“Wake up, Ian, wake up!” Ian’s mother said out of concern.

“What, mum? It’s only 6 am, let me sleep some more,” Ian replied with irritation.

“Don’t you have a basketball tournament today? You told me you have to be there by 8.30 a.m,” his mother reminded him of the tournament.

“Oh no, I forgot about that!” said a shocked Ian. He rushed out of the room as if he had seen a ghost.

Wearing shorts and a T-shirt, he grabbed his ball and headed to the club for practice. Ian had lost his appetite, and as he drove, the fear of losing the game overwhelmed him. Panic set in and his thoughts seemed to wander uncontrollably. Ian wasn’t feeling well — he had been taking antidepressants for a while now.

Ian got increasingly anxious whenever he had a match approaching. He never shared this with anyone, not even his parents. He experienced nausea, headaches and stomach aches, which only made things worse. When he arrived at the club and checked the time, it was around 6:30 a.m.

Without wasting any time, he began practicing as many baskets as he could. While listening to classical music to calm himself down, his best friend walked in. The moment Ian noticed Nick, he leaped toward him.

Nick asked, “Is everything fine?”

Ian replied in an unconvincing yet affirmative tone, “Yeah, nothing.”

Nick was concerned by his unusual behaviour, but chose to reply with a smile, “Okay, as you say.”

Soon, the coach and other team members arrived. The coach made them play in front of him and practice some advanced techniques. He also pointed out weaknesses in the opponent team’s gameplay. After some time, the opponent team arrived, their faces filled with exasperation and displeasure, carrying themselves as though they were certain of victory.

Simultaneously, they were given a couple of minutes to warm up, and then the game began. Nick patted Ian on the shoulder to help him focus. Nick knew a little about Ian’s condition. To his surprise, Ian was playing better than ever before. He wasn’t as anxious as he usually would be. Ian was able to recognise the members of both the opposing team and his own with clarity. His baskets were more precise and proficient than ever. Everything was going perfectly until Ian suddenly fell in the middle of the match.

Everyone rushed toward Ian, but he was unconscious. The referee ordered the game to continue and allowed the team to substitute another member. Meanwhile, Ian was taken to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with severe hypotension, or low blood pressure. The doctor warned him to stop using sedatives, as it could be extremely dangerous, and recommended a good psychiatrist.

Later, Ian apologised to the coach for causing trouble. The coach smiled and said, “You played well, and I have good news: we won the match, mostly because of you. Your hard work and dedication were truly amazing.”

Hearing those words, Ian’s eyes filled with tears.

The coach added, “But you need to become emotionally stronger and work on changing your habits.”

Overwhelmed with emotion, Ian hugged the coach tightly.

Published in Dawn, Young World, December 21st, 2024