My ankle's on the mend so I'm finally back to being active. With only two months left here I'm keener than for new experiences. So last night I accepted an invitation to play ping pong with a neighbouring towns Junior High School. I accompanied my fifty-six year old snowboard friend Sazaki-san to the sports centre. We entered what appeared to be the scene of a movie. A bunch of Japanese kids holding their rackets upsidedown and rallying the balls back and forth so fast they were nothing more than a blur.
Of course I wanted to tuck tail and run, but fearing 'loss of face', I just consoled myself with the knowledge that I was the tallest present and maybe (maybe) the strongest. I hadn't played in about a year, but way back in the day in Tasmania I played regularly in a hostel and got myself a reputation as being 'pretty good', so I had a little confidence.
Sazaki-san and myself teamed up with two thirteen year old girls. 'Sweet', I thought, 'no worries, just two girls and and old man'. We changed partners after each game. And out of six games, my team lost six times, thus proving me to be the biggest loser in all of the gym :o(
Talk about a slice of humble pie.
Of course I wanted to tuck tail and run, but fearing 'loss of face', I just consoled myself with the knowledge that I was the tallest present and maybe (maybe) the strongest. I hadn't played in about a year, but way back in the day in Tasmania I played regularly in a hostel and got myself a reputation as being 'pretty good', so I had a little confidence.
Sazaki-san and myself teamed up with two thirteen year old girls. 'Sweet', I thought, 'no worries, just two girls and and old man'. We changed partners after each game. And out of six games, my team lost six times, thus proving me to be the biggest loser in all of the gym :o(
Talk about a slice of humble pie.
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