Harlem Globtrotters

I took the boys to see the Harlem Globetrotters this week and I have come to the conclusion that we all, meaning me, need to be more like the Harlem Globetrotters. The Globetrotters are large springy black men who are so full of life it almost makes me ashamed to be a white guy.



Before the Globetrotters were introduced to the crowd, composed of a few thousand of us white people, A group of male cheerleader, dancer type black fellows worked their fannys off in an effort to whip us into semi frensy. We tried to come to life but it was a little out of our comfort zone so we offered up some half hearted, self concious woops which raised the noise level enough to send in the Trotters who arrived on a tide of excitement and I feared that in our apathy we might suck the very life right out of them or at least drag them down to our level.



There was such a stark contrast in the globtrotters themselves and us, the crowd of white settlers that you couldnt miss it unless you were in a comma like most of us were. We sat in our seats, all self conciouse like, while the laughing, smiling, joking dancing, singing trotters, who were totally uninhibbited exuded waves of lifegiving LIFE our way and we the crowd responded by sitting there with our collective fingers up our nose.



Occasionally, Big Easy, todays Meadowlark Lemon - Meadowlark- what a nickname- (nobodys ever called me a meadowlark, you?) would draw (drag) a feet skidding white peorson out of the crowd that was comprised, believe me, eniterley of white, white, WHITE, folk and entice them to dance by way of putting them on the spot. Low and behold the white people, though forced, cut loose and by cutting loose I mean going way overboard here, and did some dances that were downright obscene and terrifying. My theory is these people were quite soberminded but once put on the spot they panicked and reacted by acting out primordal dance urges that were created in them intrinsically at birth but most likely that they learned last time they were really drunk.



The Globetrotters danced naturally. They had these huge, happy, devil-may-care smiles. We white guys seemed to be saying, dont, please, anybody look at me. I dont want to call attention to myself. I care too deeply about what you think of me! While the Trotters seemed to say, YOOHHOOOO! OVER HEEEEERE! LOOKATME, LOOKATME, LOOKATME! Who cares what you think, Lets have fun!



I think the culture that we live in out here is a little on the sober side, we cant have too much fun, especially on a week night, after all there are chores to be done, some of which are terribly important, such as settling the west, and welding. Some wrenching may be involed, also, there will be talk of valves. Therefore we are quite, resolute, strong, silent, and boring.



Then there were the Washington generals, the Trotters opposition, a team comprised of blacks and whites, some of whom were excellent ball players, but I swear, it was like glaring white legged Generals were so incredibally prone to gravity, it wasnt even fair. I'm sure that face to face these generals were normal hight, but from where we sat, they looked short, soggy, and stiff - unspringy and pasty- kind of a dull bright, I wasnt pleased because I new I was one of these and not a tall, dark, springy, athletic, singing meadowlark with big bright laughing white TEETH- whiter than any generals legs could ever be!



So I was inspired. I've made a concious decision to be more like the Globtrotters. Funny, happy, less inhibited, less self centered, more lively, less worried, prone to dance- to let some life out and be less terrified by mistakes, saying something wrong, to quit fretting about everything I say and just say what is honest but in a happy, jovial way ("I Dont know!") in everything I do and with everyone I interact with. I tried it some yesterday, and while it took a little effort it seemed to spread over into everything I did- and I slept better than I had in a long time, although I think it was mainly from practicing my outside jumper.