The U.S. Open Tennis Tournament captures our attention for the next fortnight playing at Flushing Meadows, N.Y. I haven't touched a racquet in many years and even then it was doubles only to protect my weak backhand. But circa 1969 I was living in a studio apartment in Philadelphia and to get out from four walls one summer Sunday I wandered over to the public park with my wooden racquet to search out a social game. The only one present was a solitary young woman and as she was dressed in tennis "whites" I figured she might be an acceptable "hitting" partner. (The word had a different connotation back then.) After a suitable warm up she suggested we play a set and she proceeded to beat me 6-0 (six love) and here is the reason why. The year 1969 was the year of the Woodstock festival - the country was in ferment - the Viet Nam war was dragging on - and some women were burning their bras. It appeared to me that my demure tennis partner was bra-less and I had a helluva time following the bouncing ball. (The sports bra had not yet been invented.) With my confidence shattered I was too embarrassed to ask for a re-match. And all the way home I found myself humming that Rogers and Hart number "You took ADVANTAGE of me."
tjs
Next -NYC Marathon
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