Have You Heard About Henry Miller?

Part 2

Henry arrived for his first match in fairly relaxed mood and couldn't wait to start

Mr Jacobs had picked him up and they were now knocking up at their opponents venue.

Talbort workens men's club was a run down hut sized building and not a very inviting venue.

The walls looked like they had come from a war torn country and the floor was quite slippery

'They didn't lose one match at home,last season'  said Mr Jacobs,giving Henry a look as if to say,well lets suprise them on the first game of the season

The match didn't start well for Holden with Mr Jacobs and Ming,Henry;s other teamate both losing their first match. Henry then overcame his first opponent, Dave Daniles 3 legs to 0,  11,7, 11,4, 11,3 to reduce the deficit but his teamates were struggling and they both lost their next matches, scoreline now 4,1.

Henry was suprised how his teamates got so nervous, maybe it's just my youth,he thought.

Henry was still to play the cocky player Mike Cummings that Tommy had told him about previously.

'Make sure you beat the cocky bastard, Tommy had said

Henry's next opponent was Peter Crawford, a tall lanky middle aged man who tried to attack every ball but Henry was unfazed, blocking everything that was thrown at him and counter attacking to win 3 legs to 1.Now Holden were just 4, 2 down. Ming then defeated Dave Daniles and Mr Jacobs just edged home against Peter Crawford. Now is was up to Henry, score now tied at 4,4.

Mike Cummings gave Henry a hard stare prior to their match and seemed to be trying to intimidiate him  'Where you get this lad from Mike' I don't want to see him to upset in his first match of the season'

'What makes you think I will get upset, after all it's only a table tennis match!' countered Henry

This remark seemed to annoy Mike Cummings and Henry had now sensed he had already won the mental battle and so it proved winning 11.0 11.1 , 11,2. Henry was so focused he didn't miss a shot leaving his opponent to storm out of the building in frustration knowing he had met his match.

That was brilliant Henry, you have a wonderful array of shots exclaimed Peter Crawford. Don't worry about Cummings, he's not used to being thrashed!

After winning the doubles they went home with a 6,4 victory leaving  MR Jacobs delighted with the nights work, well played Henry, looking forward to seeing you win all your matches next week,

As Henry opened the door, he thought he would tease his dad

'Terrible dad, lost all my three matches,don't know what happened'

Don't worry Henry, only your first match,it's to be expected'

Ha Ha, not really, won all three and you now owe me a bat!

'Well done,that's my boy,wish i never said that now,okay will order one for you soon,bye the way you mate Farzal and his adopted mum came over here ealier, apparently he got beaten up and his mum wants to leave the area, she said she's fed up with crime near where they live,and this was the last straw,she has relatives in wales, they are going to stay there till she can find somewhere for them

'But that's miles away,I'll never see him again, he is my best friend, did they say when they are going'

'No, when the rent expires on the property,end of the year,I think she said,four months away'

Henry wanted to explain to his dad about Cuthbert but thought it wasn't the right time

The next few weeks were very hard for Farzal, he was putting on a brave face and smiling and chatting to Henry like he usually did but he couldn't ignore how he felt inside, knowing before long