cats and tennis

8/6/99

I know, I know. Everybody loves Andre Agassi. I can’t help it. He is such a cutie. When he retires I’ll be a Sampras fan, but Agassi will always be my baby. Even right now, as he spanks the hell out of Fabrice Santoro.

Typically I side with the underdog, and in this case, god, Agassi is spiking and dropping and generally humiliating Santoro. But, like I said, Andre’s my honey.

Tonight I’m watching for the tummy shots. In an essay by David Foster Wallace, who’s not only a fucked-UP author but also a semi-pro tennis player, Wallace expresses his dislike of Agassi. he discusses Agassi’s backhand, unusual in that he follows around with both arms, maintaining contact with the ball for a longer period of time. When he twists his arms upward, the hem of his too-big shirt flips up and, as Wallace points out, all the women in the audience like to check out his “hairy tummy.”

All I can say is this: if I ever get to an Agassi match, I’ll be in the front row, peering up.

Did I do anything besides watch tennis today? Not really. John left town on a gig, not to return until Tuesday. I did a few things around the house and I even left a couple of times. Such is my life at the moment.

I did manage to hound one of the temp agencies into giving me an assignment. Just 2 days’ worth of typing for next to no money, but I feel better about life. I really didn’t want to sit around this apartment by myself for five days.

And I had a for-real conversation with Becky, one of John’s friends in the band. She’s leaving for the gig tomorrow, and I’m watching her cats, Sammy and Sable. I’m also watching Rob’s cats, Babs and Tipsy. I’ve become the designated cat-sitter for the band members in our apartment complex.

I walked over to Becky’s to meet her cats and pick up the key. We talked a little there, then we walked back to my house so she could meet Julia. Julie was a crank. Not polite at all: hiding under the bushes, snapping at Becky’s hand. Becky and I talked for a little while outside my apartment, doing that idiot conversation where the 2 participants don’t know each other well, but have a friend in common.

Becky’s one of those intimidating people. The sort who would have really scared me in high school: brutally honest and sarcastic. Good thing for me that she and John are friends, and she likes me as part of the deal.

Today I noticed that she has one blue eye and one green. That is so cool.

Saw on tv that Leonardo DiCaprio (tm) has trademarked his name. I think I’ll add a (tm) to my name. Betsy Jones (tm). Must be nice.