Sport’s Stuff

By GARY ARRINGTON Sports writer

Sometimes we get surprised. I did just the other day. By whom was actually another surprise because I had this misconception, I guess, that I knew everything there was to know about my wife.
As a sports writer, I find myself constantly going to sporting events so that I can efficiently and correctly write about the sport I am actually writing about.
At the last swimming event held here at home I went and watched. What a surprise to me, but this was a different surprise and not the original surprise of the story. This surprise was how exciting the races were. Who would have guessed? Not me.
Towards the end of the meet, my wife showed up. She too was impressed with both the races and the facility. She had never been to a swimming meet before. By the time the meet was over she was ready to put on a swimming suit and jump in to race.
Jackie is a natural born swimmer; I am a natural born anchor. Too her, swimming in the ocean is fun, to me, swimming in the ocean is survival. When we go snorkeling, I have all sorts of protection to keep me afloat and I don’t care what I look like. I just want to live.
But this all was not the surprise I was talking about. This is, later that same night; I was going to the Emery-Altamont wrestling match. I asked her if she wanted to go with, but I knew the answer could and would be no because she had something better to do. Not sure what it was, I was just sure that it was better. To my surprise, again, she said sure and off we went.
After having been surprised all day long, I finally got to the surprise that started this whole thing. After the match, she walked up to me and said, “It surprised me how fun this was. Those matches were good. This is much better that wrestling tournaments with the little kids.”
She liked the atmosphere with the spotlights and music. She liked it. I am not sure if Jackie will go again but it would not surprise me if she does.
Jackie or I am not alone in liking things that we normally would not go to. Sometimes we just have to get out of our ruts and venture out and be amazed at the adventures we can find.
There is a lot going on here at home on almost any given day. Get out and live a little. Support the local schools, it will make you feel better and you will have fun. You too may be surprised.