My inner child

Tonight I practiced my tennis serve
In the front yard
It’s been at least a decade since I’ve practiced it
In the sort of environment that is meant for tennis
And at least a year since I’ve even hit the ball off the garage door
But now I’ve given up on the garage door
It was open
The cars were parked in the driveway
And you can’t really practice your serve
In a short little hill of a driveway
So I returned to my roots and
I banged the ball across the front lawn a few times
I was on my hands and knees under the neighbor’s car once or twice and
Hit at least two family members but
I had more fun than I would have on a tennis court
Almost as much fun as I used to have hitting the ball inside my parent’s house
Either up the stairs or
Off the inside of the front door
Earlier in the day I played with matchbox cars
In the past few weeks I have pretended I was walking through the Serengeti in search of an oasis
Killed time on a plane bound for South Africa
Drove a range rover through the Kalahari Desert and
Led an expedition along the Great Wall of China
I even watched the performance of God Bless Africa at the Graceland Concert
Multiple times
For the first time in twenty years
Don’t get me wrong
I see the joy in making sure everyone eats fruit and
Urinates before we leave the house but
I also see the necessity of
Practicing my serve in the front yard