Spin Cycle Test

I ran over to the asphalt basketball court after leaving the skatepark bowl. Right beneath the chain-link fence, an abandoned orange basketball was trapped against a dented metal fence pole by a stray plastic drink crate. Instead of just walking past, I sized up the balance point, hopped onto the plastic ribbing of the crate, and threw my weight into a running kick against the rim. The crate tipped over, releasing the ball with a loud thump. I chased it down, planted my feet on the asphalt, and gave the heavy textured sphere a sharp upward spin with both hands, watching the black rubber seams blur against the midday light.