Maja works in silence, the kind you only hear before a serve. I tried a conversational volley: ‘Do you play?’ She said, ‘No.’ Flat, clean, devastating. I regrouped, mentioned Wimbledon, rhythm, focus but still nothing. I’m not discouraged. Early games are about reading your opponent’s stance.
(one hour later)
She seems to have remarkable focus. While others chatter about deadlines, she types with unnerving precision. I attempted small talk . “So, are you a fan of the backhand slice?” was an artful opening serve I thought but she merely retorted, “I prefer not to talk during work hours.” straight back down the line. A professional! A rare breed. I sense a bond forming, though she doesn’t yet realise it. I drafted a note of appreciation to HR, praising her “quiet industriousness and unstudied elegance.” Will send tomorrow after suitable reflection.
The Courting Lives of an Ageing Tennis Player
“Tennis belongs to the individualistic past – a hero, or at most a pair of friends or lovers, against the world.” (Jacques Barzun)
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