It finally happened, that special moment when I handed over an autographed copy of "God's Black Sheep Squadron" to my cousin and his son, an aspiring athlete who will enter high school this year and continue the Mulligan tennis tradition we started in the seventies. Yes, my godson has chosen tennis as his high school sport. While he is working on his game, his father and I will be teaming up for some doubles tournaments in the men's fifty division.
At lunch, my cousin pointed out both of us are probably at half-time in our lives, assuming we make it to age 100. The competitive side of me immediately started flashing forward to the seventies and eighties and I imagined the pool of tennis opponents dwindling as each decade passes. How morbid, isn't it? Sorry, I just can't help it. I love competing and I love winning, especially when it comes to tennis.
Anyways, the book was autographed to my "younger" cousin. About the only time I ever beat him in anything was being born two months and five days ahead of him. Now, if I can just stay healthy long enough to blow out those one hundred candles first in forty-nine years and then wait a couple of months for him to join me in the 100+ doubles category. If I should happen to get "called up" ahead of him, I'll send a little wind from the spirit world to assist him when he blows out his one hundred candles. Let's just hope it's not a "hot wind." Meanwhile, look for Mulligan and Mulligan at a tennis tournament near you. I look forward to teaming up with my cousin in the third and fourth quarters of our lives and to be cheering on the next generation in their endeavors.
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