The game in the light of day

Most people carry ping pong skills in muscle memory. When people play, they laugh. Players at every level flub a ton of shots—and make shots of sheer genius. Ping pong is ancient. (Actually it’s about 120.) It’s in our bones.

Put up a table and hands itch to play. People come. They linger and pass, watch, mix, and meet. They show off. They howl in protest if you invite them in—say they haven’t played in 30 years. (Somehow they always say 30, not 20 or 10.) 3 minutes later they play like they haven’t missed a day.

It’s a nice looking table; part sculpture. But more it’s about what it does to the space around it.