The grand arena of pickleball saw Dawn & Marissa face Zoey & Katy in a saga that ended with the forlorn scores of 11-13 and 12-14. Two torturous games extending into overtime left us wondering: Could they bungle this any more brilliantly?

In Game 1, Dawn & Marissa served up a treat–if your idea of a treat is watching someone make a mess of the basics. The effort lacked power, direction, and any semblance of competitive spirit. Instead, it was more like a tutorial in how not to play pickleball.

Zoey & Katy, by comparison, maintained a steady rhythm, hinting at competence. Yet their performance, like a broken clock, was only accurate in the chaos of the occasion. At times, we almost believed they had trained for this. Oh, the naivety of misplaced belief!

In Game 2's crescendo, Marissa's confidence was her undoing. She unleashed what she thought was a killer shot, one that admirably found the only section of court devoid of any player. A masterstroke of miscalculation if ever there was one!

Not to be overshadowed in the theater of absurdity, Dawn seemed determined to snatch defeat from the jaws of potential victory. As match points slipped away like sand through her fingers, she celebrated a non-existent win with an enthusiasm that defied reality.

With each missed opportunity and each rising sigh from the crowd, the match concluded not in jubilance but with an air of solemn bewilderment. The only lesson here is the relief that it's mercifully over, something the spectators can carry forward as they seek much-needed counseling.