An old love revisted...

It's been a year since I've last saw her. After all those evenings and saturday mornings I've spent with her over the years, I decided to pop by and visit her yesterday evening. I can't remember exactly the first time I met her but I don't remember having a good first impression of her. Can't say it was 'love at first sight'. Rather than desire, it was more out of necessity. I guess like all loves in life, you tend to lower your standards and settle for less.

I've got plenty of memories of her... Dating before my days in Stella Maris. Friends from my S.M. Bukit Bandaraya (SMBB) days would know her well too. Not many from Stella have met her although I've introduced a handful of my college mates to her. That's how long it's been. A love affair lasting 7 years. But I had moved on... Yet, I had to go back to her. Just for old time's sake.

When I finally met her, I realised the years haven't been kind to her. She had withered away and she didn't get the response she used to.

Ahh Yes.. Bangsar B'sar Basketball Court. It's right in the residential park next to SMBB and a lush jungle surrounds -it which explains the frequent visits by monkeys.

Strange. When it's over and you've moved on.. (Taman Desa Bball court that is) then, do you realise the faults you closed your eyes to. Maybe it's the familarity of it all over the years. I never realised how low the rim was, or how small it was or how hard the backboard was. Taman Desa Bball court has a better rim, better backboard, bigger court (making full courts games a rarity and unfortunately, I do miss full court games) but slippery ground I have to say. Not to mention, you might get people more on the Ah Beng (AB) side rather than the 'trying to be black' type of people in Taman Desa. Which I have to say, is a lesser evil I have to say IMHO. (the writer had nothing personal against such people, just what they wear and talk and finds it hillarious)

My dad, my bro and I used to spend our weekend evenings and saturday mornings there. My dad famous for being the martial artist training near the monkey bars, doing his over head kicks and drawing admiration from passer-bys. Its not rare to have a kid or two run over and start punching and kicking his punching bag/hanging bottle.

It was sad to go back to find the court deserted. There wasn't a single soul on the basketball court. Back in those days (Yes, I say this at the risk of sounding old), you would have to wait for a game on a weekend. A bit later, an old friend from SMBB, Andrew turned up and then, there was the three of us. Me, my dad and Andrew. I asked him whether anyone plays anymore there and where's so-and-so? Do they come back often?

It turns out... Everyone's moved on. Me and my dad went back out of curiosity. It was more intiative on my side rather than his. I mean, why drive 15 minutes all the way to B'sar for some bball when we could take a 5 minute walk down to the court in our hood?

I've got memories of losing lots of stuff back at the B'sar Court. I lost a number of basketballs and I once lost like several weeks of allowance worth of Star Wars Episode 1 TCG Cards.. Back in Form One. *sigh* I had foils of Darth Maul, Darth Sideous and many others! ARGH!! (for the unitiated, foils are basically shiny cards and are very rare.. odds finding one in a pack are like 9:1 and a card's geek equavilent of hitting 4D)

Ah yes, well. I can easily think of the good times there. Had many with my SMBB friends in Form 1. I realised I actually never hung out at shopping centres then.. perhaps that courts was the closest place I had to a 'hang out'. Many an incident there. I remember my bro being threatened by some gangster after school hours (the park was near the school you see), my dad telling off this one cracked up lady who was practicing her golf stroke with cars parked in the carpark and kids running around the park! WTH! Plenty of jerks play basketball there.. Usually bullied most of the younger ones. One great thing in T'man Desa Court is everyone gets a game. Yay for Equality.

Mm. Well, this post's dedicated to B'sar Baru Bball court. If you ever pass SMBB, look out for the park. You won't see no Bballers but you'll still see families bringing their children there or people just taking a jog there.

Oh, and remember. Don't feed the monkeys.