Saturday, September 1, 2012

It's Saturday on Tybee

Sarah ran a 5K this morning at Fort Pulaski. I had a Screwdriver and cheered her on. She is beautiful ... wearing a white sports bra, tight blue shorts ... she may have been wearing shoes on ... I don't know. I had running shorts on too ... red ones with my black University of Georgia football shirt and flip-flops. "You don't look like you're taking this seriously," Pat Monahan yelled as he stretched. Pat is the Assistant County Manager, a serious runner, and we go way back ... decades back! We partnered on many different projects through the years and I admire the hell out of him. His only draw back is that he is a University of Florida fan. I raised my glass and explained that I was there to support my wife. "Hey Sarah," Dave Paddison said as he strolled up. We chatted for a while as the two of them got ready to run. David and I go back too though his Dad and I are closer. Bob Paddison is a Savannah icon ... a banker during the Civil Rights movement he did all of the right things at the right time in the right place. We helped started the Homeless Authority together. He went on to become a teacher of photography for kids in trouble. Bob's one of my heroes and even if David was unlikeable ... which he's not ... he'd be hard not to love because of his Dad. A cannon fired and the race was off. Finally, I had a few minutes to myself. Turning around a reporter from WTOC was standing in front of me. "How's retirement?" she asked. "It's a lie," I said, "started by a Board Chair who chooses to remain anonymous." "Jerry Rainy?" she asked. "How did you know?" "I read your blog," she said walking away to cover the Run for Jane. Finishing my drink, I positioned myself to cheer Sarah on when she finished the race. Sure enough, she burst through the woods at a fast clip ... being chased by seven men in full military gear including backpacks. Apparently they were on maneuvers but when Sarah ran by they got new orders and were trying to run her down. Kissing my sweaty wife, she collapsed in the grass to collect herself. After a few moments of sweet release ... with seven sweaty members of the Military hovering nearby, probably trying to figure out if they could take me out so they could take her ... we held hands and strolled to the car. It was 9:30 and the day has already been a full one as we drove back to Tybee Island. And we haven't even gotten to the beloved DAWGS of the University of Georgia yet! Does it get any better than this?