Squash

My squash days are over but I was a real legend in my own mind.
As kids we formed a team call “Constellations,” you know, a group of stars.  So long as we had no opposition we were the best.  Actually I was not the best, and I was not the worst.  Sort of like my life really.
The most embarrassing moments of my squash life was when I entered a tournament, and a guy had 10 minutes to beat me, or he would forfeit something he had entered, that meant more to him.  Sigh.  He did it with time to spare.  He probably does not remember, but I do.  I am not bitter and twisted.  The extensive counselling has really helped (actually no counselling needed thankfully)
I do not know if that centre is still there, but we has squash courts in our suburb in Townsville.  That was the first time I ever saw hail.  I was in my teens.  We did not get much hail in North Queensland.
The centre was run by a guy who was a famous rugby league player in North Queensland.  Unfortunately he died of a heart attack on the squash court.  Squash can be very demanding, in that it demands a lot in short bursts.
I had my nose broken playing squash.  I will never forget it.  My nose and a guys racquet tried to occupy the same space at the same time.  The blood needed to be mopped up.  When my mum saw my nose she said it was an improvement.  Goodness knows what it was like before.  Today, if I was to follow my nose it would lead me in circles.
For a social hit I used to play a big guy who had been a captain in the army.  Every time he hit a wall I imagined it crumbling.  Fortunately the walls were made of sterner stuff than that.  In Brisbane I would play and beat a guy who in his occupation was way ahead of me.  What I really appreciated about him, was that he was not too proud to be beaten, and whatever was not his strength, he would work on. 
That is what I have found and appreciated about sports in general.  No matter what a persons work is, on the court it means nothing.  We all start on zero.
So I had a mixed squash career.  A friend of ours son represented his country playing squash.  I can only be impressed by that, as I cannot relate to it.  Although my roll seemed to be mostly to make others look good, I did enjoy playing it immensely.