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The Fall
I took a tumble, but I grew in stature
The pavement felt harder than usual. My hands had grazed a little after landing on the ground. There was a bruise on my right knee. Tears in my eyes. Dirt on my immaculate PE clothes. Yet, inside, I was happy.
My fall had been on purpose.
I saw my friend sprinting away from me. He crossed the makeshift Finish Line whilst I picked myself up and ran again, this time beating a couple of boys to wind up as a runner-up.
My friend and I avoided each other’s eyes. There was nothing to tell because nothing had been agreed upon. In fact, I could spot a look of surprise mixed with confusion on his face. I knew I had some explaining to do. But for now, he was celebrating his victory. So was I, as it turned out.
The day before
We were playing with marbles on one of the few soil-covered patches of the mostly concrete and urban-looking park. The soil was an important part of the game. It was where we dug a small hole to slot our marbles in. There were about half a dozen of us, all boys, all clad in shorts and vests on this typically humid, hot day in late 70s Havana.
