I was 13 and an avid tennis player, I played 5-7x a week. A guy I liked, Lane, challenged me to a match that fall, the bet was $.50. He brought some buddies to watch, probably to harass me. I didn’t know to ask anyone to come so it was just me. Turns out he had to borrow a racket. 6-1, 6-0. I think I let him win the one as it was embarrassing to me that I was so much better.

As I took the second set he threw his borrowed wooden racket against the chain link fence, breaking it. Then he stomped to the net and threw the $.50 at my feet; four dimes, a nickel, five pennies. His buddies were razzing him pretty hard as they all rode off on their bikes, leaving me on the court alone. I picked up the change and rode home.

Told my mom and she told me how wrong I was and I should have let him win. Yeah, nope, my relationship with my mother started a downward trend from then on. And the cute boy who I used to chat with in study hall? Never even looked at me ever again. It was a good thing, all around.