Early Spring 2021—Monday senior doubles, TCSP on court with Players KT, CH, and FB
—
warmup with used balls
marked with dollar signs
as used warmup balls
but Player CH keeps missing
I’m giving him a lot of spin
dink balls, slices, wobbly topspin
so he blames the balls
gathers up 5 balls on the upturned racket face
heads for the trash can
I stop him
those are warm-up balls, buddy
marked with dollar signs
please don’t throw them away
a glare comes my way
he continues to miss his warmup shots
I sense victory—if he gets this weird in the warm-up
how will he get his marbles in line for the set?
so before we start playing I gather up three balls
and this guy Player CH dumps five more in the trash
senior moment
senior warmup
senior world-view
seniors see the world through a glass darkly
I pop a can of new balls
Angry glare from Player CH
he starts the match angry
can’t hit a new ball either
the first set feels red hot
my fault
because I brought warm-up balls
and seniors are weird about balls
as if they were pros
testing the ball-weight in mini-ounces
on the TV screen the camera moves in for a close-up
as Djokovic examines three balls before serving
he tosses two away
like filth
like they were dirty filthy pigshit balls
and seniors watching the pros on TV
identify with that simple solution
if you can’t hit the ball
get another ball
replace that bad ball
