Fractured Conveyance 2

The message beeped through as I drove pass the Tanjung Aru lights.

S: "Hey gym buddy, are you coming? Am here suda"

Me: "No, not today, sunday's bball day with the guys"

A small twist of fate and it affected my life for the next three weeks. If only I'd gone on straight pass the Finance Ministry intersection to Beverly Hotel's gym instead of turning right to play basketball.

Thinking back on that day, there was nothing else after that prevented what happened. The chances of it occurring seemed to jump as I got closer to the court.

It was one of those rare sunny days that we played on. More players turned up on the court at Taman Lumaku than usual. I think there were all together 15 people.

I'd been training hard everyday before that. Five days a week was spent at the Ujana Rimba. Sit-ups, push-ups, the whole she-bang. Hardening my body.

I think that's when the fatigue set in. Because, the body needs to recover after every workout. Even if it's only bodyweight training.

Moving into the paint on the left side of the basket, I was aware of Tim, the Australian guy playing with us that day, vying for the rebound with Dexter, though I only knew that some time after.

I swerved out of Tim's way, trying to get out of the bounds of the court but before I could, I was hemmed in by Tim as he lost his balance. In trying to get the rebound, he fell backward onto me, pushed by the momentum of the other guy struggling for the ball with him.

Falling and falling, I could not get clear of Tim and his back fell on my ankle, twisting it. That was the first injury. Within an eye-blink, I felt a second crush on another part of my leg as if I was experiencing a play-by-play of my something happening to me.

I screamed.

I have had ankle twists before but none of them hurt like this. I felt my body spasm. I continue to scream. Trying to reach for my leg as if it was a baby I was saving.

I did not know it at the time but the distal bone in my right leg has just been fractured.

(CONTINUES)