My dad, two cousins, and uncle told me we were going to the Clippers game, a basketball team that plays for the city of Los Angeles! I was very excited because it was going to be my first professional basketball game I've ever been to! Then we got ready, got into the car, and we were off! I felt exhilarated and elated that we were going to the Clippers game. I burst into a smile when I heard my cousins and uncle were coming too. After all, I wouldn’t want them to miss out on all the fun we were going to have! 

My dad booked four seats that were close to the court so that we could have a better view and be able to see the players close up. Unfortunately, my dad botched the ticket purchase, and we had to sit farther, and I realized it might not be as fun if we were to sit in the higher seats. But it turned out to be a blessing in disguise….

When we finally got to the stadium the Clippers were playing in, we took a few pictures. The Clippers share a stadium with my favorite basketball team, the Los Angeles Lakers, so we got to take a few pictures with statues of star players on the Lakers. Then, we went into the stadium to take our seats!

When we entered the stadium, we were greeted by the smell of the buttery popcorn, the putrid smell of the burger grill, the concession stand men shouting, “Hot fresh popcorn! Get your buttery fresh 

popcorn right here!” and the voice of the PA announcer directing people to their seats. Sizzle, sizzle! went the barbecue grill, and Pop! Pop! Pop! went the crispy, hot popcorn. I was so fascinated by all the sights and smells. 

The Clippers were playing the Washington Wizards, and I couldn’t wait for the game to begin! After we were seated in the higher seats, I was eagerly waiting for the game to start. Suddenly, a song called The Next Episode blared from the speakers, Thun Thun! Thun Thun Thun! And the game began! Soon, the Clippers scored! I was all fired up with excitement! The Clippers made about ten shots! It looked like the Clippers were defeating the Washington Wizards!

But soon after all that scoring by the Clippers, I was starting to get bored, and soon, I was twitching with anticipation, waiting for the next surprise. My eyes were bright, and I was shaking, waiting for a surprise, but it never came. Right when I think I would’ve fallen asleep, someone made a joke saying, “I want my money back! I paid to see John Wall!’’ With that, everyone gave a hearty guffaw. Hahaha! The hearty guffaw sounded like Santa Claus's Hohoho! The person who made this joke was Clipper Darrell, a super fan of the Clippers. The reason he said that was because John Wall was a player on the Washington Wizards team, and he was injured. So, Clipper Darald was just playfully joking. I thought it was funny! Even John Wall laughed! He cracked a few more jokes. I liked him a lot, and I even took a picture with him at the end of the game!

Another surprise was waiting for me in the middle of the game. My eyes widened when I saw the Clippers mascot, Chuck the California Condor! He was bouncing right down our aisle! My dad called out to him, and he came in OUR direction! My chest started breathing faster, and I began to tremble with excitement. He stopped by us, quacked a bit, and beckoned me to come take a picture with him! We took a picture with him, and so far it was the perfect game I expected it to be!

Soon, the buzzer rang at the conclusion of the fourth quarter, and the game ended with a Clipper’s win! They trounced the Washington Wizards soundly. That meant it was time to go home and back to my aunt’s house in Los Angeles. I was so exhausted yet happy. My eyes started to droop, my arms started to hang on my sides, and I gave out a loud yawn. I slumped into the seat of the car and prepared to go home. As we were heading home, I thought about all of the fun we had, all the thrilling feelings I experienced, and all the chaos associated with this new adventure. At that point, I came to the realization that the game was fun, but experiencing this new adventure with my family made it ten times better!