The Tennis Partner

David Smith was an Australian medical student and intern at Texas Tech during Abraham’s time there. He was a professional tennis player before he began his medical education. He was also addicted to cocaine. The book revolves around Abraham’s friendship with David, ending when David succumbs to his disease.

David was a talented man. Abraham was constantly impressed by David’s skill and performance during his rotation in internal medicine. David’s graduation from medical school, despite his multiple relapses, is a testament to the affinity he had for the field. He was an equally talented tennis player, with Abraham often admiring David’s game when they played. By David’s own admission, if he had had more money to stay on tour longer, he could have gone places. In addition to being talented, David was also extremely charming. Despite coming across as shy and somewhat reserved, he never had any trouble finding romantic partners, whether they were steady girlfriends or short-term affairs.

David also displayed a tendency towards thrill-seeking behavior, and an inability to engage with things slowly and deeply. He admits to Abraham that he is deeply attracted to the excitement and fringe benefits that the life of a tennis player provides, which eventually turned toxic for him. This pursuit of adrenaline is reflected in David’s dual addictions to cocaine and sex, as well as his preferred branch of medicine. This, combined with the lack of a strong social network and his history of family trauma, predisposes David to The Disease of Addiction.

David’s inherent talent and potential are constantly overshadowed by his addiction and related behavior. People at the hospital are wary of him because of his history, and David himself sabotages his relationships with the people who are close to him through infidelity, dishonesty, and drug use. David’s secrecy and the emotional walls he puts up feed into the difficulties he faces in interpersonal relationships. He is highly avoidant of conflict, especially related to the things he is secretive about. There are things about David’s life and relationships that Abraham only learns inadvertently or through forced confrontation. David’s secrecy, combined with his drug use, intensifies his loneliness and sucks him further into addiction and isolation in a never-ending cycle.

Despite this, David was an important part of Abraham’s life for a time and was instrumental in helping Abraham cope with a rough period in his own life. Owing to this, and despite the tragic end David meets, Abraham’s memories of their friendship are bittersweet. It is impossible to erase the moments of real joy and camaraderie they shared facilitated by their tennis games.

Within the period of the book, Abraham’s family consisted of his wife, Rajani, and their two sons, Steven and Jacob. Over the course of the book, Abraham and Rajani get divorced, and Abraham moves out of their shared home. This is a tough time in Abraham’s life, and an experience bound to bring up feelings of loneliness. However, the presence of his family still forms an emotional anchor and gives his life meaning. After he moves out, Abraham’s weekends are dedicated to time spent with his sons, which he enjoys and deeply cherishes. Furthermore, despite the divorce being a tough change, it brings about an end to conflict in Abraham’s relationships rather than intensifying it. Despite Abraham’s past infidelity, the process of separating from Rajani is not an acrimonious one, and they are able to co-parent amicably. All of this contributes to ensuring that Abraham is not completely devastated. Despite his sadness, he is able to persevere without succumbing to self-destructive habits. Abraham recognizes and values the role that his family played in directing him away from this path.