Guilt Trip, Oscar Style

After the third week in a row of showing up for softball practice and being only one of three people to show up, I decided some drastic action might be required. I sent this little parable to my team mates:

Once upon a time there was a softball team. The team was okay but had lots of room for improvement so they decided to practice. The team was supposed to practice on Thursdays at the Grecian Heights softball fields at 6:00 pm.

One Thursday at practice time the weather was cold and cloudy. Two players showed up at the practice field and waited for their teammates to arrive. They already knew that the team manager wasn't feeling well and couldn't practice that day, but they couldn't figure out where the rest of the team was. "Maybe it's too cold for practice," said the first one. "Maybe it's too cloudy for practice," said the second one. A little disappointed, they returned to their cars and went home.

The next week at practice time the weather was not too cold but there was the faintest trace of of rain. The same two players showed up at the field and this time the manager was there too, feeling better and ready to play. They waited and waited but none of the rest of the team showed up. "Maybe it's too rainy to play," said the first one. "But its hardly raining at all, I don't get it," said the second. "Lets go home, hopefully it will be better next week," said the manager. So again, they returned to their cars and went home.

The next week at practice time the weather was very nice. It was eighty-five degrees and there was not a cloud in the sky. Still, the only people who showed up to practice were the three who were there the week before. Scratching their heads, they tried to figure out why no one had showed up. "Maybe it's too hot to play softball," said the first. "Maybe it's too sunny to play softball," said the second. "Lets go home," said the manager. "Hopefully it will be better next week." When they reached the parking lot, they were suprised to find that a fairy had turned all of their cars into Ferraris.

The End

The moral of the story is twofold.
1. We don't have an air-conditioned practice facility with a roof. Sorry.
2. No, you can't drive my Ferrari. It's your fault you weren't there on the day the Ferrari fairy visited the parking lot.

The day I sent this out, some of my team felt guilty and wanted to schedule an impromptu practice that afternoon.

Four people showed up.