New Story Idea

I heard a story the other day while playing golf about golf clubs being stolen right off the golf cart as the foursome was on the green putting. It happened in Las Vegas, where apparently, the economy is so bad that it's a wonder the thieves didn't steal the whole golf cart, clubs and all.

The course where this happened has fairways that run along a major highway. Thieves park their vans on the shoulder of the highway and watch for golfers who park their carts on the cart path close to the highway. When the golfers are on the green engrossed in trying to put the little white ball in the little green hole, the thieves run out from their hiding places, grab the golf bags off the carts, race back to their van, and speed off down the highway. It's likely that the golfers have left their cell phones in their golf bags, so they won't be able to call 911 until they get back to the clubhouse and by then, their golf clubs are already being advertised on Craig's List.

I am writing a short story based on this. It's about a guy who has his golf bag stolen in this way and can't let it go, because among his clubs is his favorite wedge. He buys new clubs and tries playing a few rounds without the wedge, but his game is in the toilet and just no fun anymore. He becomes obsessive about finding the wedge and begins haunting pawn shops, golf driving ranges that sell consignment clubs, Good Will stores, and the like. He also checks eBay and Craig's list, but is overwhelmed by the quantity of golf clubs being auctioned on line. He's spending all his free time hunting for the wedge and neglecting his work, his health -- everything.

The story will be about loss. It turns out that my protagonist, call him 'Jim,' has recently been divorced. His wife got the house and the pool. Jim got to keep his dog, but soon after the divorce, the dog is diagnosed with some fatal dog disease and has to be put down. In the meantime, Jim's knee has started acting up -- an old football injury -- and he has to have ACL surgery. No more mountain biking for Jim, and his ex-wife has the pool, so swimming is out. Well, he'll be damned if he's going to lose that wedge on top of everything else!

That's basically the plot and theme. I think it has promise.