I was at the health club the other day. Miss Peach was in her tumbling class, and The Little Man and I were hanging around outside the pro shop (it was raining so we couldn't play outside). There were all these women, totally decked out in tennis gear. They really took over the lobby. They were loud, animated, and very dressed. I'd say the average age was 40. These ladies were gabbing and stretching, and I couldn't help but notice them.Now let me interject here and tell ya, I am a pretty darn good tennis player, actually to quote my coach "I rock". I spent a good part of my younger years playing jr. tennis. Tennis was the place I fit in when I was growing up. Think Molly Ringwald in Pretty in Pink. That's how I grew up. I remember driving through Country Club Lane (in the beater car I nicknamed "The Crate") and just gazing at the mansions and wondering what it would be like to live in one of those houses. I remember wondering if I would ever make it to that side of the tracks. Truth be told, I have no idea how my Mom (single Mom of three) scraped up the money for me to play tennis, it was/is not cheap. She did it, and I played. I played on jr. teams. I played on travel teams. I played in country clubs we would have had nowhere near the amount of money to be members! I remember a tournament in St. Louis where I stayed with a family that had an elevator in their house...I just thought that was soooo insane! I have always said tennis kept me out of trouble as a kiddo. When other kids were stepping in sh*t, I was on the tennis court. I played until the lights went out, and sometimes I'd turn the headlights of the car on and keep playing. I did it, because I loved it. Tennis was where I fit in.
Now, there I sat watching these women and I actually thought "they must be better than me" how could they not be, they sure looked the part. What! Where did that come from? Finally, they moved on to their court, and The Little Man and I went on playing. As I held The Little Man's hand and walked him to the tumbling room to pick up Miss Peach, I looked over the railing down to the tennis courts below. There were the ladies on two courts. Can I tell you...they sucked! They were awful! I almost had to hold in my giggles.
In case you're wondering, I made it to the other side of the tracks. No, I don't live in a mansion, but I have a lovely town home in The Big City with a private patio, and parking. In The Big City, that's a lot! I guess I'm just saying, if your one of those ladies decked out in tennis gear...and you find a chick in running gear on the other side of the net...watch out...she's gonna kick your a**!
