Not A Bad Life

The view from Alcott's rooftop, of course, may be part of her problem. By simply turning around, she can see into many windows and gardens, each suggesting alternatives for her own life. "Sometimes I think the focus I need as a golfer kind of keeps me in a cocoon," she says. "The longer you do it, the more single-minded you become. The thing that bothers me most...." She hesitates. "I'm interested in a lot of things, but I wonder if I'll ever have that passion again, the all-consuming passion I've had for golf."

With a last look around the canyon and a wave to Vertebrae Man, the gregarious show person leaves her sunny perch and takes the stairs back down to the cloistered realm of the fish. It's a tall house, a lot of steps. If you're compulsive, you find yourself counting: ...27, 28, 29....

But not out loud.