Chapter 309: Social tennis

 

I stand and fiddle with my tennis racquet. I wait for people to say: You can serve first. We’ll take this end. I wait for people to nod in agreement and move to their positions. I wait for some people to say good game and for the set to begin.

The ball lands between me and my partner. We both hesitate. Then we both go for it. Then we both laugh and both agree to talk.

Our set finishes. We shake racquets then gravitate towards our bags and begin talking.

I ask one lady about her sons: What are they doing nowadays? Where are they working? Where are they living?

She tells me about her sons. I enjoy listening to tales of their work, their lives and their future.

I ask another lady: How is your week going?

She tells me: Busy week. Had to look after my grandkids. They have been sick.

A man tells me about driving here. About the traffic he encountered. He tells me about his dog. Yesterday he took his dog for a walk and they met a badly behaved owner with his dog.

I see Geoff and his partner. Geoff says to his partner: They are playing social tennis. That means they talk a lot.

When I play tennis I don’t think I abuse, harass or discriminate against anybody.

I am lucky. I used to work as a dentist. Everybody’s teeth are the same. I categorized people by how they managed their teeth. Not their sex, sexuality, race, place of birth, religion, job, wealth. My work has ceased but my habit of not classifying people continues.

When I play social tennis I play with other people. Everybody is unique. Everybody is different.  I don’t think I classify people and then discriminate against them because of the group they belong to.  

But the truth is on the tennis court I do judge people. I look at their tennis style. I notice if their backhand is weaker than their forehand. I notice if they prefer the ball short or deep. I notice if they have a good volley or smash. After looking at my opponent I alter my game. I try and beat them by playing to their weakness.

My aim is to spot a weakness and then attack it. Do they hit the ball in certain ways or to certain spots? I change my game in order to beat their game. One lady often goes short. Hits a very good drop shot. I have to come in. One man hits a very good lob. I need to stand deep at the net. Get ready for his lob. One lady often goes down the side. I need to stand a bit wider.

Geoff you can say I am treating my opponents badly by labelling them and by trying to beat them but he is also trying to beat me. I need them and they need me. We are both aiming to beat each other.

To play tennis where one person has no intention of winning or doesn’t even try to win destroys the game for everybody else. I respect my opponents by trying to beat them. In different ways because they are all different.