One More Player

(A five-a-side pitch in Hackney, on a wet Tuesday.)

Priya: Are you waiting for the eight o’clock?

Konstantin: Yeah. Basketball. I’m early.

Priya: We’ve got four players. Can you play for one game?

Konstantin: I prefer basketball. Better sport, honestly.

Priya: Nobody’s good here. Half of them get bored after ten minutes.

Konstantin: Okay. One game.

(Twenty minutes later. The score is two–two.)

Konstantin: Priya! Pass me the ball!

Priya: Calm down. It’s not a real match.

Konstantin: It’s two–two. Give me the ball, please.

(Konstantin scores. He’s very excited. The other team laughs.)

Priya: You said you weren’t interested in football.

Konstantin: I’m not interested in football. I’m interested in winning.

Priya: Same time next week?

Konstantin: Every week.