Hole 3 of the Finch Gold Club supported a big sign next to the tee: Hole 3 is proudly adopted by the Reliable Insurance Group. We’re so reliable, it’s in our name!
The big sign featured neon lights that turned on in the evening, and none of the golfers could miss it as they passed by.
The problem was that once the golfers passed the sign, the hole itself was a disaster. The grass grew too long, trash rolled onto the fairway and a family of raccoons harassed anyone who hooked their tee shot left near the bushes.
Jimmy, the owner of the Finch Golf Club, sat in his golf cart and seethed. Jimmy was waiting for Tommy and Tammy, the insurance agents from the Reliable Insurance Group, who had adopted the hole. They were in charge of maintaining the hole, and Jimmy had already had to mow himself three times.
Tommy and Tammy arrived on foot and stood in front of their sign.
“Will you look at that sign?” Tommy said to Tammy. “It’s such a beautiful sign.”
“We did such a great job designing that sign,” Tammy agreed. The two just stared at the sign.
Jimmy got out of his car and walked over to the pair.
“Tommy, Tammy,” Jimmy began, but he was cut off.
“Jimmy, don’t you just love our sign?” Tommy asked.
“It’s a very nice sign.”
“Thanks for meeting us here. It’s a good reminder that we built a great sign,” Tammy said.
“I did not call you here about the sign,” Jimmy said. “Walk over to the tee with me.”
The insurance agents walked towards him, but they kept their eyes on the sign. When they met Jimmy at the tee, he asked them to look at the golf hole.
“Oh yes, we also adopted this golf hole,” Tommy said, looking at it. He noted the trash and the raccoon family. “I remember it being nicer.”
“It was nicer,” Jimmy said.
“Well, why aren’t you taking better care of it?” Tammy asked.
“Because you adopted the hole. You’re supposed to take care of it.”
Tammy and Tommy looked at each other and shook their heads. Tommy said, “I don’t think that’s right.”
“This was the whole agreement,” Jimmy said. “You put up the sign in exchange for taking care of the hole.”
“I mean, it’s not like we have to pick up trash from the piece of road we adopted,” Tammy said.
“Actually, you’re supposed to pick up the trash,” Jimmy said. “It makes your company look bad if an adopted stretch of road is a mess. It makes your sign look bad if the hole is in sorry shape. If you can’t start taking care of the hole, I’m taking down the sign.”
Both Tammy and Tommy looked horrified.
“Well, can we borrow your lawn mower?” Tommy asked.
“Yes. In the short term, you can borrow a lawn mower.”
“Great, tell him to get started on this hole.”
“No, I am the person who mows. I will lend you the lawn mowing machine.”
“But who will mow?” Tammy asked.
The Finch Golf Club is part of a series, you can read other entries here.