Most of the other players would have probably overlooked her lack of ability, however she made it even worse by having a horrible attitude when she messed up. It was the pticher's fault, it was the coach's fault. If was everyone's fault except Jenny's.
The league was sponsored by the Optimist Club and coached by some of the players' fathers. All the parents would hold their breath whenever Jenny was up to bat. We all knew she would not hit the ball and start complaining. I felt for her some, because I had zero talent, but I only played when I forced to and knew it was my lack of talent that made me lousy in any sports when I was young.
Right before school started that year, Jenny went for a routine school physical so she could play in some other sport during the school year.
A simple routine physical.
The doc didn't like what he was sensing. Tests ordered. And they found a brain tumor that had not yet developed any symptoms.
They performed surgery to remove the tumor. And Jenny was left with a severe inability to move most of her right side.
After she recovered, she walked as if she was falling with every step of her right foot. She could move her right hand, but in doing so, left no doubt she would be struggling for the rest of her life. But the surgery had saved her life.
The next summer she again showed up to the Girl's Optimist Softball League.
But she was no longer the old Jenny.
All the parents sat back and held their breath when she got up to bat. Everyone had remembered her from the prior years and now with some fairly severe disabilities, no one knew what to expect.
Of course she missed a couple. And everyone was surprised when she would start laughing if she missed. We all wondered what happened to Jenny? She stood there now after going through an incredible year and just when you expected her attitude to be bad, she was laughing. And enjoying herself.
When she got a hit, she would attempt to run as fast as she could. Of course most times, she didn't make it, but she would just smile and walk off the field.
Surviving a brain tumor changed her. Being saddled with a disability seemed to have allowed Jenny to enjoy life.
I still remember one attempt to run to the base left her falling and rolling along the baseline. There was a collective gasp when she didn't appear to be able to get up. But then we realized why. She was laughing so hard, she couldn't. When she finally got done being tickled about wiping out in the game, she got up, brushed the dirt off and laughed all the way back to the dugout.
I had almost forgotten about Jenny until I was driving past her dad's business yesterday. He has a yard sign that he uses for his business.
Yesterday the sign read, "Congratulations Jenny on becoming an RN. ".
The sign made me smile thinking about her.
You just never know what kind of tragedy in your life might just change it forever. And sometimes it actually might be for the better in a lot of ways.
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