I didn’t give it much thought earlier. I was too pre-occupied looking for a similar racket to finish the match. We still won but that’s neither here nor there.

Looking at it now, I feel a sudden rush of nostalgia. I’ve been playing with this racket for four years. I had to thicken my skin just to ask somebody I barely knew to buy it for me in Thailand, where it’s sold at less than half the price here. I wasn’t about to let go of some serious money for a racket that I can get somewhere at a bargain. And if a few embarassed moments is all that’s standing between me and a discount, then so be it.

I still remember eagerly waiting in the airport for that acquaintance to arrive, imagining how my smash would be more damaging with the new racket (such wishful thinking). I even had it beside me in bed the first day.

But it’s gone now. It has outlived it’s useful life. It’s now time for me to move on and check out Toby’s for another model. Hopefully what Lazarus recommended would work for me. I’m still thinking of buying the same model but the thought of trying out something else fills me with anticipation.

The only thing left to do is frame this busted racket and hang it in my bedroom wall. Where it belongs.