Interconnected

I played my morning mixed doubles match today with a new partner. Although we've only said hi a few times, I remember him from junior tennis some 20 years ago. Of course, he looks a little different now, but who doesn't...

Anyway, after our match, we trekked off the court and I noticed him talking to another tallish individual on the sidelines. After a moment, I realized I also knew the tall guy - it was B's coach from baseball this season. In a bit, the coach's wife showed up and we chatted for a bit about how she had seen my mom yesterday up at the kiddos' school. Funny enough, that family lives about a block away from us in Maumelle.

And, as it turns out, the guy I played against this afternoon is the new husband of a lady I play against fairly regularly, another person I remember from junior tennis. I had forgotten how insular this little area of the world is.

We've been here, back in Arkansas, for about three years. I had forgotten how interconnected everything can be here. Everyone really does know everyone else. It helps explains a phenomena I noticed when I first started playing tennis here.

At the first "big" tournament I played in here in Little Rock, I was amazed at how folks were greeting each other with hugs and warm regards, regardless of team or level. Everyone really DID know everyone else, which was a stark contrast to Houston tennis, where things were a bit less warm and fuzzy. It honestly made me a bit uncomfortable at first. This was supposed to be competition, dammit!

But the tennis community (hell, every community) is smaller here, and very interconnected. Which seems to make it less likely for folks to hold long term grudges. Don't get me wrong, there are still folks who rub others the wrong way, there are still clashes and conflicts and things that go on behind the scenes. But it makes more sense to at least try to get along with others here and put things behind you, because it's almost guaranteed you will see that person again. And it's quite possible that you may end up on a team with them at some point.

Anyway, it just amused me how interconnected my world was today. I can only imagine how much more I will see that when I get my ass back to work one of these days.