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Leonard In Celebration of Leonard Ruiz March 4, 1995 My dad used to play ping pong during lunch with the guys at Levi Strauss. He'd tell us the most hilarious stories about the ping pong games and the guys he played with. I must have been about 11 or 12 when he bought a ping pong table. He was a very patient teacher and loved to show anyone how to play. After dinner, he would slowly volley with mom. He'd show her how to hold the paddle, serve and volley. It wasn't long before they were both playing game after game, laughing, yelling at each other shagging the ball, eating "sunflas" and jugging iced tea. My dad showed me how to play. I was clumsy in the beginning, hit the ball too hard and he had to shag the ball a lot. He played with his left hand so he wouldn't have such an advantage. Still, he was patient and willing to teach me. I absolutely loved it! We'd play night after night in the summer on the back porch. The more we played, the better I got. Our volleys got faster and the games more fiercely competitive. We'd cheer each other and yell "Ahhhh, sapo!" when the ball barely tipped the net onto the other side or tipped the edge of the table for the winning score. He had to play with his right hand, because he wasn't able to return my slams! It was game on. Night after night, game after game we played. I enjoyed myself so much! Many years later at work, they put a ping pong table in the breakroom. The guys were a bit shocked and embarassed that I was able to beat them. I guess they thought I just started playing ping pong. I was awful to them! I'd gloat, berate them for playing like a girl and talk so much trash. We had fun...just like the games & stories my dad used to tell us about. When they would ask where I learned to play, I'd gloat and say "MY DAD taught me....now, serve the ball!" In loving memory Donna
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