Solstice is behind us, now we enter the real days of summer. Not yet the dog days. We can play almost every day. The addicts start a WhatsApp group and ping each other to play on a moment's notice.
Each day serves up a different mix of wind and sun. Trees bloom and pollen touches the table. If your local table lies near a stream of walkers, like the old table in Tompkins Square Park, then add to sun, wind, and flower dust the diaspora of people that pass you as you play. You chase the orange balls that miss the table thread between the passersby, head back to the table and resume.
Especially after 5 pm. That's when people who stream home really let down their hair, post work, and that's when the players race the sun as it sets. That's when people loosen up and can play their best.
A good number of folks who pass your game go out of their way to pick up a runaway ball and shyly throw it back to you.
