Sweet Revenge

So, a few days ago I attempted to play pool volleyball which is marketed at my 55 Plus Community as "All abilities Welcome."   "Just show up and play."    And, most importantly, "Free."

All of the slogans are true, but the unspoken messaging might read: "We really want to win and expect that you will too."  "We made up the rules, but you need to follow them." And "We'll make room for you and coach you the entire time..."  There are a lot of dues to be paid in water volleyball.

I was mediocre at volleyball, and was coached - supportively, perhaps - by a woman who appears to own the sport.  Her confidence was intimidating and as necessary as it might be, I don't particularly enjoy coaching; so imagine my glee when I showed up at Zumba and the same woman was there.  She had the trademark outfit on - attractively customized to stand out. Her tennis shoes matched her outfit.   I was wearing my Goodwill workout clothes that have seen a few too many exercise classes.

Fear not.  Game on.   I am REALLY GOOD at Zumba. She was right in front of me.  We had to Charleston by each other several times.  We used the same mirror.  We made eye contact.  She was nice.  I was triumphant.  "YES.... I am an asset to this community.  I may suck at water volleyball, but girlfriend, I can Zumba...."

I am aware that this sounds like high school.  Maybe junior high.  In some ways, that is the level that we are operating on here.  Careers matter not at all.  No one is in the least bit interested in what anyone has been doing the last 30 years.  Far more important, and a regular topic of conversation, is "Where were you raised?"  "Where are you from?"  Roots are important - corporate affiliations are avoided as much as possible.  The unspoken priority is for who you are now.  

Who I am now, evidently, is a Zumba-loving, volleyball-aspiring, 52 year old woman with zero interest in being defined by my past and some renewed passion for building a future.   I am going to have to tolerate some volleyball coaching, and I am going to shake my booty shamelessly in Zumba - neither of which , to be clear, I would have been comfortable with in high school!