During this season of raw reality, we have all become a bit more introspective, and perhaps extra-spective in the process. We have sent money to victims of Katrina, opened our homes to refugees from Rita, and purchased more rubber wrist bands for various causes than I could ever count (my daughters’ rainbow arms are testimony!)

So why am I highlighting the following sequence, from today’s Damon Hack Presidents’ Cup report in the New York Time(all caps my own):

“Mickelson, who had lost eight of his last nine matches in the President and the Ryder Cups, teamed with Chris DiMarco to defeat Nick O’Hern and Tim Clark, 1 up.
Furyk and Fred Funk earned a halve against Hensby and Vijay Singh and Stewart Cink and David Toms, who is playing despite a recent hear ailment, fell to Mike Weir and Trevor Immelman, 6 and 5. Justin Leonard and Scott Verplank NOTCHED THE ONLY VICTORY FOR THE UNITED STATES TEAM, beating Appleby and Peter Lonard, 4 and 2.”

So, Mickelson and Chris DiMarco don’t play for the U.S.A.? Obviously Hack and the rest of us know that. The reason I point out this mistake is to correct it with the insertion of a single, two-syllable word: other. If it read ” … the only other victory …", it would be perfect.

How many times in our lives do people offend us by committing an offense as egregious as omitting a simple, two-syllable word? Yet off the handle we fly: road rage, shopping-cart rage, movie-line rage, web-rage, school bus-rage, and on and on and on reads the list. The list should read: random act of kindness, pay it forward, and so on.

So I’m glad that Damon Hack wrote a fine piece on the Prez Cup’s first day of competition. And I understand that we all make mistakes. So to the guy who cut me off coming out of the toll barrier, the lane is yours, bro. Enjoy the weekend.

Permalink Leave a comment

Bookmark/Search this post with: