Diet C0ke and Zero Seconds

As it came closer to time for Josh's game to start, I didn't think I would make it. Caleb had guitar lessons and Chuck was at EMT class. I forgot about Caleb's guitar so I had already taken a shower and got ready for the game, with the intention that Caleb would watch Suzie.

In the end I took both girls with me to the game. Suzie sat between Mamaw and Papaw eating popcorn. She saw Josh warming up and started shouting "Stop Gosh" (her word for Josh). Mamaw explained that she needs to yell "Go Josh".

Josh got into the first few minutes of the game and Suzie started yelling "Go Gosh!" and "Go Brannun!" Suzie was really getting into the game. Snuggled between M and P, enjoying that pop corn and watching the players run up and down the court. Our team made a basket and Suzie punched the air with her fist and shouted "Wooo!" It was hard to watch the game and not her.

Suzie and I left the game to pick up Caleb. I took them home and went back to the school. Gracie had stayed behind with M and P, filling up on pop. Once I got in my seat Gracie bounced back and forth from me to Mamaw, swigging our Diet Cokes. "Gracie. That's enough. You are going to wet your pants."

As suspected, Josh didn't play in the rest of the game. Our team wasn't playing very well but managed to stay just a few points behind..... until the end of the 3rd quarter. Then the game got interesting.

We tied up the game and it stayed that way. We matched basket for basket, point for point. 45 seconds left on the clock and Gracie decides she is ready to go home. "Ok. Just a sec. The game is almost over" I responded anxiously.

33 seconds left. Gracie is bored and ready to go. "Ok. Watch Brandon. See Nathan down there" (the babysitters son) I was trying anything to keep her attention on the game and not on the fact that she has sat still for an hour and is now tired of sitting. On Gracie's defense, these last few seconds were taking several minutes in real time. All the time outs and balls out of bounds. The players were tense, the coaches were tense, the Refs were tense and the crowd was about ready to raise the roof

18 seconds left and we are up by one point. "Mommy, I have to go pee."... WHAT!? Are you kidding me. That Darn Pop!... "Ok, Gracie. Can you hold it for just a few more seconds?" Gracie is dancing around on the bleachers with her legs crossed, "Yeah Mommy, I can hold it". *Sigh* I can't 'not' take her.

11 seconds left. I grab up our coats and my purse because the game will be over by the time we get out of the bathroom. We scootch through the crowd. People are ducking and dodging their heads side to side so they don't miss a second of this game. We make it to the floor and down the hall to the bathroom. "See Gracie. This is why I didn't want you to drink all that pop."

Back out to the gym and the game is still on. I missed what happened by there are 0 seconds left on the clock, we are still up by one and the other team is at the foul line getting ready to shoot. The kid throws up the ball and misses. Our crowd goes wild. He throws up his second shot and sinks it. The opposing team goes wild.

3 minutes back on the clock. The air is thick with tension. Basket for basket. Point for point. We are down by one point with 12 seconds left. Our team runs it down the court, passing the ball, trying to get an open shot. Brent sets up for a lay up and gets fouled as the buzzer sounds.

Here we are again, but flip flopped. Zero seconds on the clock, we are down by one and have two foul shots.... Brent has got to be nervous, poor kid... Brent is the only player on the floor. He dribbles the ball a few times and squares up to the basket. He makes his shot. The entire gym jumps to their feet. A steady roar from the crowd electrifies the air. Brent gets the ball back and dribbles it again. Taking a deep breath he tosses up his shot. The ball hits the rim and falls in. The steady roar breaks into whoops and hollers. I see Josh on the side line, leaping twice his height and punching the air with his fist.