The other day I saw my soccer bag under the stairs, huddling amidst other sports paraphernalia looking quite forlorn, and dragged it out. It’s a blue and black Addidas, backpack style, with side pockets and a netting on the front to hold my 2018 World Cup “Telstar” soccer ball. I decided to reacquaint myself with its contents, as if it revisiting an old friend. In one side pocket – my Addidas Copa Mundial cleats, still caked with dried mud. In the other side pocket – two small hand sanitizers, leftover from the few times during COVID when I attended a masked “skills” session, since cancelled in the light of the holiday surge. However, attending those few skills sessions never satisfied me, other than to help me break a sweat. They only reminded me of how much more fun a real game is! But back to the bag. Pinned to the outside is a little green button that says “Go outside and play!” I think my sister sent it to me. Also on the front is a small zipper pocket which holds two very important items: Velcro wraps to hold my shinguards in place AND my “turtle shells.” That’s what they’re called, two plastic mini-shields comparable to a male athelete’s “groin cups.” I slip them in-between my two sports bras to protect my, uh, ti-tis? Definitely not ta-tas! I began wearing them after said ti-tis endured too many assaults from kicked balls and elbows. (But more about injuries in another entry.) And now for the dark depths on the inside of the bag! First out – two ACE knee wraps, a white soccer sock, and a white bandana with soccer balls on it (to cover my scalp from getting burned). Two more dirty, smelly bandanas lurk at the bottom. Continuing: two Nike shinguards, the other white sock, and a large Ziplock bag containing 5 tubes of sunscreen (I only use zinc oxide/titanium), a Biofreeze roll-on, and some Chapstick. At the very bottom is a crumpled-up terrycloth hand towel with the barely readable stamp, 1993 “Soccer-By-The-Sea,” Ventura, California, a gift from said tournament so long ago. A small inside zipper pocket contains some hair holders, a few Bandaids, and some Moleskin (for blisters), Last, a WorldCupUSA94 baseball cap! (The last time I cleaned out my soccer bag I found a long forgotten and very black banana at the bottom!) If only this “reunion” with my soccer bag augured an imminent return to the field. Instead, it contains objects which must remain dormant for now, and memories which imply the past waiting for an uncertain future.
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