Reinventing the Ball Court

After breakfast, Miguel and his father hurried across the street, returning to the place they were before. They walked up the steps of the old city building and entered. They rode one of the elevators to the top floor.
“I’m pretty sure the Aztecs didn’t make these,” said Miguel.
“I suppose not,” chuckled his father.
The city planner, who was waiting in the lobby, greeted Miguel and his father and led them to his office. He was tall and lean, just like Miguel’s father.
The city planner sat behind his desk while Miguel and his father sat across from him. The office walls were old and outdated. The furniture, including Miguel’s chair, was fancy and new. Miguel bounced slightly on the chair cushion until his father reached over to stop him.
“He’s alright,” said the city planner.
“I was just noticing that everything in Mexico City is either really old or really new,” said Miguel.
“If it wasn’t, I probably wouldn’t have a job,” laughed the city planner. Miguel’s father laughed, too.
“What do you mean?”
“Mexico City is one of the oldest cities in the world. It has survived although some of its buildings have not.”
The city planner pointed to the painting hanging on the wall.
“A long time ago, this was Tenochitlan, the city of the Aztecs. It was a magnificent city, built by the city planners over one thousand years ago.”
The picture showed several pyramid-shaped temples standing in the middle of a lake.
“What is all this water?” asked Miguel.
“Mexico City was once surrounded by five lakes. In fact, it stood in the middle of Lake Texcoco.”
“Why would you choose to build a city in the middle of a lake?”
“The Aztecs didn’t choose Tenochitlan. It was chosen for them. Originally, the Aztecs served as slaves under the Toltecs.
“What are Toltecs?” asked Miguel.
“They were another tribe that lived in the hilltops and mountains. Lake Texcoco offered protection from attackers. It supplied water to the Aztecs. It also allowed the Kingdom to be set apart from the rest of the village. In fact, when Spanish explorers came to Tenochitlan, they reported to their king that Tenochitlan was so beautifully crafted that some thought it was a dream.”
“Where is it now?”
“Most of it is gone. Natural forces destroyed some, while man destroyed the rest.”
“You’re going to build on top of it?” asked Miguel.
“That’s why your father is here. We’re going to make sure we preserve the old sites.”
The city planner rolled the blueprints and placed them in the cylinder.
“Let’s head over to the site now,” he said.
Miguel followed the men as they took the elevator to the garage. Miguel watched as they passed the buildings, old and new, on their way to the site.
An open lot stretched one hundred meters in both directions. On either side of the lot stood two stone walls. As the city planner parked the truck, Miguel rushed toward the walls.
Carvings of alligators were etched into the upper edge of each wall. A large ring protruded from the top of each wall. It, too, was made of carved stone. Instead of alligators, the ring featured a snake, encircling the ring, eating its own tail.
“What is this?”
“This is the ball court. When this was Tenochitlan, the Aztecs played a game where the object was to put a rubber ball through this ring.”
Miguel snatched a rock from the ground and tossed it at the ring. It completely missed.
“Like basketball?”
“In a way, but they could not touch the ball with their hands.”
“So they kicked it?”
“They could also use their hips, head and elbows.”
“Like football,” replied Miguel.
“Also, the ball could never touch the ground.”
“That sounds impossible.”
“Nothing is impossible,” replied the city planner, “But I suppose it took great patience and skill.”
Miguel practiced kicking rocks toward the stone ring while his father walked through the lot with the city planner. They walked through the entire lot, returning a short while later.
“Having any luck?” the city planner asked Miguel, who was still kicking rocks towards the stone ring.
“Not at all.”
Maybe one day,” said the planner.
“I don’t know,” he sighed.
“You’ll have plenty of time to practice,” said his father. We’ll be building here for quite some time.”
“What are you building?”
“This is an important historic site for Mexico City. The city officials decided to build a city center here, where people could gather. There will be space for a basketball court, too. Shops and stores will surround the sports arena. Still, the old ball court will remain intact, with a stone sidewalk to accompany the old walls of the ball court,” said the city planner.
“Artists will also create sculptures and murals,” added Sr. Vasquez, “depicting the sports of the Ancient Aztecs and the modern Mexicans.”
“What does that have to do with your company?”
“I’ve designed a large building to sit at the far end of the ball court. It will be the largest car factory in all of Mexico.”
Miguel looked at the far end of the court.
“It’s getting late,” said Miguel’s father.
“We’re finished already?”
“Far from it.”
“When will the building be finished?”
“That will come later,” said the city planner, “first, we have to talk to other important people. For now, we wait.”
After tie city planner drove Miguel and his father back to the garage, they parted ways. As they rode home, Miguel carefully removed the blueprints from the cardboard cylinder and investigated them.
He imagined backhoes and bulldozers moving piles of earth while workmen constructed giant buildings just like the ones in downtown Mexico City.
As soon as they arrived at home, Miguel tucked the blueprints into the cylinder. He carried them for his father, placing them in his drawing room.
“All in all, that was a good day,” he said to his father.
“I think you’re right. I’m going to do some work. Will that be alright?”
Miguel nodded. “I’ll play with my toy cars until everyone gets home.”
“That sounds like a good idea.”
It was a good idea, because it was one of Miguel’s favorite things to do. He went to his bedroom.
He pulled a tiny brown briefcase from beneath his bed. Its contents clanked and rattled. When he pressed the two brass knobs on either side of the leather handle, the fasteners clicked. He opened the lid to reveal an assortment of cars inside.
Now, it was time to plan and build his very own imaginary city.