Teddy Tennis Ball

I’ve been in this package with five other tennis balls for a long time.  I wish something would happen.  I’m getting bored.

Okay!  We’re getting dumped into a basket with a bunch of other balls.  Here comes a ball boy.  He is picking me up and we are heading to the center court.  A big match is going on.

The ball boy handed me to the number fifteen seed who is about to serve for the final point of the final game of the final match of the tournament.  What an honor for me!

Wham!  Boy, this kid has a wicked serve.  Back and forth.  Exciting!  An amazing exchange.  My underdog wins!

With all of the exchanges I got a little scuffed up.  What is the ball boy doing with me?  Why is he putting me in a basket with a bunch of scuffed up balls?  I was just part of one of the biggest upsets in the tournament.

It looks like we are headed for the practice courts.  I should be more important than to be relegated to being batted around by a bunch of amateurs.  Oh well, it’s a living, I guess.

Hey!  I just got hit over the fence, into the bushes.  Aren’t they going to get me?  I guess not.  It’s gotten dark and they have all left.

It’s been a couple of days and I am still here.  Am I going to rot here under the bushes? That’s not a fitting end for a ball that was part of the biggest upset in tennis history.

Wait!  Here comes a big black lab, sniffing my way.  He is picking me up in his mouth and we are running toward a young man.  The man praises and pets the dog.

We seem to be heading to a park.  Yes, the man took me from the dog and threw me into the park.  The dog is running after me.  He picked me up and ran back to the man.  The toss-and-fetch process has gone on for some time.  It is really fun!  A much more fitting end for me!

Robert Niel Beatie – April 11, 2013