Thursday, April 5, 2012

Accomplishment and Failure

It has been quite some time since I have treated you to an example of my inimitable artwork, so here you go. You are welcome. I will refer to this picture as I relate my experiences of a very hot and quite muggy afternoon.


BBBH had a couple of prescriptions at Wallyworld which needed to come home. She was at the pool leisurely enjoying the water. She was not impeding any lap swimmers, as she was the sole occupant of the pool. I thought, "Hmm. It is only about three miles to the store, the bicycle is in good shape, and if I take it easy, I will make it there and back with no problem." So I took off.


Cutting to the chase, I made it to the store and was on my way back. As I rode by the sports complex at the junior high school I observed a few soccer players at practice and a few tennis players working out on the courts. After I passed the court and as I approached the stoplight at the corner, I saw a tennis ball lying by the curb. "I shall do the youngsters a favor," thought I. So, retrieving the ball, lying at point A I determined in my mind that I would need to return to a point closer to the court in order to heave the ball over the fence. I moved to point B, and thus there was, say, 45 feet between me and the fence, plus the ten feet above the fence to be negotiated.
HEAVE! The ball hit the fence, bounced to the bleachers, bounced to the fire plug, and rolled back across the street to point C.


Now I am directly across the street, thirty-five feet from the fence. The ball hit the fence, rolled under the bleachers and back into the street. A very chastened and embarrassed old man strolled either chalantly or nonchalantly, I don't recall which, back to his bicycle and proceeded on his way home.


Dang!


Getting old does stuff.


Some I like (I get to live another day.) Some I don't (the old gray stud's not the stud he used to be. If he ever was.)


I made it home!




Readers of Bob Warr know why I didn't take the scooter.


8 comments:

Shelly said...

Oh, sorry for your embarrassment, but that was a funny story, backed up by your excellent diagram!

Jim said...

I'm mumblety-mumble years your junior, and I would probably have achieved the same result.

Lin said...

Yeah, but when was the last time you actually threw something like that? We all get rusty, you know? It just so happened that there was lots of stuff around for the ball to bounce off of. :) It happens. It happens to me all the time--I throw like a "girl"...or so folks say. Whatever. It was the thought that counts.

Vee said...

We all do those kinds of things. You are the brave one to tell on yourself.

Anonymous said...

Love the Lin reference...all in all - made me smile this morning!

vanilla said...

Shelly, I am happy that you were amused. I have discovered that if I laugh at myself, then others are laughing with me, even if at me.

Jim, I was never very athletic, but I still think I should be able to throw a ball over a ten foot fence from 35 feet away. But thanks for the attempt to make me feel better ;-)

Lin, yes, it has been awhile. At least I had the fun of "writing it out"-- you know, as in when the vice principal pushes a pen and pad across the desk and says, "Write down exactly what happened."

vanilla said...

Vee, not really brave. Foolish maybe. I came in from the 92 degree heat and the six-mile back ride and decided to do it. Perhaps the brain cells had not cooled sufficently at that point.

vanilla said...

Grace, you gat a smile this morning, my work is done here!