John Foley

Today was one of those inspiring days that come along now and then. I’m not a fan of the dreary and endless (despite what the calendar says) month of February, so perhaps such days are necessary this time of year. In any case, while standing at my class door between periods, I saw two boys who could really sing — they wear sweatshirts that say, “Will Sing For Food” — serenade a girl down the hall, who appeared charmingly embarrassed and pleased at the same time. I’m guessing it was her birthday but didn’t catch the details. Then this evening, while refereeing basketball, a coach put his scrubs into the game in the second quarter. A boy with Down Syndrome was running around a bit aimlessly, but then the ball bounced his way on a rebound and before he could think about it, he tossed it at the basket — two points! I sensed it was the first, and possibly the last, basket he would ever make in organized play, and his coach fittingly called timeout to let the team celebrate the boy’s achievement. While they mussed his hair and patted his back, I asked the coach if he wanted a 30-second timeout or a full one. “I could care less!” he shouted with a smile, then returned to the celebration. I gave him a full.