be come even more depressed than I already am. So the person I'm in love I hope to never see again. Luckily there's still volleyball to play and love. Sorry for making this a sob story...