Chapter 3
Chapter Three
NASH
It’s been a while since I was able to give back to my community like this, so I’m thrilled to be here today with the Moons serving food to the unhoused and their animals.
As I listen to her instructions on riding in cars and handing out food and supplies, I glance at the women around me in disbelief.
I recognize Daly, our middle blocker. She’s six-foot-four and from Puerto Rico.
Danica, our setter is an eight-year pro originally from Serbia.
Lauren is our opposite hitter and a decorated Olympic medalist. Others on the team are NCAA champions, All-Americans, and National League champions.
I may have been looking them up as the team was announced.
My nose tingles at the thoughts of all these athletes on my team.
I’m beyond proud to be here with them. I fought for my right to stand among them.
I’m home. In Houston. Playing volleyball.
No more ten-hour flights, no more time changes, no more tiny Italian apartment balcony overlooking the cobblestone streets.
Playing internationally after college wasn’t even a question.
There were no other options. My choices were to find a desk job, or leave the country.
Until now.
We are all assigned a car to ride in with a member of the charity. Danica, Lauren, and I are put in the same group and we clamber into our group leader’s car. The trunk has been filled with premade meals and gallon bags full of supplies. There’s even bags of dog food if they have a furry friend.
“They’ve thought of everything,” I say to Danica in the back seat.
“I know, right. It’s super-efficient. I kind of love that.”
“I think it’s a good way to start off on the right foot as a team.” We buckle our seatbelts as our group leader, Ashley, gets the car started.
“Is anyone from here,” she asks.
I nod in response. “I am, but I’ve been gone a long time. I went to college in Wisconsin and then I played international volleyball in Italy.”
She laughs as she pulls away from the curb. “I can tell you’re all volleyball players.”
Lauren snorts when she laughs. “That obvious, huh?”
Danica and Lauren introduce themselves to Ashley as we drive to our first spot. Danica’s been all over in her eight years in pro volleyball. Lauren has an Olympic silver medal and is from Colorado, but went to school at UCLA.
As much as I would have liked to hang out with my one other teammate I’ve played with previously, Temi, I’m kind of glad I’m being forced to get to know the other girls better.
I think both Temi and I will be better off this way instead of being able to stay in our comfort zones, which is with each other.
When we finally pull up to the first stop—an underpass somewhere along I-10 West. There’s a group of people already waiting.
The other players and I kind of take a back seat and let Ashley lead the way.
She gets out first, greeting people by name, and the rest of us follow.
She gestures at us, “This is Nash, Danica, and Lauren. They’re part of the new Houston volleyball team and they’re helping out today. ”
Smiles break out among most of the people, some even say hello back. We gather at the trunk of the car and follow the instructions we were given earlier.
A man with gray hair comes up to me, I hand him a Styrofoam box with spaghetti, bread, and salad. “What drink would you like? We have water, soda, and Gatorade.” Wow, I immediately feel myself falling back into my waitressing persona I had when I worked at a Texas Roadhouse in high school.
“I’ll have water, please.” I turn back to the trunk and take water out of the cooler to hand to him.
“Here you go.” He nods in response and retreats back to the curb to sit and eat.
We continue to hand out food, drinks, and supplies. It honestly goes pretty fast, and soon we’re on our way to the next spot, and then the next.
The day flies by this way. I guess that’s how it goes when you feel like you’re making a difference.
On our way back to the parking lot where we started the day, Lauren asks, “Have either of you done anything like this before.”
I nod. “I did when I was younger. The Girl Scout troop I was in volunteered with something like this once a year or so. But it’s been a while.
” Probably too long since I really gave back.
Maybe I can make that a priority later, but for me to be able to do anything else, I need to make sure there’s a team here for me to be on after this season.