Judy leaves for school, slightly dreading the day ahead. This last 9 weeks has been really tough. Her daily schedule has been packed with classes, with little time for planning, or recovery. The elementary classes require so much energy to keep them focused, especially the Pre-K class. She’s worn out every day. She’s ready for a break!
I, on the other hand, can’t figure out what to do with my time. After visiting with family back in the states via Facetime, I head over for a swim session. After swimming, I walked home, stopping at Subway. This is the first time I’ve tried a Subway sandwich in Beijing. It tastes just like a sandwich in Arlington. I guess I thought it would be a little different.
Later in the afternoon, I went to the table tennis club for an afternoon of ego “beat-down.” As I walked in and headed down to the far end of the playing area (where the “lesser” players are), someone yelled at me, offering to play. I tried to explain I wasn’t a strong player, but my lack of language prevented any clarity. We ended up playing right at the entrance of the club, and since I seem to be the only westerner, there were way too many casual observers. As with most of my visits, it takes me a while to adjust to a different style of play, and when I began to get slightly comfortable, I get handed off to another player. The 2nd guy hit with the most spin I’ve seen since I’ve been playing in Beijing. I could barely keep the ball on the table. An onlooker gave me a couple of pointers, and I began to adjust with some success.
Player # 2 went to a nearby table and got someone else to hit with me. Player 3 just hit it back to my backhand, over and over, and over and over. I think he was told to drill me for while. Finally, some other guys took a turn at the table, and they look like Olympic players, with balls flying everywhere, crazy spinning serves, and unbelievable returns. I enjoy watching the play, but I especially enjoy watching the interaction between everyone at the club. It’s so similar to being around a golf course and watching all the “regulars” interact. There is definitely trash-talking going on.