The Straggler
Blake Renner breathed in the crisp autumn air and took a few practice swings before addressing the ball he’d placed on the tee. He was a straggler at the Towering Pines Golf Course, killing time at the driving range as he waited for a page to join a threesome.
He’d awoken feeling exhilarated. The blaze of colors in the trees and the freshness of the air had called to him, so driving out to the golf course had been a no-brainer. None of his friends liked to golf, so he often found himself showing up at the course, hoping to join a group that arrived short a player. He usually managed to get in after a brief wait.
He stepped up to the tee and swung his driver, connecting solidly with the ball. It landed about two hundred and fifty yards out. Not bad. He’d hooked it slightly,
