The Ping-pong Conversations

Conversations are like a game of ping-pong. You can't play a good game unless you know your partner well. Otherwise you could try to throw a screwball, or a fast ball, or a slow one, and you never know how they'd react. They could return it perfectly - they could also whiff it, or think you're showing off, or just not like the way you play. Sure, you could just simply bounce the ball back and forth like you did when you just started playing. That way the game keeps going because the balls are easy to return. But it gets boring after some time, and you'll never improve. You'll also doubt whether there's any point playing in the first place, since your games aren't challenging. You get the feeling you're both holding back, that in other games with other people you both play much better. Maybe your partner's just waiting for you to vacate the table so he can play with someone else. Take the effort to find someone who suits your playing style, and is willing to accommodate you. Develop your skills together, and you'll have fine, memorable games.