體育末等生的逆襲

Celeste+Simmons　李笑

Jake was an awkward child. When he was born， he was small， pale， and thin. As he grew， his physical make-up1） became part of his identity.

He was okay with the school work. He was an average student. He did his homework and tried to do his best. But there was one part of the school day that he hated more than anything： P. E. class.

Every day， there was a new sport that they had to play， and every day it was the same result. He would find another sport he couldn't play every single day. One of the most embarrassing moments of P. E. class was when they picked teams. One by one， the team captains would select who they wanted to be on their team. Jake was the last kid， every time. He never got picked. The students snickered at it. Jake almost became numb2） to the whole experience.

The next day， he went to school like usual. This day seemed to be like every other day. When it came to be the hour of the P. E. class， he took the long walk as he always did. He noticed that the normal P. E. teacher wasn't there that day. They had a substitute teacher.

"Hi， kids. I'm Mr. Johnson. I'm going to be filling in3） for Mr. Glass while he is out. If someone wants to suggest something that we should play for the hour， I'm open to suggestions，" he said.

All of the boys started yelling out answers. You heard the typical answers of baseball， soccer， football， etc. Nothing was new. Since Jake was standing at the end of the line and wasn't talking to anyone， he raised his hand. No one else was even paying attention to Jake.

Mr. Johnson saw his hand. "Do you have an idea？" He asked Jake.

"Yes， I do. I want to do something different. Let's play King of the Playground，" Jake suggested.

"Tell us how to play. That could be a fun game，" Mr. Johnson replied.

Jake explained the rules to everyone. "It's similar to hide and seek and freeze tag4）. The challenge of the game is to keep the flag while everyone is trying to steal it. You can't be tagged out， unless the flag is in your hand. There are no teams， since everyone is playing to be king." He kept them interested as he went into more details.

He told them that you have to get to the top of the playground playset with the flag， before getting tagged out， then wave it and say， "I'm King of the Playground！"

Everyone's face lit up. Everyone wanted to be king！

Mr. Johnson nodded his head in agreement. "That sounds great. Let's play！" Mr. Johnson went to get the flag from the supply closet. Then， everyone followed him outside to the playground.endprint

On the way out， several kids were patting Jake on the back for his great idea. Other kids were trying to form an alliance with Jake so that they could get the upper hand. Jake felt like a celebrity. Everyone was talking to him now. It felt great！

At the playground， Jake devised5） a strategy as he watched the jocks6） tag the slower kids. Jake crept around to the playset， slowly， taking his time. His strategy was to be unseen， to be ignored， as they always had done. He stayed low， like a wild cat stalking7） its prey.

One by one， the kids were tagged， leaving only two kids left to play， and Jake. They were running as fast as they could toward the playset， while Jake reached the platform on the back side. No one noticed that he was now inside the tube slide. They were too busy running around！

The last two kids were racing for the top on the steps that went up into the playset. Just then， the holder of the flag threw it， so that the other boy wouldn't tag him out. He threw it to the top of the steps of the playset！ Jake quickly came out of the tube slide， lunged8） for the flag， and grabbed it. The boy closest to the flag reached out for it， but it was too late. The second boy just stopped and stared. Jake took three steps onto the platform and yelled， "Jake Flynn is King of the Playground！"

It had finally happened！ Jake won a game！ He was good at something！ No one had noticed him as he crept over to the playset. No one had paid attention！ The one thing he hated allowed him to win in the end.

As all the kids went inside， everyone was laughing and talking about how much fun it was. They were all smiles9）. Even Jake， King of the Playground.

杰克是個笨拙的小孩。他出生時身形瘦小，膚色蒼白。隨著他慢慢長大，這種體格成了他的一部分特征。

他在學業方面表現還可以，屬于成績中等的學生。他做家庭作業，并盡最大的努力做好。但是，每天的上學時間里，總有一段最讓他討厭，那就是體育課。

他們每天都必須玩一種新的運動，每天的結果也都一樣——他又會發現一種他不會玩的運動，天天如此。體育課上最令他尷尬的時刻之一就是他們挑人組隊的時候。隊長們會一個接一個地挑選自己想要的隊員。每次杰克都是被挑剩下的那個。他從來都沒有被選中過。同學們對此暗中譏笑，而杰克對這種經歷幾乎都變得麻木了。

第二天，他像往常一樣去上學。這一天似乎要跟以往的每一天一樣度過。到了上體育課的時間，杰克像以往一樣走著這段讓他覺得十分漫長的路。他發現原來的體育老師這天沒在，有另一個老師代替他上課。

“嗨，孩子們，我是約翰遜先生。我會在格拉斯先生外出的這段時間替他上課。如果有同學想對這節體育課我們該玩什么提建議，那我非常愿意接受。”他說。

所有的男生都開始大聲回應。你能聽到那些常見的回答，如棒球、足球、橄欖球等，沒一個有新意的。杰克由于站在隊尾，也沒有跟任何人說話，于是舉起了手。其他同學甚至都沒有注意到他。

約翰遜先生看到了他舉起的手。“你有想法嗎？”他問杰克。

“是的。我想玩一些不同的東西。我們來玩‘操場之王吧。”杰克建議。

“給我們講講怎么玩，這估計是個有趣的游戲。”約翰遜先生回答。

杰克給所有人解釋了規則。“這個游戲類似于捉迷藏和冰凍追人游戲。它的難點就在于，要在所有人都努力偷走旗子的時候保住旗子。就算被別人拍到也不會出局，除非旗子在你的手里。這個游戲不分隊，因為每個人玩游戲都是為了成為操場之王。”杰克繼續講了更多的細節，他的話令大家興趣盎然。

杰克告訴他們，必須要在被拍到而出局之前拿著旗子到達操場游樂設施的最高處，然后揮舞旗子大喊：“我是操場之王！”

所有人都精神為之一振，人人都想成為操場之王！

約翰遜先生點點頭表示贊成。“聽起來很不錯，我們來玩吧！”約翰遜先生去用具貯藏室里取來了旗子。然后，所有人都跟著他到了外面的操場。

在去操場的路上，好幾個孩子都因杰克的這個好主意拍拍他的后背。其他的孩子也設法跟杰克結伴，以便能占得上風。杰克覺得自己像個名人，現在所有的人都在和他說話。感覺太棒了！

在操場上，杰克看著體育好的同學拍到那些比他們跑得慢的孩子，想出了一招。他慢悠悠地悄悄繞到游樂設施區，并不著急。他的策略就是不讓自己被看到，讓自己被他人忽略，就像以往同學們經常做的那樣。他放低身體，就像野貓在走近它的獵物一樣。

一個接一個地，孩子們都被拍到而出局了，除了杰克，只剩下另外兩個孩子在玩。他們以最快的速度跑向游樂設施區，而杰克此時已經到達了后方的平臺。沒有人注意到他現在正藏在管狀滑梯里。他們都忙著跑來跑去！

最后剩下的兩個孩子都在通往游樂設施的臺階上快速地沖向最高處。就在那時，拿著旗子的孩子把旗子扔了出去，這樣另一個男孩就沒法讓他出局了。他把旗子扔到了游樂設施臺階的最高處！杰克迅速從管狀滑梯里出來，猛地沖向旗子，抓住了它。最靠近旗子的男孩伸手想要去搶，但為時已晚。另一個男孩就只是停下來看著。杰克跨過三個臺階爬上了平臺，大喊：“杰克·弗林是操場之王！”

終于如愿以償了！杰克贏了一場比賽！他還是有所擅長的！當他躡手躡腳地到達游樂設施上時，沒有人看見他。所有人都沒去注意他！這件曾令他討厭的事情讓他最終贏得了勝利。

當所有的孩子走進教室時，每個人都邊笑邊談論著這個游戲有多么好玩，他們都笑容滿面。就連杰克這個操場之王也是如此。endprint