get @baffled

I have said this before, but there are certain stereotypes prevalent in youth sport (no matter what the sport is). My youngest son has played t-ball, soccer and now basketball, and in each of these there are a few distinct types of participant. There are those children who "get it" and play the game well, compete fairly and properly. There are also those who spend the entire time gazing up at the clouds or down at the flowers (much like Charlie Brown in the outfield), those who spend the entire time rushing around like they have just consumed a six-pack of Red Bull, and those who spend the entire time exploring either the contents of their shorts or the contents of their nostrils (usually to the same effect). All of which is perfectly fine, really. This isn't serious stuff just yet.

Today's game of "youth basketball" had something special, though. There is one boy on my son's team who, to be fair, has some very special needs indeed. This poor little chap (let's call him "Edgar") isn't all there, and usually spends his time wandering around not engaging with any of the other children. From time to time the basketball will strike him in the head, and he will look around, bewildered as to where he is, and why. I am not sure if his parents are oblivious to this or simply wish to expose him to "normal" play. At any rate, it was a treat today because this boy spent the entire 45 minutes of the session wandering around the court grabbing his crotch and making a sort of "screeeeeee" noise. He would approach other children and do this, much to the consternation of their parents. He seemed fixed on one other boy (we will call him "Seymour", who always seems to be crying because the other team just scored a point) in particular, whose father happens to be an ex-Navy Seal. Seymour's father kept yelling at him to just get away from Edgar, whose own father just kept smiling and waving. The coach/referee/director of the program didn't do anything about it, and it actually became quite embarrassing for everyone by the end of the session. 

I think there should be a whole different "type" for Edgar: kids who clearly have issues but are quite entertaining nevertheless...