Somewhere to Go, Some Difference to Make offers a collection of observations of one man's American journey presented in poetry and prose and told with humor, pathos, candor, and affection. Author Mark Kimball shares his insight on topics as wide-ranging as Secretariat and Billy the Kid, love and marriage, and the music of ABBA. His self-deprecating style is evident as he tackles such topics as college football, Thomas Jefferson, and many more, including a very special section on how to survive after graduation. To Thomas Jefferson You were often wrong And just as often slow, But history must be fair, Tom, And I forgave you long ago. Some only hear the darker words And never let them go, But I have heard the music, Tom, And I forgave you long ago. I hope they find the notes And someday feel the flow, But you changed the world forever, Tom, And I forgave, and learned to love you, Long ago.

Somewhere to Go, Some Difference to Make

A Book of ObservationsBy Mark D. Kimball

iUniverse, Inc.

Copyright © 2011 Mark D. Kimball
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4620-0117-0

Contents

The Road Hole.......................................................................1Serendipity.........................................................................5The Double Corona...................................................................8Big Red.............................................................................11Us..................................................................................12The Genesee Valley Hunt.............................................................13Lorraine............................................................................17Looking for Lincoln.................................................................18A Winter Surprise...................................................................19Jack................................................................................20The Postgame Interview..............................................................21Billy, Doc, and Wyatt...............................................................25Today...............................................................................26Amelia..............................................................................28To Thomas Jefferson.................................................................29When Did I Become Irrelevant?.......................................................31Another Thing That Only Happens to Me...............................................35For David...........................................................................37Gettysburg..........................................................................40Up with ABBA........................................................................45Harry Potter........................................................................47Pleasant Valley Manor...............................................................48Come to Me..........................................................................50Miss Roberts Saves the Day..........................................................51An Oldie but Goodie.................................................................52America, Oh, America................................................................55Grammy Has a Birthday...............................................................57Death Valley........................................................................58Cody Powell and Carson Wyatt........................................................60Stay the Course.....................................................................62Number One: Family and Friends......................................................65Number Two: Sense of Humor..........................................................67Number Three: Work..................................................................68Number Four: Money..................................................................69Number Five: Flexibility............................................................70Number Six: Take Calculated Risks...................................................71Number Seven: Diet and Exercise.....................................................72Number Eight: Interests.............................................................73Number Nine: Community Spirit.......................................................74Number Ten: Issues..................................................................75Epilogue............................................................................79Acknowledgments.....................................................................81

Chapter One

Reflections


Come along,
You brave men and daring women,
And we will go sailing with Ulysses!


Great work awaits,
As we ask the gods for guidance,
And fix our purpose
To serve goodness, truth, and beauty
In bold or quiet winds
And on still or foaming seas.

    The Road Hole

    Abraham Lincoln asked us to remember
    the better angels of our nature.
    On a smaller but still pertinent scale,
    true golfers know what he meant.

    Life may have its challenges, sad ironies,
    and unforeseen disasters, often stemming
    from good intentions and bad timing.

    But we keep going, moving forward
    with relentless optimism,
    celebrating the little victories along the way.

    Nowhere is this truer than the 17th hole
    at St. Andrews, the home of golf.
    After two encouraging critiques
    from my caddy—
    "There's a swing we won't be seeing
    in the textbook," followed by
    "Aye, laddie, we'll be sending the dogs
    in after that one"—I was in front of
    the famous bunker, surveying my sixth shot,
    trying to figure out
    how to stay out of the sand,
    from where you would need a periscope
    to see the pin,
    and avoid hitting the road,
    thus sending my ball to oblivion.

    A perfect lob wedge
    and one lovely putt later,
    I had a great seven, a triple bogey
    that still brings a smile to my face.
    That is when I learned that
    golf is a microcosm:

    It is success and failure, joy and sorrow,
    and proof that it is the struggle itself
    that ennobles and uplifts us.

    Even when the result is not as good
    as we had hoped,
    it is also usually true
    that things could have been much worse.

    And sooner or later,
    if we keep a clear head
    and a steady heart,
    we all have wonderful moments
    of pride and achievement:

    On the course,
    in the office,
    at home,
    everywhere.

    The seven becomes a birdie.
    You make that miraculous sale.
    You get that promotion.
    She says yes.
    Your children become happy adults.

    At the end of the day,
    the message of any carefully observed
    and honorably played
    round of golf
    is simply this:

    Life is good,
    Life is very good indeed.


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