It was the 5th grade kickball tournament at Sunny Crest Elementary school. My teacher let us go out to the muddy field early to practice. The sun was out and shining like a diamond, but it was still a cold day in the Pacific Northwest.

Some 5th graders were so excited that they were jumping off the walls and others didn't want anything to do with the game. I wanted to be involved but I was placed in the outfield. Most of the girls in my class were in the outfield with no intentions to lift a finger but I was ready to do what was needed to win. The other team came out so we started to play.

It was 0-0 and the other class was up to kick. The first kicker, Eric was really strong and fast, so strong that he could probably lift a school bus and as fast as a cheetah. This meant I had to be ready for the ball to come to me. He lifted his leg back so far to get as much force from his body and swung his leg so fast that the ball went up as high as an airplane. He started running his way towards first base and the ball was coming right to me.

It came down so fast but luckily I caught it with my two scrawny small arms. The only thing was that as I was catching it, the ball went right at my pinky and stubbed it really hard.

My pinky immediately started swelling as big as a balloon and was all three of the primary colors.

My mother came to pick me up from school to go to the doctors. She was so shocked to see the size of my poor finger that she gasped while asking “how did this even happen?”