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The Crawdad Hole 
How I Learned How to Play Golf
In the late 1960s young men were having their lives interrupted by letters from Uncle Sam inviting them to drop everything and head to Vietnam to “save democracy”. One of the ways to RSVP “I will not be attending” was to be gainfully employed as a math or science teacher. Two young men, one a 22 year old recent graduate of Tufts University and the other a 19 year old graduate of MIT, joined the faculty of my high school. These two young men would have a significant impact on the trajectory of my life, but along the way they taught me to play golf.
Neither young man had any plans to make teaching high school their career. MIT guy would eventually become a professor at the University of Chicago, and Tufts guy would invent a widget and become a millionaire by 30. But they found themselves teaching teens who mostly weren’t interested in what they were selling. Both young men, however, were upbeat and positive they were in a better place than they might be.
One of the features of my small town was a beautiful privately-owned country club with an exceptionally lovely golf course. It had once been a cow pasture, and it had become a getaway for Bostonians. Although we were a Boston backwater, it was an easy drive. The two young teachers wanted access to the golf course, but even with the discount they were offered, a first year teacher’s salary didn’t stretch that far. So they cooked up the idea of starting a golf team at the high school and getting the school committee to ask for the team to have access to the club for practice and competition.
That all worked out, but then they needed to recruit a team. The guys in my high school were more interested in shooting rats at the dump than hitting little balls with sticks, but they managed to find 3 kids who could play golf and 2 more who couldn’t, but who had responded to the lure of maybe making some money as caddies. A high school golf team has 6 members. They play in teams of 2. On each hole the best score of the two players counts. With 3 players who could play matched with the 3 players who couldn’t, the new “coaches” could make a semi-respectable showing. The problem was they had no 6th player.
The MIT guy realized there was no rule about whether there could be a girl on the team. In 1968, there were boys’ sports and girls’ sports, and everyone just stayed in their lane. He approached me about “rocking the boat”. I would be paired with the best player on the team so whether I ever even got the ball to the green wouldn’t matter. Tufts guy was my teacher, but MIT guy was not. He was 19. and I was 17, and there was a bit of flirting involved. 🙂 I agreed to join the team. I got to spend time traveling around the state as I learned to play golf. By the end of the season, I had moved from position 6 to position 4 on the team and occasionally had my score count. I also had a standing Saturday morning “date’ to go to the “Famous Physicists Lecture Series” at MIT. There’s a lot of physics in golf, you know.
Wonderful story, EM. I’m trying so hard to avoid politics this week 🙂
Did you ever play at the Fall River Country Club ? Marty’s dad was the golf pro there for about 30 years, though I’m sure he passed away long before your time.
No, we never played in Fall River. Our favorite course was in Pocasset on the Cape. I got to play two seasons in high school, but when I got to college, I upset the apple cart on the men’s fencing team. 🙂 I’m not much of an athlete, but I knew where the vulnerabilities were in the “system”.
I always love when The Masters’ is here because I know you love the beauty of that golf course, and you post the photos that show it off so well. ❤️
I also like betting on it 😀 My team of McIlroy/Johnson/Kim/Woods/Garcia/Schwartzel just have to make the cut 🙂
That’s a great story!! Golf is such a fun game when you play with the right people!!
In some of the latest Disney nonsense, they’ve re-written 2 songs in the ‘woke’ remake of Little Mermaid. How they’re going to reconcile the story in general…girl gives up entire life for man…I’m not sure. And of course, we’re all ignoring that in the original story, the girl dies and turns into sea foam.
Anyhow, I don’t care about the Prince song re-write. What’s REALLY stupid is what they’re doing to ‘Poor Unfortunate Souls’ because some of the lines might ‘make little girls think it’s wrong to use their voices’.
Helloooo! ‘Poor Unfortunate Souls’ is the VILLAIN’S song! It’s SUPPOSED to be evil. Not just a villain’s song, but a song to make Ariel give up her voice. I think your standard kid is going to be able to figure out not listening to the obvious villain.
I know someone named Ariel. I wish she’d give up her voice…
🙂
One of the primary purposes of spending quality time with children whether we’re parents, teachers, scout leaders, or Sunday School teachers is to give them skills to help them make good choices. Fairy tales, whether it’s Sleeping Beauty pricking her finger on the spindle, Snow White eating the poisoned apple, or the Little Mermaid giving up her voice, are cautionary tales passed down through generations that show kids the pitfalls of making bad decisions. They also show kids that all does not have to be lost when you do. If Ursula does not get Ariel to make a bad decision, there is no story. No drama, no happy ending. But the possibilities that Sleeping Beauty and Snow White could have been in comas for life, or the original ending of the Little Mermaid is the real story are also part of the experience.
Today’s cautionary tale might be the story of “Jazz Jennings”, the boy who became a spokesperson for transgenderism. The problem is kids have only been shown the glamour of his life after he mutilated himself. They aren’t being shown the mess he has made of his life. Whether there will ever be a happy ending for him is doubtful. He needed more lessons in how not to make a bad decision. Maybe Disney should write a song about him?
I was shocked to see such a long list of companies using Dylan to promote their products. Tampax??? Womanface is ok with the woke, no matter how insane.
Those of you who participated in John Smart’s blog in our Hillary days may vaguely remember my “debates” with John over whether drag queens were “just fun entertainers” or a deep misogynistic insult to women. The argument spilled over to other blogs where I was accused of being a humorless feminist and lots of other names that were not so nice. From my point of view, as someone who survived hanging out with 13-year-olds, lots of things about which I am deadly serious can still be funny. If you weren’t a black person, minstrel shows could be very funny, but if you were, they were insulting. Somehow insulting black people is very, very bad, but insulting women for entertainment is high art. BTW, it’s OK to insult black women as long as a black man is doing it. “Angry Black Guy” told me I was racist for defending black women against Tyler Perry.
Using Dylan to sell tampons and sports bras is an insult to women everywhere. Watching him try to sell dishwashers can be funny if he’s the one being made to look ridiculous not the woman he expects us to believe he is. After all, even a grown man who pretends to be a little girl generates dirty dishes, but I doubt he’s ever needed a tampon or hit himself in the face with a boob while exercising bra-less. A commercial for Crest that says, “99% of trannies recommend Crest” could be a barrel of laughs.
Unbelievable how far we have fallen!
I went to a drag show decades ago in London. It was campy fun, all about the singing, gowns and make up. I suppose maybe they were making fun of women, but my impression was they were paying homage to some of the great female artists they admired. Were the costumes, make up, performances exaggerated? Yes, of course. But I didn’t find it insulting and many of the perfomers were truly talented. But it seems as though things have changed with time. The performances seem to be more about audience reaction, shock value as pretty much everything else has changed. My husband likes to watch
Family Feud. But of course the questions seem to elicit very colorful answers. I just find it distasteful as it is supposed to be a family friendly show. Our children seem to be bombarded with sexually explicit material everywhere. Drag shows are not for children. They are adult entertainment – or, at least, that’s what they used to be.
My response to John when he suggested the drag queens were paying homage to female performers they admired was a challenge to find a bunch of white guys and put them in blackface on the stage to perform as Johnny Mathis, Nat King Cole, Stevie Wonder, Sammy Davis, Jr, and Louis Armstrong. All of them have things about them that could be recognizably mimicked, and all of them were admired for their talent. John’s response was to bar me from his blog. It was a badge of honor and courage. 🙂 Women are supposed to be gracious when we’re insulted and mocked, and we’ve let it happen for so long women often don’t recognize it.
Before Tammy Bruce blocked me on locals, she said drag queens were artists. I wonder if her opinion has changed now that children are the audience.
My response to Tammy would be, “So was Al Jolson”.
well, this was back in the 80’s, I was in London as one of my European vacation stops, and it was great fun…or as the theme music to the Flinstones go – I had a gay old time. Doubt that would be the case today. But for what it’s worth (not much) I didn’t feel at all insulted or mocked.
They erased white men and now they are going for white women. Whites are the patriarchy.
Nike also sponsored Colin Kaepernick, this should finish them off 😉
How does Nasty Italian manage to stay on Twitter? She’s fabulous 😀
Coach??? That makes me so sad.
CeraVe and Neutrogena for me. I’ll still buy Neutrogena’s oatmeal bar soap. The company hasn’t posted anything on Twitter since summer 2022.
Brain fart. I use Aveeno soap. Was planning to try Neutrogena but I don;t like frangrances.
Cerave????
Dammit! I use their stuff
I do too.
I should have said please. LOL.
Me too, I use their body lotion.
With the things I see going on in the world, this is becoming easier and easier to believe.
………………..
Accomplished psychiatrist says demons, demonic possession are real
https://www.christianpost.com/books/psychiatrist-says-demons-and-demonic-possession-are-real.html
Denise said she’d like to stay away from politics. How about some Steve Martin? 🙂
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ The banjo! He can really play!
Oh yes and thank you. ❤
I really like listening to Mike Davis.
Can’t Wait! 🙂
HTA!!!
My cats do this.
This!
https://twitter.com/buitengebieden/status/1644002337592168448
Cuteness overload!!!
I want this job. 🐧
“Penguin Watcher” was one of the best jobs I ever had. ❤
❤
This has been going on for weeks, yet the first coverage I saw was this morning on FOX.
Still making me nervous. Don’t burn down those buildings!
I’m worried about the buildings too. They’re not stopping.
https://twitter.com/richardgrenell/status/1643671130237198337?s=21
Oh No!
The Krassenstein brothers are evil die-hard democrats. They were so vile toward PDJT that even Twitter kicked them off the platform. Of course when Elon let most everyone back on, that included the K brothers. So far, they haven’t been nearly as nasty as they were when Trump was President, but it’s early yet.
I read the article about Clarence Thomas, but I am not worked up about it. He and his wife have known Harlan Crow for about 30 years and have taken many trips with him. I think you are allowed to spend vacation time with your close friends at their houses, even if they are filthy rich. I don’t know what the ethical guidelines are for the Supreme Court Justices, but somehow I doubt Thomas has violated them. So I will just wait and see how it all plays out. The left is once again trying to get Thomas to resign from the Court.
I’ve never heard of the K brothers, but I know Justice Thomas has a reputation for being honest. Even after all these years the left is still trying to bring him down.
Thanks for clearing that up.
https://twitter.com/MissezOfficer26/status/1643341380347887616
I don’t think he looked defeated, I think he looked pissed. And very much in control of himself. I thought his speech that night was the best. But I do agree it was a sad day for America.
DeSantis, the guy Karl Rove calls “our candidate”, meaning the Bush machine’s candidate. Of course he would nominate someone like this.
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2023/04/06/exclusive-jim-jordan-subpoenas-manhattan-prosecutor-who-resigned-over-suspended-trump-probe/
it is starting. the benedicts wanted to play, now they will begin to learn how it is done
This is a great ad!
Throwback to the Outback Thursday. So yummy were these two ….
Ooh yes, yes they were.
He was gorgeous as a priest, but I will always remember him as Dr. Kildare.
i guess I’m giving away my age. 🙂
I also watched Dr. Kildare when I was in high school.
You‘re giving away ALL our ages!
He was truly the best looking priest e v e r . I don’t even remember who this woman was, but I remember Richard Chamberlain.
Rachel Ward
Thanks. You’d think I’d remember Rachel Ward.
I’m enjoying this film. I rented it at amazon, but you can watch it for free (I think) on youtube.
Women aren’t legitimate citizens? What is wrong with our Supreme Court? Something is very deeply wrong.
This was in December, I think
https://scontent-mia3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/340094033_1269318730340845_4539889096277933600_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s600x600&_nc_cat=1&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=730e14&_nc_ohc=EkIhWlQ2o-8AX9wIzm5&_nc_oc=AQlgKEbdAGK6Gmg_Z_Usp8Vm_vUEtMgNt88EfKgwgoBjVJIYQt3FPSQGV0Icnl64uEU&_nc_ht=scontent-mia3-2.xx&oh=00_AfA-AUro6PiVARUtMvaBxKavldul9Im-JoT-ZLgFn9AZLg&oe=643420F0
https://freebeacon.com/biden-administration/hola-homosaurus-biden-admin-shells-out-six-figures-to-translate-gay-dictionary-into-spanish/
how to spend other people’s money foolishly
https://trendingpoliticsnews.com/breaking-law-enforcement-had-at-least-40-undercover-informants-on-january-6th-mace/?utm_source=whatfinger
Jan 6th = a gulf of tonkin action
Meanwhile in Princess Sparkle’s la-la-land …..
LL with a penis.
https://twitter.com/MelissaTweets/status/1644103406225702913
That’s hysterical. 🙂
https://www.newsweek.com/travis-tritt-bans-bud-light-tour-1792963?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook#Echobox=1680793007
another one won’t buy bud
https://twitter.com/PapiTrumpo/status/1644041922346905630
https://twitter.com/DanScavino/status/1644135667419717633
A Blessed Passover/Easter weekend to all…many blessings…
❤
Thank you. The same to you and everyone else.
Oh, and just as an aside, this would be me on the golf course…https://fb.watch/jLUY8fDN7_/
https://notthebee.com/article/get-woke-go-broke-isnt-working-but-matt-walsh-has-a-plan
I really like this idea. let’s start with bud. the Nike, and just keep going one at time