This wonderful sport was the foundation for the next couple’s “match”. Nancy and I played tennis at a local club. One day after our game, we were sitting around chatting when I mentioned that I had seen a “cute guy with gorgeous blue eyes” named Oscar whom I would like to meet. I had noticed him at the tennis club where we both belonged. I had heard he was divorced.

Since Nancy had been attending Graduates’ wine and cheese parties, I thought maybe we could suggest that Oscar try them out. Then I realized that if we had a fourth, Nancy could help me set up a tennis game with Oscar.
“Oh, yes,” Nancy said, “Oscar plays at our club with my mixed doubles partner, Bob. I don’t know Oscar, but I could ask my partner Bob to get a doubles game set up, and you could play with Oscar.” It turned out that Bob was single also. However, neither one of us was interested in Bob for some reason or other. He was slight, rather pale, and very quiet.

On the day of the arranged tennis match, we all met at the courts. After our energetic game, Nancy invited us over to her house for pizza. We all chatted for a while after supper. Oscar directed his attention mostly to Nancy which disappointed me. I had to get to the post office that night to mail my newsletter for the Graduates. I announced this in hopes that Oscar might accompany me. No such luck. Upset with Oscar’s lack of interest in me, I went on my way alone.

Two days later I received a phone call from Nancy. “You’ll never guess what happened!” she said with enthusiasm. “Oscar asked me out. ”What? That was not supposed to happen. According to my plan, Oscar was supposed to ask me out. Actually, I was not really surprised. I could see that Nancy was making quite an impression on Oscar during our pizza time. She was getting the benefit of those beautiful blue “Frank Sinatra” eyes.

Nancy and Oscar began dating right away after that night and got married not long after. Oscar moved into her house, and love was their “score” in that home. it turned out to be a very successful “match”. Tennis remained extremely important for these two for 36 years.

Later we discovered that Bob, from the mixed doubles match, ended up becoming Roberta. We had no idea that was in his future. However, maybe that was why neither Nancy nor I instinctively knew, somehow, that we were not interested in him. Funny how things work out.