Zog for the beer?

So, tonight I didn't so much run as played some volleyball. Extremely casual volleyball. And it wasn't so much for brunch, as it was for charity. And beer.

Yes, ladies and gentleman, I joined ZogSports and for the first time in my life am venturing into the world of organized sports. Extremely casual organized sports. Since I've never really tested my hand-eye-ball coordination before, I felt volleyball would be a good start. There's no dribbling, or shooting or wide receiving—I pretty much get to stand in one spot, shout "I got it!" and bruise the hell out of my forearms. Piece of cake.

I joined 7 of my 11 new teammates at a bar called Alfie's for a little pre-scrimmage meet-and-greet. Some of them knew each other already, some had played together before, and some of just were just plain random and new. But everyone was really nice and outgoing, which I appreciated, because it's so much easier to treat new people like you go way back, rather than having awkward conversation about the weather or what train you took to get there. (Chilly and the C train, if you must know.)

After a most delicious Ithaca Apricot Wheat and sundry appetizers, we headed to the school gym we were playing in, which was hot as balls. Our opponents were a team of four children. The 18+ requirement for the league means they had to be college freshman but they looked like babies, and maybe it's just because I spent the entire morning wrapping up a "Dawsons Creek" marathon—and the rest of my day lamenting a teenage existence I never had—but I wanted to ask them why they weren't studying for the PSAT and if their parents knew where they were.

And then they beat us. A team of eight grown-ass grownups.

It's not whether you win or lose, though, as they say. I was perfectly happy just joining in the chorus of "nice try...good serve...motherfucker!..." I really don't know why I didn't do this years ago. But I can tell you it is only the beginning. In the immortal words of Paula Cole, "I don't wanna wait for our lives to be over..."

P.S. The overwhelming sense of community continued on the train ride home where this super-extroverted four year old girl, Maya, was entertaining the entire car with her antics and making friends with everyone. One guy sitting down was engaging her with questions like "What's your bear's name?...What's your favorite food?" And she kept exasperatedly telling him "You know what it is!" And he's all "Oh, well I forgot!" And her dad was just shaking his head as we all laughed hysterically.

Thank you, New York City.