It’s hard for me to say
Or describe what I feel
Though I’m physically better,
It does take time to heal.

It all began with me
And a thoughtless inspiration
Which caused an injury
And cut off my respiration.

On Thursday night, I flew
To a hospital to stay
But I don’t remember much,
You see, they knocked me out that day.

I woke on Friday evening—
Two fractures in my skull.
Alarmed, I prayed to God who yet
I knew was in control.

A FEW weeks later Hanna, Nicky and Kari were sitting at Red’s Inn, which was owned by Fredrick Quinn, a man about in his late forties. Everyone called him either Red or Mr. Red.

They were all sipping milkshakes; Kari’s was a vanilla, Nicky’s coffee and Hanna’s was a chocolate. As they sipped their shakes, Red came up to them and asked, “So guys; how do you like your shakes?”

They all gave thumbs up and suddenly, they all fell off their chairs and landed on the floor.

“Ouch!”

“Owe!”

“Gaah!”

“Brain Freeze?” Red asked, grinning. The girls nodded.

FOR THE next few weeks, Hanna practiced harder and harder. While the team was on a break from practice, Hanna started making friends with the other girls—all except Kari. The girl acted like she didn’t have any friends and it made Hanna feel sorry for her.

This is based on a true story. I wrote this story for a friend of mine last year who plays soccer in college. She wanted to be 11 years old in this story because that's her number. She was also 11 when bother her parents were still alive. My friend's Dad passed away from cancer when she was 12 and her Mom from the same disease when she was 18. This story is dedicated to her Mom, a well known and loved woman. She was also a Mother figure in my life, I have to admit myself. I hope you enjoy Hanna and her story of soccer as my friend did herself. -J. Glen Pollard
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