WhatGoesAroundComesAround_DavisRob

A Story About Ben
By contrast, Ben was one of the best people I’ve ever known. He was a
wonderful husband, father, grandfather and friend. He had a successful
small town law practice, and over the years, came through for many
people, in tough times, including me. There are two particular cases of
his kindness to me, that I will never forget. They were instrumental in
shaping my own views and behavior when confronted with an
opportunity to assist someone else in a time of need.
As with many others over the years, I got to know Ben through tennis.
Although we were a rather unlikely pair because of our age difference,
we became tennis partners and great friends. For a certain period of
time, we played together as a team, two or three times a week. Actually,
Ben’s wife Audrey and my mother were close personal friends from their
volunteer work with the Girl Scouts. Their two kids were both older
than I am. Still, while in my twenties, Ben and I began a friendship that
would last for quite a few years, until he passed away.
Playing tennis with Ben was always a lesson in tenacity and good
sportsmanship. He was a fierce competitor, yet he never said a negative
word about any of my bone-headed mistakes or ill-advised shots.
“Good try” or “too bad” was all I’d hear him utter. Following a headsup
play or winning shot, I could always count on an, “Oh, that was a
great shot,” type of comment.
Afterwards, when recounting the game to Audrey, or whoever happened
to be within earshot, Ben would proudly describe my outstanding play,
tenacity and never-say-die attitude. To listen to him, one would think
that I was almost ready for “The Tour.” Banished into oblivion were
those overheads into the net or the back fence, double faults on game