At a State Softball Championship many years ago, I won a game with two in the park home runs. I batted in a total of 7 runs with those two hits. That was the first game we played that weekend. Surprising everyone, Acton won the State Championship. This event would not be noteworthy except for the fact that I had never hit a home run ever. And I was nursing one of the worse hangovers I had ever had the pleasure of experiencing. The previous night at the campground I had stayed up all night with a friend from the Netherlands who was visiting us in Maine. We swapped shots of Tequila for a few hours and then switched to Sour Mash. About 4 AM I passed out I guess. I hit the home runs some 4 hours later. The rest of the weekend of ball and beer, I played the best softball of my life. I was in the Zone. I batted close to .700 for the series and even played inspired defense behind the plate.Fast forward or slow forward, take your pick - Awards time for the State Championship. I stood there in the line up of poorly uniformed white guys from Acton waiting for our trophies. I knew one player on our team would be highlighted with a "Most Valuable Player" award for being the best of the best. To be honest, I expected the award. I wanted the award. Everyone on the team expected me to get the award.
I did not get it. I will always remember that moment. One of the few times my efforts were way above average and I was snubbed. Our "coach" was not my biggest fan. He instead pushed for another player on the team to get it for his "overall efforts throughout the season".
I got over it. It was only adult softball ferchrisakes. But what I took away from it was the knowledge that if you expect to be slapped on the back, often times you get smacked in the mouth. Life is a crap shoot and I should never ever think I am deserving of anything more than a how ya doin or maybe someone holding a door for me as I enter with my hands full. My sense of entitlement is well muzzled.
The recent attention brought to me through a couple of blog awards brought this moment of my past back. Doc and now Mauigirl have given me some much appreciated but unexpected recognition of all the time I have spent writing what's inside me. Rather than go on about how much I think I don't deserve this or don't deserve that, I will just say Mauigirl, thank you very much. You have made my day. I mean that.This one has rules of engagement. Simple rules thankfully. I am requested to pass it along to four other blogs I feel are deserving of recognition. Simple in the request maybe, but not so simple in the execution. But let's give it a shot.
Carlita - a Maine blogger now living in the belly of the beast we call DC
Yooper In Crackerland - Just cuz he shares a Mainers dislike of strangers in his driveway.
The Frumpy Professor - A man who refuses to allow his demons to get the better of him.
Snave over to Various Ecstasies - A sensible and level headed guy from Oregon struggling to make sense of shoe trees and such.
Keep it 'Tween the Ditches........................
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6 comments:
Congratulations on your Award. Well deserved.
And hey... I'm Sicilian. Do you want me to "take care of" that coach for you? :P
((Hugs))
Laura
You are one of the very best bloggers out there. You richly deserve this award. On the rare day I go snooping around the blogosphere, you are my first stop. I know it's been a long time since you've seen me here, but I do creep around here when no one's looking and you never disappoint.
I never got into sports as a youth or an adult, other than some stock car racing. Did pretty good in it even with minor hangovers, held high points.
One morning I got to the track without one and set the track record and won my three races that day, go figure.
You seem to like awards so I'll award you an icey cold beer, or drink of your choice.
...my efforts were way above average and I was snubbed. Our "coach" was not my biggest fan.
During a field training exercise out at Fort Irwin a freaking two-star general came to my position to inspect it. I was the team chief of a two man team with my gunner being some twenty year-old dumbass who couldn't pee outside without being told to go behind a tree or rock.
The general comes up to inspect while I'm on the radio talking with my platoon leader. When I join the the group going over the foxhole I dug all by myself cause a few days before my gunner had a boo-boo requiring a trip to the rear for a bandaid the general heaped all sorts of praise on my gunner.
Long story short, the two-star never really acknowledged my presence and after he drove away my gunner thought he could walk on water. So I really understood:
...what I took away from it was the knowledge that if you expect to be slapped on the back, often times you get smacked in the mouth.
Life is a bitch, but you drive on.
Congrats on your award and THANK YOU for passing it along to me!!
I know how you feel about not receiving credit for your hard work. There have been a number of times when my co-workers thought I should get promoted to lead-man or something because of my knowledge and workmanship and it would go to someone else. Such is life, we survive.
It's a good thing you're not Sicilian, I presume, because then I'd think that this was a passive-aggressive way of warning us not to cross you, lest we incur the wrath of a steel softball bat in the form of a pithy internets screed.
A toast to you, sir.
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