The Piece of Paper
Swen Nater

After a UCLA practice, we turned our basketball shoes into the equipment manager so they could place them on a rack to dry. In exchange for the shoes, each of us received a small plastic bottle of orange juice. Coach Wooden believed in a little Vitamin C after a workout. Then we headed to training table which was a five-minute walk to a room next to the cafeteria.

On one occasion, I was following Coach. Just ahead of him was an empty orange juice bottle lying on the ground next to a trash can. One of the players had been a little careless. Coach picked it up and put it into the receptacle.

At training table, Coach addressed the team. “Now all of you know that I’m sixty years old. My back isn’t what it used to be. On the way down here, one of you players—obviously not a good shooter—missed the trash can with an orange juice bottle. I want to save my back so, if I find one more like that, we’re not going to have orange juice the rest of the season.”

I loved that O.J. so, from that moment on, I made it a point to leave for training table before Coach did and look for orange juice containers that didn’t make it in the receptacle. I didn’t find any bottles, but I did find myself picking up a piece of trash or two and putting them in their proper place. 

The Piece of Paper
Swen Nater

While I was walking down the street,
And passed an adolescent man,
I picked a piece of paper up,
And gently placed it in a can.

I saw that he had paused to stare,
To wonder why and to appraise.
I smiled at him and he at me,
And we went on our separate ways.

And as I turned to take a look,
That little boy, that little man,
Reached down and picked some paper up,
And placed it gently in a can.