Secrets Do Make Friends, and Save Squirrels: Another Glimpse into my Illustrious Career at Marietta Country Club {circa 1996}

Months passed before I realized why "Neil" from the golf shop was always in such an astounding mood. Early one morning I was coming back in after my first round on the beverage cart and he stopped me before I got up to the clubhouse.

"Kari," he shouted from behind a tree, "Ride over here...shhhh!"

As instructed, I rode over into the flower bed where he was standing. I then watched him grab a Gatorade can out of my cart and look around with a huge grin on his face.

"Why are you smiling like that?" I inquired.

"Watch this."

I watched as instructed while he dumped the entire can of Gatorade into the budding rosebushes. Then he opened a beer can and poured that beer into the empty Gatorade can.

I began to wonder if I was on film and this was a test. I doubted it after about three seconds, as it was only 1996 and we weren't that advanced.

He leaned over and kissed me right on the lips. Then he handed me two fifty dollar bills to keep quiet. My day was already looking up and it was only 7:45am. Well, sort of. My cart was now stuck on a root and I had to walk back to the clubhouse. They asked me what happened and I explained that I was trying to save a baby squirrel and just really needed some assistance.