Baddie-Minton

I was waiting for a cab to work again and I saw the silhouette of a man whom I used to know when he was a teenager. Seeing him reminded me of the fun times I had as a child.

We were all kids then and used to have major badminton get-togethers in the court beside our block. Players in my apartment block came from a myriad of age ranges. There was my group (teens), there was the sibling group (teenagers), there was the experienced "pro"s (21 and above).

The mothers of all teen girls only allowed us to play well into the night only if there were Jies (sisters), Kors (brothers) or Pros around. Safety then was still a major concern in our mothers' eye. Our mothers and my nanny would occassionally spot check from the kitchen window, so we had to ensure that we never wandered off from the badminton court at all times. The Jies, Kors and Pros made it their duty to ensure everyone played the game well and learn the correct terms from the get-go. It was here that I grew from a cry-baby to a girl who could take the pain of a Pro smashing the shuttlecock into my thigh without flinching, to being able to flick these smashes. I also learnt how to stretch limbs to reach from drop shot to drop shot from side to side. I think it was during one of these Pro-terror sessions that I grew a phobia of standing in front of the net for a doubles team. But I would like to think that all this has helped me grow up taller and stronger than most girls. developed a stronger than most girls right arm, and my smashes send most girls shrieking into the corners of the court, crying for their mommies *proud*.

It was thus no wonder that all of us graduated to playing for our school teams. We sometimes met each other at inter-school national competitions and this was when the years of practice, knowing each others' weak spots came to work for us. There was no malice however. Some of us made it to the F&N teams. This was also where I caused permanent damage to my right knee *sob*.

Occassionally, we had to share the court with kids from the neighbouring blocks. This was when minor psychological warfare began. Whichever group was there last, would sit on the stone benches to watch the 'enemy' play and snicker if they didn't make the lob or drop shot. As we matured year by year, we started to play together, first as opponents of Blocks A and B, graduating to couple groups so the strength of teams were evenly matched. In retrospect, I find it fascinating to watch maturity and hormones change even a simple thing as playing badminton.

Anyways, this guy P was from the Block B. He was a shy teenager and perhaps about 4 years my senior. We noticed him because he was painfully quiet and shy. However, everyone but me seemed to notice that he spent a lot of time staring at me play. I found it an annoyance, for guys who are quiet didn't and still don't attract me. I did however notice him for his ungainly gait. He had a longer left stride. I always found it weird for his feet looked even matched and his game although, wasn't the best, he had nice form whilst playing.

As I brought myself back from my reverie, I watched him walk past the car park. He still had that ungainly walk, he had a haversack on his back and was walking back to Block B. Aside from a little receding hairline, nothing about him changed. His quiet demeanour still apparant, the way he looked at the floor as he walked. Mousie is the word I will use to describe his appearance though in reality, he isn't.

He doesn't seem to have changed on the outside. I wonder at that. How can a person not change from the days of his childhood after having experienced life? Was he happily married with kids now? Did that still not change him as a person? I thought back to myself. Have I changed? Has life made me wiser and better? Or have I let life bring me down from the once innocent kid I was eons back?