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Can’t Control The Narrative Here? One Can Still Commit To The Truth
A personal anecdote that still teaches me things
I was 15 when I first banged my head against the narrative. I played football in the same club I had played all my life, ever since primary school. After a couple of excellent seasons, many of my friends had left. The coach had changed too.
The new manager and I clashed from the start, but I was determined to continue playing. I scored goals for him, and he put up with my adolescent impertinence. Until he didn’t anymore. I wasn’t happy with my teammates, and he asked me why. I believed his concern was genuine, and I confided in him. I thought that perhaps this was how we would make things right: working together despite our differences to make the team better. How naive!
Well, he broke my trust. He used everything I told him about the team, whose trust I had broken myself, to build a case and kick me out. Without warning, they called me to the director’s office, where they read my “charges”. I remember smiling in astonishment and disbelief, which prompted the director to ask me if I thought anything was funny. My goodness, I was angry!
I was sent home with my temporary suspension letter to face my mum, who wasn’t surprised or accusing, who instead supported me, but who…