Fridays. The escape, the release and, oh, the joyous freedom. Some weeks it feels like it will never come, but when it does it’s as if my mind can finally get some rest. The beautiful sound of the tenth period ending bell rings in my ears, almost instantaneously carrying away my worries. I rush to my locker to get my coat and hat. I wait for Priyam and Badhan and we all proceed to the Tribeca Bridge. I say “Goodbye. Have a nice weekend” to all those I pass and happen to know. On Fridays, you see, I, along with multiple friends, engage in intense physical competition for the sake of pride, glory, or `bragging rights,’ as it were. Now, some would simply call it a friendly game of football or basketball, but that would not do it justice. I picture myself as a gladiator in the Coliseum, battling for survival against the lions, my adrenaline running. I can remember once we were playing a game of basketball (my favorite sport). It was game point for my team. I had begun the day shooting horribly, putting up brick after brick, but my teammate, John, having confidence in me kept giving me the ball until I caught fire, scoring about four points straight. Now the game was on the line. I whisper to John, “Don’t worry bout it, I got this one.” The ball was checked to John. He passed it to me and it was almost stolen. I recovered in the corner, shot the three and ‘It’s good! It’s good!’ We win the game. I felt as if I had achieved a new high, as if I was having an out -of -body experience. Basketball, a mere game, I think not.

It may not seem like much, I know, but in a life so constrained by society, by the wishes of parents, by my own impossible expectations, these brief journeys to a land in which I can be the hero are sometimes all I have. To be able to defeat the great beast, to score the winning basket gives me that coveted feeling of importance, of self worth. These moments are essential to my existence. They allow me to, even for a brief moment, escape from these chains which bind me.