13-0

I really can’t decide which side of the fence I’m on when it comes to reacting to a defeat. I’m really inconsistent and unpredictable with those. I’m a self-declared sore loser, just can’t stand losing, usually end up being moody and nasty and extremely sarcastic to the victor after a defeat. And sometimes I just accept and try doing better the next time. Today’s losing streak can’t be categorised. If you must know, I was outplayed, outfoxed, outthought and completely outclassed by my good friend Pankaj. When it comes to table tennis (ping pong), I’m one of those not so good but so bad types that do pull off the odd win. More due to pure luck (catching the farthest corners of the table for instance) than due to skill.


I’d like to blame lack of practice for today’s debacle, but since I don’t look at it as a sport in the first place, I’ll have to look somewhere else for an explanation. Because it surely can’t be the botched style of serving, the ages it takes me to react to a shot, inviting a violent smash with every return, and being completely undone when the smash does come and watching it sail past my outstretched hand (always a second too late). I’m pretty convinced I suck, although my vanquisher (being a gracious man and a fair competitor) wouldn’t think so. He’d like me to not give up hope and continue to let him beat me.

And so for the sake of the record, I am going to play him again in a marathon fifteen match series and hope to be blanked 15-0. After all if it gets me a record, I’m all for it.

I just lost 13-0 today. Beat That!