Dad the table-tennis champ.

My father told my mom and me a story while we were in Vancouver. This is pretty uncommon from Dad, who doesn't share much from days of old.

"When I was in medical school, we used to get together and play Ping-Pong from time to time. I was never very good at it, of course, but I used to play with my friends, and I think I won maybe a third of the time. There was this one guy, though, who was incredible. I only ever played him once, but I'll never forget it.

"There was quite a crowd gathered that day. I never expected anything, but it was a funny thing. We played for a long time, and I beat him. People were saying to me, 'You're winning! How are you doing that?' and I would say, 'I don't know!' He was better than I was, but I won.

"And I think it was just one of those once-in-a-lifetime things, you know. That one game."