Everyone, including Reid, fell apart laughing. He listened to Buddy from then on and played the last two holes very well, parring both. Reid finished the back nine and decided to continue with the front nine immediately. He asked Stu to go to the snack bar and get hot dogs and sodas for everybody.
Stu caught up with them on the second hole. Nobody was behind them, so they sat and ate lunch right there on the tee box. As he finished, Reid said, “This is a first; I’ve never had a picnic on a tee box. Maybe we’ll start a new trend. What do ya think?” “Doubt it,” Stu mumbled with a mouthful. Done with lunch, Reid continued to play. By the fourth hole, he was in the zone. He birdied four, five and six, missing an eagle on six by inches. On the last three holes he shot par, birdie, par. He turned to the others and said, “Gentlemen, I think we’re going to be okay. If I can play like this for the rest of the week, this tournament is ours. You guys do your job and I’ll do mine. Buddy, if I stop listening to you, just hit me. Lightly of course, but hit me.”
“Do me a favor,” Buddy said. “Don’t disagree with me during the tour nament. I really would like you to win, and I don’t want to hit you. Although, I’ll admit there are times when I’d like to knock you out.” Reid laughed. “I’m sure.” They went back into the locker room to change shoes and clean up. Other pros were sitting around talking. As Reid walked by, he noticed that conversations would stop until he passed. Ordinarily, this would have pleased him. Today, it got on his nerves. He changed his shoes next to two golfers who had stopped talking when he sat. What the hell is this? he thought. Enough already. He quickly stepped up on the bench. Surprised, Joel said, “Now what the hell are you doing? Get down!” Reid disregarded him. “Can I please have everybody’s attention?” The room quieted. Joel and Stu quickly stood up on either side of him. “Look guys, I know you’re all trying to give me room, but this is ridiculous. You make me feel like I have a disease or something. Some of you might be nervous to play with me in the tournament. Some of you probably think I should back out. But if I don’t play, I’m just letting this bastard win. I’m sure you’ll agree, that’s not our style. We’re all winners in this room. We’ve worked damn hard to get here. We can’t let something like this beat us. Can we?” Nobody uttered a word. “Well, can we?” he repeated, louder. A few “no’s” were heard around the room. From the far side of the room, Howard Brock piped up, “He’s right, guys. We need to support Reid right now, not shut him out. If it were any of us, we’d want the support, right? Look, we may play hard against each other. We may not even like each other at times. But in a situation like this, we need to be a team, in a manner of speaking. We are each a member of an elite group, the PGA. We have a duty to support one another. Don’t you agree?”
One by one, the players started slowly clapping. Gradually, they all joined in, culminating in a thunderous applause. As the noise slowly died down, Reid continued, “Thank you, Howard. Thank you all. I am going to play in this tournament and, in spite of this bastard, I’m going to do my best to beat you all. I may be a little more irritable than usual, impossible as I know that may sound. But I will try to represent the PGA as professionally as possible. For those of you who have been on the receiving end of my wrath, please accept my apologies. If any of them are not in here right now, please convey my apologies to them. If they want to approach me, I will certainly tell them myself. Once again, thank you for your support this week, and may the best man win.”
The room once again erupted in applause and cheers. Many of the play ers walked up and shook hands with Reid or patted him on the back, wishing him luck, obviously more so with the lunatic than with the tournament. The competitive edge that always looms throughout a PGA gathering was temporarily laid to rest. It was an uncommon moment in the PGA. Reid walked over to Howard and shook his hand. “Thanks for the help.” “Hey, things are tough enough on tour. We don’t need to give each other a hard time. By the way, you are doing the right thing, and I would be happy to play with you this week,” Howard replied. “You’re one of a kind, Howard.” “Will you be at the dinner tonight?” Howard was referring to the sponsor’s pre-tournament buffet. “Rumor has it, Donny Peret is supposed to perform.” Concert tickets for acoustic rock musician, Donny Peret’s shows were near impossible to obtain. His music was loved by three generations.
“I’m not sure. It’s up to Jay Scott.” Reid glanced at Joel. “There may not be enough room for my security team, and Jay’s not about to let me go without them. I’ll either see you tonight or tomorrow. Either way, thanks again, and good luck on the golf course.” “Thanks, Reid.” “See ya later, man.”
Chapter 31
Reid went up to the lobby with Joel, Stu and the others on his tail. The room had the subtle scent of fresh flowers. To Reid’s surprise, Shane, Joan, Hunter, Jay and Buck were sitting there, waiting for him. “Hey, guys,” he said. “How’d you hit ‘em?” Hunter asked. “Let’s just say it was interesting out there today.” “That good, huh?” she said. “Well, if you must know, I started lousy and ended well. If I play the rest of the week like I played the last nine, I can take the tournament. We’ll see.” He turned to Jay. “What do you think about tonight’s festivities? Should we attend or not? As much as I prefer not, I really should be there.”
“I’d prefer not as well, but if they’ll make room for all of us, I guess we can go.”
“I’ll go ask the maitre d’. I’ll be right back.” He started to walk and the team went right with him. “Not even a moment’s peace, huh guys?” “Sorry, Reid, you’re stuck with us,” Joel said. “Yeah, I know, like glue,” Reid muttered, getting a little fed up. “Superglue,” Stu emphasized. Reid found the maitre d’ in the dining room and asked if there was room enough for his party. “The only way I can fit you in is at three tables back there.” The maitre d’ pointed. “That’ll be fine, thank you,” Reid said. The maitre d’ made the changes in his table assignment book. “All set,” he said. “Thanks,” Reid said. He turned and walked back to the lobby with the guys on his heels. “They’ve given us three tables in the back,” he told the group. That should be more then enough room for all of us. Dinner starts at 7. The entertainment starts at 8 and ends at 10. I need to go back to the hotel, and get a massage. Ladies, if you want to come back to the hotel I’ll treat you to facials, manicures and pedicures.”
Joan, Hunter and Shane all perked up. Shane said, “I’ve never turned down an offer like that before, and I’m not going to start now. Come to think of it, I’ve never gotten an offer like that. Come on, girls!”
Walking into the hotel a short time later, Jay said, “Everyone please be back here ready to leave by 6:45. I’d like to be discreet tonight, and a late entrance by a party of our size would draw too much attention.”