Forwards and occasionally sidewards – everyday musings of life

As Richard reminded the young table tennis players of the ‘rules of engagement’ at our Wednesday ‘Turn Up and Play’ session, I couldn’t help feeling quietly relieved that the summer holidays were drawing to a close. The kids were simply far too energetic for a group comprised mainly of retired folk.

The juniors bounced relentlessly from table to table—laughing, chatting, and whacking balls around the hall with boundless enthusiasm. Meanwhile, a group of older gents sat on the sidelines ducking and diving to dodge the plastic projectiles ricocheting off the walls, the ceiling, and occasionally themselves. They looked thoroughly exhausted merely watching the spectacle. Most of them attend as a welcome excuse to escape the house—no doubt to avoid hanging pictures and similar domestic chores—have a brew, catch up with friends, and gently tap a few balls back and forth.

“It must be nearly time for the schools to go back,” I overheard one sigh.

“We only had swings and slides to play on when I was a lad,” chimed in another, remaining firmly anchored to his seat where he was relatively safe from the crossfire.

For my own part, I was having one of those frustrating days where I needed my bat to be twice the size, the table half as long, and the net removed entirely just to stand a fighting chance of scoring a point. Table tennis can be funny like that: on some days every shot feels like a winner, while on others—as today was rapidly proving—hardly a single ball manages to hit the table.

This dismal performance was dutifully repeated at an unexpected evening session, where I couldn’t even fall back on the excuse of the kids disrupting my rhythm. By then, the juniors were all tucked up in bed, likely zonked out from their morning exertions.

Or perhaps not. They were more likely playing table tennis online, fine-tuning their aim for next onslaught against the innocent local retirees.