Okay, so I needed some ping pong balls the other day. Nothing fancy, just wanted to smack some balls around with my buddy.
The Hunt Begins
First, I hit up the usual suspects – the big box stores nearby. I figured, “Hey, they’ve got everything, right?” So I drove over to one, wandered around the sports section for a bit… and nothing. Plenty of basketballs, footballs, even those weird yoga balls, but no ping pong balls. Seriously?
Tried another big store. Same deal. Walked the aisles, asked an employee who looked about 16 and clearly didn’t care, and still came up empty.
Getting Smarter (Maybe)
Thought, “Okay, maybe I need a dedicated sports store.” Pulled out my phone, did a quick search, and found a place a little further out. Drove over there, feeling optimistic.
This place was better. They actually had a table tennis section! But… the selection was, well, overwhelming. Different brands, different star ratings, different colors (orange? white? What’s the difference?!). I just wanted some basic balls!
- Stared at the wall of balls for a good five minutes.
- Picked up a few boxes, read the descriptions (which were all pretty much the same).
- Felt totally lost.
Time to Ask
Flagged down another employee. This one was older, and at least looked like he played table tennis before. He explained the star ratings (one star for casual play, three stars for “serious” players… whatever that means).
He recommended a decent brand of one-star balls, and I grabbed a box. Finally!
Success
So, yeah, it took a little longer,and a bit of running, but I finally got my ping pong balls.
It seems to buy the balls, big box store will be failed. But, luckily, a dedicated sports store saved my day.
