I kept expecting Todd Fuhrman to pull up driving the Indian River gator last Tuesday. There was softball. There was more than one game to cover. And Point photographer Chris Clark couldn’t help me shoot because of some kind of Seacrets Senior Citizen Day, or something or another. It was, more or less, exactly like spring.
But despite the familiar feeling I got filling up the tank to drive my trusty Subaru all across Sussex County once again, I also got to look into the future of Indian River softball — when not one, but two Lower Sussex Little League teams clinched District III championships.
With one of those games in Georgetown, the other in Greenwood, and my knack for forgetting important things like press passes, keys, birthdays, meetings, etc., etc., needless to say, my Tuesday got a little crazy — and went a little something like this…
6:13 p.m.
Keys? Check. Wallet? Check. Phone? Check… my texts, email, Instagram, funny YouTube videos my friends had been sending me… and now it’s 6:23 p.m.
6:57 p.m.
I’m actually making pretty decent time, which I chalk up to not taking Route 26 for once. Run into former Indians’ star forward and current Wesley Wildcat forward Jaevon “B.B.” Holland in the car next to me at a light in Georgetown (not literally). Surprisingly, he is not texting and driving, which up until 6:47 p.m. last Tuesday I was sure all people his age did constantly. Unsurprisingly, he tells me he’s going to play basketball.
7:06 p.m.
Chris has now been back from Seacrets for three hours, has caught the early-bird special at Applebee’s and has fallen asleep while watching “Matlock” and writing a birthday check to his nephew for $12.
7:18 p.m.
The Georgetown Little League complex is packed. There’s green and gold, and whatever colors Nanticoke is, everywhere — and of course, the name “Bomhardt” is being called over the loudspeaker. [Our editor notes that Tripp finally spelled that name right this time.] Even though I’m late, the lighting is perfect, and I’ve got plenty of time to get some shots and get to Greenwood or Greenland, or wherever I’m going next. There’s only one problem… I forget my memory card.
7:25 p.m.
Traffic around the Georgetown Circle is a nightmare, but I calm down a little when the new Taylor Swift song — I mean, er, the Rolling Stones come on the radio.
7:31 p.m.
Traffic in Aisle 12 of the Georgetown Walmart is every bit as packed as the Georgetown Circle. I weave past a herd of people driving those motorized carts (one of who looks suspiciously like Chris Clark) and scramble to the electronics department, grab the first memory card I spot, and throw down some cash without checking whether or not it’s compatible with my camera.
7:37 p.m.
More traffic. More Taylor Swift. The memory card package won’t open, even when I try yelling at it a little, so I somehow wrangle my pocket knife from under my seat and cut it open while I’m driving. Surprisingly, I arrive back at the stadium uninjured.
7:42 p.m.
I make it back for the fourth inning, which, as fate would have it, is a good one. The name “Bomhardt” sounds over the loudspeaker again [and our editor notes that Tripp has now spelled it correctly twice in a row] after a blast to center puts LSLL up 1-0 and sparks a five-run rally. I actually spell the name right, since I recently found out I’d been putting an extra B in there for about two years now. [Our editor decides it’s no longer amusing to make fun of Tripp’s spelling errors and start feeling sorry for all of his English teachers.]
8:02 p.m.
Siri, is being a reallllll pill again. Apparently, she has no idea where Greentown is either.
8:28 p.m.
I think I’m going the wrong way on Route 13, so I turn around.
8:34 p.m.
I think I’m going the wrong way on Route 13, so I turn around. Again.
8:40 p.m.
People pumping gas at the Bridgeville Royal Farms are starting to give me strange looks.
8:58 p.m.
I finally make it to the game, no thanks to Siri. Surprisingly, I didn’t forget my memory card, which is a relief, because even though I’m new to town, I’m fairly certain that Greenville doesn’t have a Walmart. Even more surprising, there’s plenty of game left to be played. Most surprisingly, this softball team is Bomhardt-less.
9:16 p.m.
The news of the Major Leaguers’ 8-1 victory to clinch the district hits the bleachers.
9:37 p.m.
The Junior Leaguers clinch their own district title after a timeout conversation in the bottom of the seventh that looked pretty intense but that I would later find out was about ice cream.
9:39 p.m. to 10:21 p.m.
Photos, photos, and more photos. Back in Fenwick, Chris Clark has woken up from his “Matlock” nap, finished writing that $12 check and is currently looking for people to yell at to get off his lawn.
10:23 p.m.
Siri has no idea when the last time was that two different LSLL softball teams won the district but has a feeling that someone in the Lyons family does.
10:34 p.m.
Yes, Town of Bridgeville, I know that if I lived here that I would be home right now.
10:48 p.m.
Hit the Hardee’s drive-through pretty hard on the way back to the office (not literally), and turn the radio station from Taylor Swift when run into some LSLL’ers in line. I have no idea how it ended up on that station.
11:16 p.m.
Why did I take 26?
11:25 p.m.
I’ve got the office to myself, and while cranking some Seger and recreating the scene from “Risky Business” when Tom Cruise slides out into the living room in his socks seems like a good idea, I’ve got photos to upload.
11:48 p.m.
Leave a note for Chris about toning the softball photos, since sometimes he has trouble with emails and technology and things like that.
11:52 p.m.
Why did I take 26?
Midnight to 1:16 a.m.
Start writing a “Tripple Overtime” about my crazy Tuesday while I start to wonder why I ever thought stopping at Hardee’s at 11 o’clock at night would be a good idea. I set my alarm for 5 a.m. With all that running around, and all that softball action to get in the paper, it sure feels a lot like spring…