OOAK Table Tennis Forum

.... Missy Lightsider's thoughts were interrupted as Little Darksider took her hand and lightly stroked her smooth skin. Little Darksider took a moment to compose himself.they both said in unison bring out the gimp

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igorponger wrote:

Day -by-day inhalation of the speed glues is not any good for health..

"For those of a younger age, the gimp" said Daddy Darksider, "is a cross platform image editor created by a community of darksiders intent on taking on and defeating the omnipotent powers of Adobe and Microsoft, rather like us taking on the mighty army of lightsiders"

Little Darksider looked quizically at Daddy Darksider, certain that this was nothing more than a work of fiction. But not wanting to be beaten to a pulp in medieval fashion Little Darksider nodded in agreement. Now was not the time to be butch.


Unenlightened.

Little Darksider was nervous. He shouldn't be, he knew that. He was the number 1 seed, the defending champion, the top Darksider and the best player at the tournament, including the Lightsiders. Everyone knew that. Everyone expected him to win. He expected to win. But he was still nervous.

Little Darksider cruised through the group stages. He'd played with a relaxed air and a smile but deep down, deep in his heart he could feel the expectation of victory starting to crush him. What if he lost?

In the knockout stages, Little Darksider's smile become a false mask, one he wore to hide his growing fear. He was relieved his reputation alone was sufficient to defeat his opponents. After each match Little Darksider came off the table, joked with his friend and sat with his family and girlfriend, Missy Lightsider. To the everyone there he looked in control but Little Darksider was conscious that the world of table tennis was wanting him to loose - at least that's how it felt to him. Here there were Lightsiders who saw him as a threat to the status quo and even though he was now dating Missy Lightsider, the status quo had to be preserved at all cost. Little Darksider wasn't like them, he had different values, behaved differently, they couldn't work him out and Little Darksider wouldn't follow their rules and do what they said. Anybody who wouldn't follow the Lightsider's rules, well, that just couldn't be tolerated could it. The status quo had been established in the Lightsider's world. The status quo had worked for 40 years or more now. Why should the Lightsiders change their ways to accommodate one Little Darksider? It should be Little Darksider who should change. And Little Darksider knew he wasn't the first to challenge the might of the Lightsiders, unfortunately those that had, had since disappeared either banished or given up the joys of the darkside.

The quarter-finals came and went without incident, then the semi-finals until at last it was the final. Little Darksider, number 1 seed and defending champion vs Little Lightsider, number 2 seed and champion elect. The game commenced. Little Lightsider came out all guns blazing. Forehand loops pounded Little Darksider, punch blocks penetrated his defences. Little Darksider was under siege and his resolve was beginning to crack. Tears began to well in his eyes. Little Darksider's family looked on helpless in fear. Fear that their child was disintegrating in front of his peers, in front of all the coaches, in front of a relentless opponent. All the hard work, all the support, had it all put too much pressure on Little Darksider? Were the Lightsiders really right? Should Little Darksider comply, submit to their ways and will. Little Darksider's whole world was falling apart and everyone could see.

As Little Lightsider built up a lead, Little Darksider looked for reasons why he couldn't win. Little Darksider's family began to worry his reputation as a reformed character would soon lie in tatters along with their methods and beliefs. They recognised the tell tale signs of Little Darksider's temper and frustration beginning to re-surface. A temper which only those who had known him before Missy Lightsider had appeared on the scene would have recognised. Little Darksider's bat whizzed across the the table bouncing first on his side, then under the net before finally coming to rest on his opponents side. Game 1 was lost. A devastating blow to Little Darksider. Little Lightsider was jubilant. His time was finally here. He was playing the better table tennis and everyone could see it, especially Little Darksider.

Time for Missy Lightsider. All day, Missy had walked a thin line. Support Little Darksider and she would be considered disloyal to the Lightside. Not support Little Darksider and she would be considered unfaithful to the Darkside. As Little Darksider walked towards her, tears in his eyes, distraught and fearful of everything his peers would say when he lost and surely he would loose now, Missy Lightsider recognised she could sit on the fence no more. The smiles from the Lightsider's cast an ever growing shadow around Little Darksider and he was fading under their glare.

"Help me" he cried
"Please help me."

Sometimes admitting you need help is the hardest thing in the world to do. Time for Missy Lightsider to make her choice. But what should she choose to do?

Click...click... click...

i think he may turn the game around by just being himself and playing his own way.
we shall see in 9 months or so ?

Missy Lightsider pulled Little Darksider to one side and wrapped her arms around him. Little Darksider sobbed.

"No one likes me” he cried. “I'm hated and bullied and teased by Lightsiders and told I'm a cheat and useless. I'm hated by Darksiders because I try and fit in with Lightsiders. Everyone tells me I'm not going to amount to much playing table tennis this way. There's no money in it. I'm not good enough. Lightsiders and Darksiders turn their backs on me. I spend all day at school where I'm made fun of and ridiculed, no one understands what I do, or how good I am. No one cares. It's football or rugby. “Who plays that stupid ping pong parlour game” they say “it's easy, I could beat you ha ha ha ha”. I can still hear them now. And when I get home from school it's table tennis practise with the lightsiders. They all want to beat me, they all hate me. What's the point of trying anymore?"

Missy Lightsider fought back her own tears. She needed to be strong for Little Darksider. Taking a firm grip of his shoulders, Missy Lightsider took a deep breath and looked Little Darksider in the eyes.

"Listen to me" she said, "I love you. The fact everyone else hates you shouldn't matter and if it does, it's a good thing. It means they fear you. You are different to them. You play a different way. You are capable of doing different things better than anyone else I know and you make it look so easy.” Little Darksider managed a weak smile. Little Missy Lightsider went on “But you also shut people out, you don't listen and you have to do things your way or not at all."

"What!!!!" Screamed Little Darksider, "you call that giving me support"

Missy smiled, "I know you have to make your own mistakes. I know trust is hard for you especially after all you have gone through. And please understand I'm trying to tell you this to help you. Your coaches have told you how to play this game, they have given you many hours of their lives, shared their knowledge and shared your pain. They have told you all you need to know to win this match”

"Yes but that is not my way..." snapped Little Darksider.

"And that is the problem" Missy Lightsider calmly replied. "Table tennis is your life and you are young. It is how you measure yourself and what you expect others to measure you by. And in doing so the pressure you put on yourself is huge and you trust no-one."

Little Darksider cut Missy short, "I don't need your help if this is all you can do for me. Call yourself a friend. I should never have opened up to a Lightsider. I have never felt more alone than I do now". Little Darksider sobbed as he turned his back on Missy Lightsider.

Missy Lightsider reached down in to her pocket and pulled out a soft cotton hanky. She dabbed the corner of her eye gently. Little Darksider wasn't the only one who felt alone today.

Click, click Sob.

i want to cheer him up with a pic of my new ruby cav xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
i also need help walking her-debater is the bestest puppy walker

Ahhhhhb you big softy!

You know where you are with dogs. Love, food, play.

Looking like it will be summer hols before I can head back up your way, possibly with the little darksider too.

cool mate.it will be nice to see u again