Basketball Jones

The other day at breakfast I asked Patrice (the hotel owner , our interpreter,and driver) where I might find a basketball. He gave me a map of downtown Pasto , where we are, and showed me 3 sporting goods stores right next to the park we always go to. The same park I finally ended up finding a bathroom at last week. Some how I walked 10 miles last week right by the park and this week I find my self surrounded by stores selling basketballs a block away.I really could have used that map last week but Patrice was gone. When I asked about a basketball Patrice lit up and asked "You are good?"
I answered " no."
I played 2 or 3 years of basketball in grade school and although I am a decent athlete , basketball never did much for me. I was the equivilant of a hockey goon. Although never formally expressed, my coach and I both knew what my job on the court was. Throw the tall kid from the other team to the floor. I couldn't shoot, I didnt know the plays, but I would get put in the game for 30 seconds at a time to blatantly foul the best player from the other team, and throw a little fear into him. The last year I played my coach gave out awards at the end of the season for things like most points, or most rebounds and my award was least minutes played on the team combined with most fouls.
So without people to bully, seeing me on a court alone with a basketball is sad to witness at best.
Plus the court behind our hotel has no nets on the hoops. I never really realized the importance of nets until the other day. If you shoot like me and throw up an airball (60% of the time) the ball goes out into the street directly behind the hoop. If like me you hit the backboard but miss the basket (37% of the time) you can rebound the ball on the court. But the worst part is if you make a basket (3% of the time) without a net the ball bounces into the street again. I never realized a net helps the ball fall straight down after a shot is made because I never really made a shot before now. (thanks 8 and a half foot tall hoops).
Sofia on the other hand was a natural. The minute we got the ball to the park that had 7 foot hoops, Sofie wanted to play. She must have seen basketball before, because as soon as she touched the ball she ran to the hoop, looked up at it and then motioned for me to lift her up so she could dunk. She and I played a game to 12 by 2's and not to brag but I won 12 to 10. She has a good shot but can't match my muscle in the paint.