| General Fiction posted January 27, 2023 | Chapters: |
...53 54 -55- 56... 
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Dana and Abby meet again after 20 years.
A chapter in the book Some Call It Luck
Some Call It Luck - Chapter 55
by Jim Wile
| Background A brilliant and beautiful but insecure, nerdy young woman befriends a going nowhere older alcoholic caddie. Together, they bring out the best in each other and collaborate on a startling new invention |
Recap: After getting her master’s degree, Abby goes to work as an actuary at an insurance company. She has two children, and her boss, Leroy, welcomes her back each time after she spends a year at home with each child. Her boss retires and recommends Abby for his replacement, but the company hires an outsider who treats her poorly. She eventually quits.
She stays home with the kids for a few years but eventually wants to return to the workforce. After a lunch with E.J. who encourages her, she soon gets a call from her old boss, Leroy, who has taken over as interim manager of the actuarial department because Abby’s previous boss washed out. Leroy asks Abby to come back and take over for him as the new manager. Abby talks it over with Kenny and decides to go back.
After a year’s time, Abby has the place running smoothly and has earned the respect of all her employees, but she begins getting restless as the challenge of the job is no longer there for her.
Dana Griffin (nee Padgett), who was Abby’s chief tormentor all through grade school, finds herself in Altoona, Pennsylvania. She is a good golfer and joins Kettle Creek Country Club soon after moving there. While practicing one day, she sees a young redheaded girl practicing as well who reminds her of a young Abby. She then reminisces about her relationship with Abby back then and how poorly she had treated her.
(A continuation of the chapter: Dana Griffin - June 2004)
I watched the young girl for a while. She wasn’t that good, and her swing was awkward-looking. Most every shot was a slice, as she had a loop in her swing and came over the top quite a bit. She seemed to be getting frustrated.
I hadn’t played in a couple months, what with the move and all, so I was a little rusty. I planned to get in some practice before attempting to play here. I hadn’t met any of the lady members yet, but I would try to remedy that soon.
About a week later I introduced myself to another member who was out practicing on the range. We got to talking, and she invited me to join her and a couple of others for a round of golf the next day—a Saturday afternoon.
Her name was Lila, and I said I’d love to play and meet some of the other members as well. We made arrangements to meet for lunch first, around noon, then play at 1:00.
When I got to the dining room a little before noon, Lila was already seated there with another woman named Andrea. She introduced us after I sat down, and they told me the other gal in our group would be here shortly.
She came in about five minutes later, apologizing for being late. I turned around to meet her, and we just stared at each other for a few seconds, while Lila said, “Abby, I’d like to introduce you to a new member here who I invited to play with us. This is Dana Griffin. Dana, meet Abby Payne.”
Abby put out her hand to shake and said, “Hello, Dana. It’s nice to see you again. What’s it been, almost 20 years now?”
“Hello, Abby,” I said, and we shook hands. “Small world, isn’t it?”
God, she looked great! Very stylish in a short, pleated skort, a colorful top, and her red hair swept back in a ponytail that stuck out from behind her green, transparent visor that complemented her green eyes.
“So, you two know each other,” said Andrea.
“We do,” said Abby. “Dana and I grew up in Butler together. We were in the same class all the way through school.”
“And here we are together again in Altoona,” I replied with a wan smile. Neither of us asked one another how we ended up here after all these years. I think Lila and Andrea might have sensed a coolness between us, because they didn’t go on about it.
I did ask, “Abby, I happened to see a young girl practicing on the range the other day who reminded me a lot of you. Is she, by any chance, your daughter?”
“Yes, that was Claire. She just turned 12 and is trying to perfect her golf game. My husband, Kenny, and I have been trying to work with her, but it’s been a struggle so far. She’s nothing if not persistent, though, and she’s been trying very hard.”
“Any other kids?”
“Yes, we also have a son, Greg, who’s 9, and he’s learning to play too, though it seems to come a little more easily to him. How about you? Any kids?”
“No, never had any.”
The waiter came around then with menus, so we put conversation on hold for a while.
After we had ordered, Lila said, “You know, Dana, a number of us ladies like to get together to play on Saturday afternoons, as well as a few times during the week. Would you ever be available to play during the week?” she asked me.
“Why, yes. I’m a lady of leisure now, and my schedule is not too busy yet.”
“Well, that’s wonderful! Abby only joins us on the occasional Saturday because of her job. She’s a… what do you call that again, Abby?”
“I’m an actuary at Merton Insurance.”
“Well, she’s more than just that,” said Andrea. “She’s the only woman in the department, and she’s actually the manager with about six men working under her. You go, girl!”
“Why am I not surprised?” I said, turning to Abby. “She was always the smartest one in school.” Abby didn’t say anything.
“Yes, and she’s very modest about her success,” said Andrea. Those men in her department love her there. She’s also a very good golfer, as is her husband, Kenny.”
“Do tell.”
“Yes, she won the women’s club championship last year!”
“Well, she seems to be good at everything she tries. Always has been, right Abby?” I might have asked that with somewhat of an undertone because she didn’t respond to it—just looked at me.
We shifted topics then, thank God, and soon it was time to go play. I won’t bother to relate how the round went except to say that Abby was as good as they made her out to be.
Some people just have all the luck, and everything they touch turns to gold.
(9 more chapters)
Abby Payne: She has just completed grad school at Penn State University where she was a math major. She is intelligent and beautiful, yet shy and awkward with most people her age, having been picked on quite a lot while growing up. She worked at the snack bar and as a waitress at Brentwood Country Club during the summers where she met both E.J. and Kenny, who is a member at Brentwood and became her boyfriend and eventually her husband.
E.J. Budrowski: A 40ish alcoholic with a traumatic past (an abusive father and a mother driven to suicide) who is a caddie at Brentwood CC. One day he finds a dirty old golf ball on the edge of a pond that seems to have unusual powers, for he makes two holes-in-one with it. He and Abby become friends when she encourages him to take up both golf and bridge again after long layoffs. He finally quits drinking and returns to college.
Dana Griffin (nee Padgett): Grew up with Abby back in Butler. She is a bully and teased Abby unmercifully all the way through school. Coincidentally, 20 years later, she finds herself living in Altoona, where Abby lives, and joins the same country club as Abby.
Pays
one point
and 2 member cents. E.J. Budrowski: A 40ish alcoholic with a traumatic past (an abusive father and a mother driven to suicide) who is a caddie at Brentwood CC. One day he finds a dirty old golf ball on the edge of a pond that seems to have unusual powers, for he makes two holes-in-one with it. He and Abby become friends when she encourages him to take up both golf and bridge again after long layoffs. He finally quits drinking and returns to college.
Dana Griffin (nee Padgett): Grew up with Abby back in Butler. She is a bully and teased Abby unmercifully all the way through school. Coincidentally, 20 years later, she finds herself living in Altoona, where Abby lives, and joins the same country club as Abby.
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