A Little Slice of Civilization

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I play competitive table tennis. I go to a club 2-3 times a week that’s run by a retired University professor and his lovely wife. He lives in a nice house on the outskirts of town and he’s converted most of his considerable basement into a table tennis club.

He’s covered the walls with pictures of world-class table tennis players, and with pictures of us. He helps train us for events and he has pictures of all the regulars doing their trademark shots. And if we go to a tournament and get a trophy, we get another picture in the winners area.

A few things are warming about the whole situation. First is the fact that they open their home to all of us (over a dozen regulars) three nights a week. Second is the fact that his wife (also a University professor) prepares multiple, massive bowls of fresh fruit for us each evening that we play. And on top of that she bakes fresh cookies or cakes — every single time we meet.

But most intriguing are the people that come to play. We have everyone from car salesmen to IT professionals to medical doctors, and we represent a myriad of countries and cultures. The United States, the Caribbean, Iran, India, Pakistan, China — to name a few. And those are just the regulars. Hal (our host) regularly invites a number of international players to come and play at the club as well.

Outside, many of the people from these countries are openly hostile to each other. But inside that basement Hal has created a refuge — a sanctuary immune to the absurdity of reality. It’s incredible to watch what happens to the room after an interesting and spirited exchange. The whole room lights up with cheers and applause and laughter. It’s a beautiful thing to watch. Inside that basement we see a glimpse of what life should be like everywhere on the planet.

It’s actually sad when you wake from the moment only to realize that outside our little world people are killing each other over the stupidest things. I just wish more could see what Hal has created here. I wish more could sample our little slice of civilization.: