On Saturday, I stopped by Sarah’s house after services to pick up Jake, who was due for some one-on-one time with Aunt Meryl. Our projects for the weekend: To find two missing items in a bunch of clutter, a postcard with a friend’s new phone number on it, and a $50 gift card that I misplaced. Also to play a lot of video games. I am proud to say we accomplished all of our goals.
But the most surprising moment of the weekend was the lacrosse thing. Nate, Jake’s next-youngest brother, is determined to try pretty much all major sports before he gets out of school. Lacrosse is his latest. When I arrived, Nate and Larry were practicing, and Larry asked me if I’d like to try it. I must not have looked too thrilled, because before I could say yes or no Larry said, “Okay, you’re not interested.”
“No, I’ll try it,” I said. “But let me put on my sneakers first.” (So glad I put my sneakers in the car. I hate wearing shoes, even only for a few hours, and often leave sneaks in the car to change into.) So Larry instructed me in how to hold a lacrosse stick, which I knew I would need to hold left-handed without even trying. I play all games requiring the holding of a stick, with the exception of tennis, left-handed. I bat left and throw right, I hold a golf club and hockey stick lefty, and now, lacrosse. That’s because my dad taught me how to play sports, and he was a lefty.
So the biggest surprise of all: We tossed the ball around for a while. Long, short, fast, slow. It was fun, but catching the ball wasn’t very easy. I didn’t think I was doing all that well until Larry said, “You’re a natural at this.”
Hey, I finally found that missed calling! I guess I should have played lacrosse in high school instead of trying out for (and not getting on) the softball team. But then, I’m betting there was no girls’ lacrosse team when I was in high school.
So now I’ve decided that I will practice lacross with Nate every time I get over there in the daylight. Because it’s fun. Because he needs to practice. And because, apparently, I’m good at it. Who knew?
Finding a new skill in your fifties is awesome.
You did very well and the kids love playing with you.
I remember the description of lacrosse that Roger Hall put into his spy novel “19.” He wrote that the two Ivy League teams shook hands then spent the rest of the afternoon trying to put each other in the hospital. It sounded a bit like hockey, only violent.
The Army once named a tactical nuclear missile the Lacrosse.
I’m told that women’s lacrosse is a non-contact sport. I can tell you that the sticks make it much harder to catch and control the ball. More skill is required. And I am very proud to say that it didn’t take me long to master a women’s lacrosse stick, either. I do believe I’ve found my calling. Too bad it’s too late.