It all
started on the playground
shooting
hoops with friends.
There
were five Larry’s
in our
neighborhood,
and when
one mama shouted Larry
all five
commenced to running.
Then
there was the morning
three of
us awaited
the High
School bus.
We played
horse
a
basketball game
of
ghostlike pretensions
winner
takes all
to the
next morning contest.
We aimed
potshots at the basket
without
acclaim a
time
passing ritual.
Suddenly!
Larry
Mohlman shouted
at Larry
Kempster:
“You’re
just like a Jew
you can
only do one thing!”
Because
he kept shooting lay-ups,
was not
basketball worldly and wise,
did not
diversify his shots
and kept
driving persistence
to the
backboard.
I looked
on in disbelief
just as
suddenly realizing why Molhman
always
picked on me since age of six.
So with
hook shot in hand,
set shot
from perimeter,
jump shot
from downtown
this
Larry
meaning
Jaffe
asked
that Larry
meaning
Mohlman
if I shot
just like a Jew too.
He did
not answer
turning
red as his hair
as I
proceeded to
take him
to the cleaners
while all
I could think
about
were showers.
