October Leaves (Playing Golf in North Dakota‪)‬

Leaves covered the parking lot in red and gold. A light mist was pasting them to the asphalt. Henry parked the pick-up right in front of the sign that said Veteran's Hospital. He turned off the motor and sat for a minute. He didn't know what was wrong with the Old Man, something to do with the diabetes, he guessed, but mostly it seemed more like the Old Man had just decided to quit. Henry should have been a better son and paid more attention after his mother died, but a part of him felt that the Old Man had already used up more of him than he had a right to. As he wondered what he might say to his father, Henry began to feel an invigorating chill, the kind he had loved as a kid. He remembered October days were great golf days, even in Minnesota. Most of the club members quit playing after Labor Day when the bowling leagues started. Henry and the Old Man could leave the rack room open and lock the pro shop and head out to the links. Most days they would have the course pretty much to themselves. He had shot most of his best scores playing with his father. Henry understood later, long after he grew up, that he played well because his father would tell him which club to use. He could just relax and hit it.