Table: Turned

Last week we were playing some pick-up volleyball after our league game. The players on the other team were all younger. Said team joked that it was the "under 20s" vs. the "over 30s." I must admit that this ticked me off.

Anyway, there was one guy on the other team who was a great player - hard hitter, nice setting hands, good defense - a pretty complete package. But we were able to block him pretty consistently, hit around him, dink over him - basically we neutralized him. It was sweet. He seemed to be getting a little frustrated.

Now, back when I started playing rec-league volleyball, we used to go up against this team of older players now and then. I always looked forward to it because I figured I had a great advantage on these slow, creaky, old guys at the net. But they always worked me over - I could never get the ball past them, and they would always make me look stupid on defense. I just couldn't figure it out, and it made me mad every time.

On the way back to the car I suddenly realized that I was one of those "slow, creaky, old" guys now. Ahh, grasshopper - it is true what the great sage P.J. O'Rourke once said: Age and guile do beat youth and a bad haircut. At least now and then.