A Day at The Tradition

　　Several years ago I was diagnosed with cancer. It was the most difficult time I have ever faced. I think it was my sense of humor that allowed me to hold onto my sanity¹. Like many people who have gone through chemotherapy, I lost all of my hair and I was bald as a cue ball. I always had enjoyed wearing hats, so when my hair deserted² me, I ordered several special hats with the hair already attached. It was easy and I never had to worry about how my hair looked.

　　I have always been a big golf fan. In fact, I have been to twenty-three straight U.S. Opens. At one point during my cancer treatments, my husband John and I decided³ to get away from the cold Minnesota winter and took a trip to Scottsdale, Arizona. There was a Senior PGA Tour event called The Tradition being played, and that seemed like just the ticket to lift my spirits.

　　The first day of the tournament brought out a huge gallery. It was a beautiful day, and I was in heaven. I was standing⁴ just off the third tee, behind the fairway ropes, watching my three favorite golfers in the world approach the tee box: Jack⁵ Nicklaus, Raymond Floyd and Tom Weiskopf.

　　Just as they arrived at the tee, the unimaginable happened. A huge gust⁶ of wind came up from out of nowhere and blew my hat and hair right off my head and into the middle of the fairway! The thousands of spectators lining⁷ the fairway fell into an awkward silence, all eyes on me. Even my golf idols⁸ were watching me, as my hair was in their flight path. I was mortified⁹! Embarrassed as I was, I knew I couldn't just stand there. Someone had to do something to get things moving again.

　　So I took a deep breath, went under the ropes and out into the middle of the fairway. I grabbed my hat and hair, nestled them back on my head as best I could. Then I turned to the golfers and loudly announced, "Gentlemen, the wind is blowing from left to right."

　　They said the laughter could be heard all the way to the nineteenth hole.

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