An Aging Jock Takes A Last Fling At Stardom On A Par-688 Golf Course

Perhaps it comes to all men, or perhaps just to middle-aged former athletes. I'm talking about the Just One More Time Syndrome: Score one more touchdown, ride one more bull, hit one more home run.

But when you're 45 and your waist measurement has just passed your expanded chest measurement, then Just One More Times aren't that easy to find.

I live in the little West Texas town of Mason (pop. 2,153) and because we don't have a golf course, it has become my habit to drive over to Brady, 28 miles to the north, to play on the course there. Another of my habits is stopping over at Bill O'Banion's drug store each and every morning to sit around and visit.

One day he said, "Hospital fund drive coming up."

I said, "By all means put me down for a generous contribution."

Bill said, "Had this idea that might raise a little extra money for the hospital. I thought we'd alternate our shots and hit a golf ball from the Mason courthouse to the hole on the 9th green of the Brady golf course. We'd get somebody to establish par, and then we'd get folks to contribute, per stroke, as to how many strokes we'd finish under par."

I said, innocently, "When y'all planning on doing this?"

Bill looked at me and said, "The date for this event is June 11. And their ain't no y'all to it. It's we."

"We?"

"We, as in you and me."