Comrades from Distant Lands

"Kin, what’s been your best game so far?"

(Scene: Indoor Basketball Court, somewhere in England, winter evening.)

(The Court is quiet, except for YOU and your four teammates—OLAUDAH, MUHAMMAD, MIGUEL, and KIN—lounging on the benches after a tough practice session. Each of your teammates comes from a different country.)

(The National League is in full swing, and your team is dominating the division, just a few steps away from the finals. The goal is clear: win it all.)

Olaudah: (lying down, rubbing his ear) Hey, Kin. Drop some of this stuff in my ear. It’s still itchy.

Kin: Still not better?

(Kin gets up and walks over to Olaudah, who’s stretched out on the floor with his right ear facing up.)

You: You sure it’s not in your head, Ola? How long’s it been now?

Olaudah: Two weeks. Feels like something’s stuck in there.

(Kin kneels next to Olaudah, tilting the bottle and carefully squeezing a few drops into his ear.)

Kin: (examining Olaudah’s ear) We might need a vacuum for this.

Miguel: Or maybe a girl, eh?

You: Honestly, Ola, you’re lucky Kin’s doing this. Don’t think anyone else would.

Olaudah: Yeah, this kid’s useful.

(As Kin finishes with the first ear, Olaudah shifts his body, turning to present the other ear. He hums softly in his native language, and the conversation shifts.)

Miguel: We’re gonna destroy them in the next game. Who’d have thought a bottom-tier team like us would be wrecking everyone this season? Nobody can stop us.

Muhammad: Don’t jinx it. That kind of talk doesn’t bring good luck.

You: Yeah, we should keep it low-key for now. No need to get cocky.

Miguel: Oh, please. We’ve got Ola on the inside and Will on the outside. Nobody’s touching us.

You: True, and we’ve got some new weapons too.

(You glance at Kin with a smile.)

Muhammad: Yeah, Kin and the other two have been stepping up.

Kin: Thanks. I’m just happy to be here. I wish some of my friends from Hong Kong could play with us. Basketball back home isn’t like this.

Olaudah: You mean that friend of yours in jail?

Kin: Yeah, him and the others. They’d love playing with you guys—and Captain Will too.

Miguel: What’s basketball like in Hong Kong?

Kin: It’s different. We’re not as tall, less physical. Plus, school’s all about studying. Sports always come second—or third. Exams are the priority.

Miguel: Sounds like a miserable way to live.

(Kin finishes with the ear drops and hands the bottle back to Olaudah.)

Olaudah: You know, Kin, where I’m from, basketball’s not just a game. It’s survival. It’s how we get out—out of poverty, out of the country, out of nowhere. For us, it’s life and death.

Kin: I get it now. That’s why you called me a loser when I first joined, isn’t it?

Olaudah: Yeah. I didn’t like you. You looked soft—like some rich Asian kid who’d quit as soon as things got tough. I wanted you gone.

(He pauses for a moment, his tone softening.)

Olaudah: But you didn’t quit. You held your ground. Didn’t see that coming.

(Kin stays quiet, processing Olaudah’s words. Miguel jumps in to break the silence.)

Miguel: So, Kin, what’s been your best game so far?

(Kin hesitates, then shyly holds up his thumb and pinky to make a “six.”)

Kin: Six points, two steals. Against the Tigers. First time I made a three-pointer in a game.

Miguel: (laughing) Six? That’s it? Man, we’ve got work to do.

(Before Kin can reply, Muhammad suddenly sits up, his eyes locked on Kin’s hand.)

Muhammad: Kin, what’s that sign?

Kin: (confused) This? It’s how we show "six" in Hong Kong.

Muhammad: Don’t do that. It’s bad luck. Brings misfortune to you—and everyone around you.

Kin: Oh, sorry. I didn’t know.

Muhammad: Well, now you do. Don’t do it again.

(An uneasy silence settles over the group. Muhammad’s tone makes it clear he’s not joking.)

You: How is that supposed to mean six? Looks more like a “hang loose” sign to me.

(Miguel, ever the joker, starts to mimic Kin but stops when Muhammad glares at him.)

Miguel: Alright, alright, I’m done. Chill, man.

(The tension fades, and the team returns to their usual banter. Some check their phones, others chat quietly.)

(You look around at your teammates—so different in background and culture, but somehow it all works. The winter air lingers in the still gym as you savor this moment of calm before the next battle.)

(Posted on 11.1.2025)

#MulticulturalBasketballStory