Ping-pong past
乒乓往事
1、Start to play the ping-pong ball
1、接触乒乓
In the fourth grade of primary school, our township school had a concrete table tennis table, the students got a new sport in addition to the half of the basketball court – often occupied by the teacher. Shuai and I was at the same class, always play together, we have saved enough money to buy a table tennis racket, occupied the field and play with friends together in free time.
The table is not standard enough, after a few days, the net may be torn, and then simply replaced with a few pieces of red brick head. I was playing with straight plate style, Shuai had horizontal plate style, the bad conditions never affect our passion to play, on Sunday, we often came to school early, after lunch, we can play from two o ‘clock to six o ‘clock in the afternoon, sweating, panting back to the dormitory, changed clothes after a simple rest to eat dinner. In the evening under the leadership of the teacher we would start the evening study, I was often distracted, the rapid movements of table tennis appeared in my mind from time to time.
小学四年级，我们乡镇学校终于有了水泥乒乓球台，同学们除了那半个篮球场——还经常被老师占用——终于有了新的运动项目。我和阿帅同一个班，总是可以玩到一块儿，我们积攒够了小金库，一人买了一支乒乓球拍，有空就去占场地和小伙伴们一起打球。
球台不够标准，时间一长，球网都可能被人扯烂，后来索性就用几块红砖头替代。我是用直板打球，阿帅用横板，恶劣的条件从来没有影响我们的打球激情，在周日，我们经常早早来到学校，吃过午饭，我们可以从下午两点打到六点，浑身大汗，气喘吁吁地回到宿舍，简单休息后换了衣服就去吃晚饭。晚上就在老师的带领下上晚自习，我经常走神，脑海中时不时浮现飞速运动的乒乓球。
2、The emergence of a strong enemy
2、强敌出现
In the fifth grade, our class changed the math teacher, the new teacher was strict and unsmiling, he had another bad habit we secretly tease – like to stay in classroom in rest time, after the bell rang, he was always a few minutes late to let us to rest. If his lessons were continuous, it wouldn’t even stop in the middle rest time. Our physical education lesson did not escape his clutches, many times we were on the middle of the physical education lesson time, the math teacher went to the side of physical education teacher, a laugh after two people reached a secret agreement. Math teacher soon announced that all students went back to the classroom to learn in the rest of the time. we were unwilling to leave the table tennis table, but had to leave. After that, the only time we could play without interference was after dinner, after lunch, after evening study and on weekends.
In summer, there is a lot of rain, and it often rains suddenly. This feeling of ruin reminded us of the unwillingness to be dominated by the math teacher. However, I often saw a pair of skinny boys who don’t want to leave the table in the rain. Occasionally I could also hear one of the buzz of encouragement, “It’s raining very little, let’s continue to play.” They used bricks to sweep branches off the table, and then play in the rain, the boy is really youthful!
到了五年级，我们班换了数学老师，新老师要求严格，不苟言笑，还有个我们偷偷吐槽的毛病——喜欢拖堂，下课铃声响起后，他总是要晚几分钟才放我们休息。如果是他的课连着的，中间甚至不会下课。我们的体育课也没能逃出他的魔爪，好多次体育课我们上到一半，数学老师就走到体育老师跟前，一阵谈笑风生之后两人达成秘密协议。数学老师很快宣布剩下的时间就回教室学习，我们咬牙切齿，不甘心地离开了乒乓球台。在那之后，我们只有在晚饭后，午饭后，晚自习后，周末的时候才能不受干扰的打球。
夏季雨水多，经常出现打着打着突然下雨的情况。这种败兴的感觉让我们想起来被数学老师支配的不甘心。不过，我经常能看到一对瘦瘦的男生即使淋雨也不愿意立马离开球台。偶尔还能听见其中一位寸头学弟的鼓励，“下不起来的，雨这么小，继续打。”他们用砖头把枝叶从球台上扫下去，然后在雨中对攻，小伙子，真热血！
3、Study trouble
3、学业受阻
In junior high school, Shuai and I were divided into different classes, we grew up, but still like to play table tennis together. I heard that Shuai was getting better and better in Class 1. The head teacher thinks he should have the hope to be admitted to the best middle school in the city. And I was still original level. In the eighth grade, the concepts of current, circuit, voltmeter, Ohm’s law and so on began to appear in the physics course of junior high school. It was difficult for me to learn them. In the classroom test arranged by the teacher, my thought became confused under the concepts about circuits in series and parallel. There is another year for the high school entrance examination, I look like a waste? On the way home from school, I have been moping, Shuai noticed that I talk a lot less, asked me about the recent troubles, I poured out my troubles.
“What are you afraid of? To learn it again.”
“I’m not as smart as you. The teacher won’t stop. The gap just snowballed and I was panicked.”
“Just relax and practice. Be optimistic.”
I knew Shuai’s words are right, but I was still not confident, now physics is completely beyond my understanding, a bad subject effect the science departments. The future is uncertain.
到了初中，我和阿帅分到了不同的班，我们长大了，但是依然喜欢一起打乒乓球。我听说阿帅在一班学习越来越好，班主任觉得他应该有希望考到市里最好的中学。而我依然不温不火，中等水平。上了八年级，初中物理课程开始出现电流，电路，电压表，欧姆定律等概念，我学得吃力，在老师安排的随堂测验中被串联，并联搞得一团浆糊，电阻、功率什么的像怪物的触手死死缠着我，交卷的时候我连整个试卷的一半题目都没有做完。再过一年就是中考了，我这个样子难道废了吗？放学回家路上，我一直闷闷不乐，阿帅注意到我话少了很多，询问我最近的烦心事，我一股脑儿把我的现状全说了出来。
“怕什么，不会的再学呗。”
“我不如你聪明，老师不会停下来，新的课程又要开始了。差距就像滚雪球一样越来越大，我好恐慌。”
“放轻松，多练习就会好的。要乐观麻。”
我知道阿帅的话是对的，但是我依然不自信，现在的物理完全超过了我理解，一科坏了辐射到的是整个理科综合。未来真是不明朗。
4、Table tennis school competition
4、 乒乓校赛
In the third year, the school held a sports competition. This time, it was different from the past. Table tennis was included as an event for the first time. Anyone can take part in the competition.
That’s what we’re good at. I signed up with Shuai. I had eliminated three opponents with good status, expected to be the final winner. I was in a happy mood and optimistic heading into the final.
In the next match, my opponent is that close-cut schoolboy, his playing is also straight grip style, he went to the table with sharp eyes, I feel bad. Sure enough, he was different from previous students. He was not only good at dashing ball, but also had no weakness in both his left and right hands. He was also a man who played with his mind and liked to play with violent circular shots and slice shots. I was exasperated by his slice, which was short and had its own spin. I was struggling to get it back, and he was ready, crouching, bending forward, and powering the ball like a beam of light over the net to take the point. I stared at the table. Was there really nothing I could do?
到了初三，学校举办了校运动会，这一次和以往不同，乒乓球第一次作为参赛项目被纳入其中。参赛学生不限班级，任何人都可以报名参加。
这是我们的强项，我和阿帅都报名了。我先后大比分淘汰三名对手，状态火热，被同学们寄予厚望。我心情愉悦，乐观地向决赛发起冲击。
在接下来的比赛中，我的对手是那位寸头学弟，他也是直板握法，目光犀利，走向球台自带杀气，我顿感不妙。果然，他和之前的学弟都不一样，不单擅长冲球，左右手均无弱点，还是个用头脑打球的人，喜欢用暴力弧圈球配合削球戏耍对方。我被他的削球搞的很火大，来球很短，并自带旋转，我费劲把球救回来，他则早已做好准备，下蹲弯腰，向前一击，强力冲球像光束一般飞过球网拿下分数。我呆呆望着球台，真的是无计可施了吗？
