To the Oval Table of Dreams! …late in the day on Monday
We’ve not played on this table for some while. You soon forget the hardness of the surface and how brutal the surrounding Bowling Green Road is when it comes to bounce.
You hit a smash shot and then watch your opponent trundle off and return the ball five minutes later after it’s bounced halfway down towards Kennington.
Wind was also something of an issue. This was not a game in which to play spin. The only way to win this one was to absolutely TWAT the ball and then wave goodbye to the player at the other end as they went off in search of a lost cause.
Inevitably it was me doing the long walk into the distance.
The table also plays incredibly fast. This is great for improving reflexes. You also need to keep an eye out for the ever-approaching Lime bikes as they speed past you.
The final obstacle to overcome was the darting parakeets overhead. It’s quite a soundtrack of transpontine birds, speeding electric bicycle riders, and a bouncing road.
That’s the list of excuses as to why I lost 3-0.
