Practice in a time of safe distancing

He sits alone

at a blue picnic table

laces

name brand shoes

from rough asphalt he removes

last night’s leaves and debris

gathers his brown ball

and shoots from the top of the key

___

He rebounds

shoots a layup

retreats to the far side

of the court

fakes left and right

shoots a three

retrieves the ball

shots a layup

and repeats the process

five times around the arc

___

Next to the blue picnic table

he drips sweat

sets his ball on the ground

and removes shoes

a woman sets

an orange yoga mat

and Bose speaker

on the blue picnic table

with an electric leaf blower

she walks to the edge of asphalt

and blows dust and pollen

from the court

___

He removes his shoes

ties together strings

throws game shoes

over his shoulder

before humidity or heat

tells him to leave

he walks away

brown ball under his arm

6-18-20