The Magic had just hit one of their many three-pointers and the camera panned across the faces of the Pacers players on the bench. And I feel like going home. Smits' expression also reminded me of people I've known through the years, people who were powerless to change their situations, whether it's dealing with the aftermath of being abused, coming to terms with the death of a loved one or accepting the fact that we all die a thousand small deaths in the course of being a human being. People deal with failure and rejection in different ways.
Some people try to drink their way out of disappointment.
Some people beat their chests and call people at 7 a.m. to tell them their problems. And others simply ignore the disappointment and try to pretend nothing's happened. I was also reminded of a guy I used to know, a guy who mopped floors at a place where I once worked. He was an ex-con, having served a few years in Michigan City for armed robbery. As he pushed the mop around, I used to grab a cigarette and talk to him.