Extra Innings

Pep was coming up the cart path from the driving range when he saw Bobby go into the clubhouse. Pep was headed to his office just off the corridor that led from the golf shop to check on some usage statistics for range balls. The boxed supply of new balls in the corner of the cart barn was lower than he remembered before he and Bobby got sidetracked by the senior tour. Before he could bring up the purchase order file on his computer, Bobby burst into the office.

“Think you’re pretty funny, don’t you? Calling me and giving me a story about joining the tour.” Bobby threw himself into the visitor’s chair and continued talking.

Pep just let him go on for a while and then said, “I have no idea what you’re talking about, Bobby. Who called you?”

“It wasn’t really the guy himself. It was his secretary.”

“Okay, what was the secretary’s name?” said Pep, patiently.

“I forgot to ask her.”

Pep settled back in his chair and focused his attention on Bobby. “Okay, tell me from the beginning what the conversation was about. Everything you can remember, that is.”

Could this phone call be on the up-and-up?

Bobby said, “I think the guy’s name was Tim Benson. She called him Commissioner Benson, but I hung up before he came on the line.”

Commissioner of what? Before Bobby could answer, Pep had a flash of recognition. He had just finished reading an article in Golf Digest the previous night about the problems involved in conducting tournaments for the champions’ tour. That was a new name for Pep, who still referred to it as the senior tour. The article’s author was Tim Benson, the commissioner.

If this was a scam, Pep wanted to meet the perpetrator. Maybe it was even Johnny D. The quickest way to find out what this was all about was to call the secretary back.

“I didn’t get the number,” Bobby said sheepishly.

Pep took a minute to root around on his desk and find the magazine he had been reading the night before. The main number for the tour office was buried in the story credits. A few seconds later they had the secretary back on the line.

“We’re very sorry, ma’am,” Pep said. It appears that we—that is, Bobby Winston—was cut off during your last call. Our service here in Gary-Ville has been spotty lately, ever since the last storm went through.” Bobby stared at Pep. They hadn’t had a storm for weeks.

“That’s quite all right,” she said.