Partner

The good news is that I beat my new tennis partner, Dan, 6-3 today. I was exceptionally studly about it too. And yes, I know he had a hangover, and he at one point got all twisted up when he was doing a backhand and managed to whack himself in the head with his racquet so hard that he was bleeding, but a win is a win. And it's not like I hit him with the racquet to make him bleed; you could even argue that he only did it to himself because of my superb shot-making, so in that sense it's an integral (even though seldom-seen) part of the game.

The bad news is that he announced he's just bought a round-the-world air ticket and is leaving on Tuesday. Aaargh! I finally find someone I can beat and he skips the country! I have to say, if I see him anywhere around town in the next couple of weeks I really am going to hit him with my racquet. I'm slightly suspicious that he only mentioned this "ticket" after we'd played out the set and I was basking in glory, but in a fairly restrained and dignified way (I thought).