Water Under the Bridge

The Daily Post – Forlorn

 

A boy sat on the ground. The brim of his blue ball cap shaded his face as he drew lines in the dirt with a stick. A pair of running shoes rested about a foot away, tossed on the ground, their laces tied. The laughter and shouting of other children playing soccer nearby caused him to raise his head, the forlorn expression on his face now visible to anyone who took notice.

He wiped his tear streaked cheeks and dried his hands on his grey shorts. He nodded as three children approached him. His hands reached for the shoes and he pushed a dirty foot into each one and stood.

A little girl wrapped her arms around the boy’s middle and gave him a quick hug. He pulled off his cap, combed his fingers through his blonde hair and readjusted his ball cap back onto his head. A smile spread across his face and replaced the sad look he wore minutes before.

The group of children rejoined the others. Within seconds the boy in the blue ball cap took possession of the soccer ball. Amidst cheers from his teammates, he weaved around the other players until he came face-to-face with the goal tender.

The boy paused for a second. In that brief moment he stared down the goalie, smiled, and delivered a precise kick. The ball sailed over the goalie’s head and into the net.

The boy and his teammates celebrated with cheers and pats on the back both with each other and the opposing team. Whatever had saddened him earlier no longer mattered; it was water under the bridge.