Execution

April 3 2024

Prompts by: Izzibella’s Substack: Drabble Time

Prompt 1.) Build A Team - Don’t Tear It Down

Random Words are Set, Put, and Run

Onur Bahadır - Photography

“We have a set play. Run it. Put the ball on the floor, brush off the screen and dribble two steps to the basket. If someone gets in your way, fake pass, double clutch, switch hands and lay it over the rim. The only thing between us and success is execution.”

“With those words the coach set in motion more than just basketball success,” said Andrew.

“What do you mean Dad?” asked 60 year old Siobhan as her father lay in bed racked with pain. She knew the answers. She had been told this many times and she had relayed the same message to her kids. Her dad needed to talk.

“The key is,”The only thing between us and success is execution.” Jimmy went on to fly bombing runs in the war. Jerry formed a major company. Sid became a wheeler dealer in the fortune 500. Isaiah, with his perfect three pointers played at a major US university and completed his studies at a high ranking medical school before a taxi crushed him. There are others but all of our success came down to believing those simple words.”

“You made a small fortune with that simple phrase.”

Her dad smiled. “Sometimes in life we get lucky. Sometimes in life we work hard and success comes. Sometimes all it takes are simple words to improve us, send us one direction. Sometimes we only need to open our ears and believe.”

Andrew closed his eyes for another brief nap as the medication set in.

Siobhan reflected. “I have all that I have because a basketball coach imparted some words that meant so much to a group of boys 70 years ago. Simple things have such a long reaching effect.” She picked up her dad’s book and started to read it again, looking for another simple phrase that rang true in her ears.