Kite running in West Texas

summer reading essay

Kite running in West Texas

(Friday Night Lights, Kite Runner)

It was about that time in West Texas, it happens every year, its football season. The time when summer ends and the number one event in town begins. Our community is all focused around Permian football. It’s the talk of town, when the team losses a game they let you know about it. But. When you win a game there is no feeling like it. Every store, business, and street corner has the panthers logo on it. All the starting players have big signs on the front of there lawns letting people know who they were. In the eyes of our town, football is the only sport.

My name is Mike Winchell, but you can call me Mike. This year is going to be a tough year for our team, we are a lot smaller than in years past. As always the same faces are here to tryout for the team, but in the crowd of black and white jerseys I see a unfamiliar face. It must be the new kid from Afghanistan, I cant believe he is trying out. As a captain I walk over and introduce myself to make him feel not totally alienated. I walk in front of him and there is this awkward feeling, but then he starts talking to me.

“Hello my name is Amir, I just moved here from Pakistan.” he said nervously

“Hey I’m Mike, welcome to the team, that's if you make it”. I said jokily

“ Football seems to be really big in Texas, I guess? In my country Soccer is the number one sport, but I figured I’m in America why not try out football.” Said Amir.

I was shocked he brought up soccer on a football field “Amir, you know your in West Texas now and the three biggest sports are NFL football, College Football, and High school football. No soccer is played around these parts”.

“ I know, I just like seeing you cowboys  get all hustled up when someone says soccer” said Amir.

“so Amir, what position are you going to try out for linebacker, running back, receiver?” I asked

Amir quickly said “ Receiver, I’m really fast. In my town we would fly kites and battle them. When your kite got cut down you would have to run after it and go get it. I was always faster than all the other kids.”

“Perfect, I’m the quarterback and I’ll just throw you the ball on the deep routes” I said to him with a smile.

    After that conversation, Amir and I became close friends over the length of the season. He became one of the star players on our team and led our division with touch downs as a receiver. Of course he would have never have done that without me throwing him the ball.  But the best thing about Amir, was that even when we lost a game he would still be there as a friend.