August 23, 2024 Morning

Manistique, Michigan

August 23, 2024

2 PM

I went to Jack’s this morning hoping to get some healthy food for the day. I was expecting a rundown grocery store; instead Jack’s is large and as nice as any Harris Teeter. It had a great selection of premade sandwiches and salads (I went for a turkey and cheese sandwich for breakfast and a garden salad with chicken for dinner). Also bought some apples and red seedless grapes. And a Dr.

I then headed out of town toward Fox — but called an audible when I saw a golf course just outside of Manistique. That’s when it got weird. I went in the “pro shop” and asked the fellow at the counter if I could walk 9 holes (it’s a 9 hole course). $12 later I was ready to play. For some reason I mentioned I am from Virginia. The pro shop fellow said he is to. You guessed it — he used to live in Charlottesville. Left in 2017 because it got too expensive. While there, he was an EMT with the Charlottesville EMT. I asked him if he knew an older fellow named Preston. He did. Preston was the EMT who on August 25, 2016 responded to my 911 that I thought I might be having a heart attack. In my living room he confirmed I was not but wanted to take me to the hospital. If he had not done that, I wouldn’t be writing this right now.

I try not to think about that day much, but it still haunts me.

I had a cardiac arrest and then lost my girl

I survived but my heart never healed.

On a more upbeat and less dramatic note, the golf course turned out to be a real gem. Narrow fairways, tons of water, great turf on both fairways and greens. It took me several holes to get into a groove and trust my club selection and aim hitting into well-guarded greens. I was probably 3 over for the last six holes. As there was no driving range, I’m counting the first three holes as practice. 🤪

Rob, the pro shop fellow, said I was welcome to boondock at the golf course tonight. I’ll probably do that as it’s midafternoon and I’m enjoying my day in Manistique. Some real small towns are great; this one seems to be one of those.

Photos from my golf outing: