A Friendly Toss

I heard rhythmic thumping echoing from the neighborhood basketball court and trotted over to watch from a safe distance. A bright red rubber playground ball came bouncing loose toward the sideline bench where I was standing. Waiting until it slowed down, I stepped up and braced my padded paws against its textured side, gently guiding it to a complete stop. A young girl came running over, smiling warmly. I nudged the ball forward with my knees and gave it a soft push back into her reach. She gave a friendly wave before running back to her game, leaving me feeling wonderfully part of the team.