Practice9<br/>DoyourememberhowForrestGumpwaspreparingforthebiggestpingpongmatchofhislifetobeplayedinChina?Well,hecame,heplayed,andhekickedbutt.Iamprettysure“LoseFace”werethewordsoftheday.<br/>TheForrestGumppipedreamvisitsmeeverynowandthen.Ihavealwaysfantasizedaboutstandingatopthegold-medalpodiumfortheRed,WhiteandBlue;victorypaddleinonehand,24-karatsaroundmyneck,Chineseopponentsonbothsides,withOldGloryrisingandtheStar-SpangledBannerplaying.Ok,wakemeup.WhoamIkidding?TheChinesewilllosetheirnumberonespotonthepingpongpodiumwhenHainanIslandfreezesover.Andthat'swhyIstartedplayingthegloriousgameofmajiang.<br/>Ifyoucan'tbeat'ematpingpong,majiangmustbethesecondbestthing,right?Now,Iamnottalkingaboutmahjong,thematchingtilegameyouplayonthecomputertokilltime;Iamtalkingaboutbonafide,cutthroatChinesemajiang.<br/>Ifeelthemost&quot;Chinese&quot;whenIamsittingatthemajiangtablerakinginthedough.Andmostofthetime,intermsofmakingmoney,ChairmanMao'sfaceismyfriend,buthotstreakseasilygivewaytocoldones.Indeed,mostofmajiangisagameofluck;Iwouldsay70%luckand30%skill.<br/>Unlikepoker,inmajiang,readingyouropponentstendstobealmostimpossible,sotensestaredownsarerarelyseen.<br/>Perhaps,IamtheonlyWesternerinthiscitywhoplaysmajiangcompetitively.IguessyoucouldcallmetheDaShanofmajiang,andthat'spartofthethrillforme.TheotherpartofitisbeingjustasskilledasmyChineseopponents,whostartedplayingmajiangwhenIwasjustalittlekid,swingingtheLittleLeaguebatbackstateside.<br/>Truly,whenIstartedplayingmajiang,Ididn'tknowwhatIwasgonnaget;Ididn'trealizebackthen,thattoday,Iwouldloveitsomuch.Iamacompetitiveperson,soIguessmajiangandmeturnedouttobe-well-youknow,likethosetwocompatibleveggies.Intheend,ifmajiangonedaybecomesanOlympicevent,youknowwhat'sgoingdown.(390words)