Fate

 

The calm before the storm?

fate [ feyt ]

noun

1. the development of events beyond a person's control, regarded as determined by a supernatural power.

I'm more of what you would call a spiritual fellow.

I buy into fate.

Wow, did it deal some cards yesterday.

I had an early appointment in the morning that I had to make so, despite having been out to call the Gades and getting home after midnight, I was in the car and (grumpily) on the road by 7 a.m.

Over an hour later, I sat in beautiful Fairfield, CT where I could get some wifi and crank out the daily reports for Steve Gliner (and me, for that matter).

Wisely, I had packed my trusty Zoom Podtrax P4 in case Zach Neubauer wanted to record "Rob's Roundup." I'm always toting some equipment around just in case a call falls in my lap.

Huh. Keep that in mind. #Preparation

I expected to go to Fairfield, do things around Fairfield County, then buzz home, pick up Sean (maybe record "Rob's Roundup" there) and head to Dutchess Stadium.

Along came fate, part one. Kevin Devaney, Jr texted me about the FCIAC baseball championship. I knew Greenwich and Fairfield Warde were the participants and I was on the call when Greenwich and Fairfield (pre-"new" Warde) met in the 2004 title game.

It seemed crazy for me but I knew Kevin was in a bind. Could I get to Stamford, call the game, get back to Mahopac, pick up Sean, and get to Dutchess Stadium AND keep my sanity?

I had equipment. I had a headset, the P4, a larger mixer if needed, other microphones and cables, etc.

I asked Susan and, at first, she was supportive of whatever I thought was best. I could read between the lines and, finally, she admitted to me that she thought I should do it.

I admit I've felt a little left behind by the FCIAC and just wondered if it was over. I'm still not convinced it's not over.

But, fate. I got to work on building up my knowledge base of Greenwich and Warde and always had my reserve of 20 years of FCIAC baseball knowledge. I was in.

So onto Stamford I went, struggling in the Memorial Day weekend holiday traffic.

I made my way into Cubeta Stadium where I was greeted by FCIAC Commissioner Dave Schulz.

"You've got a voice!" I said.

"Not just any voice," he replied. "The best voice!"

I was flying high now. I was bouncing like that GIF of WWE Chairman Vince McMahon.

I wrote the lineups. I had the rosters. I had notes from Greenwich, thanks to former player Luc Thibeault and Zach Karson.

I felt like Sally Field. “This time I feel it. And I can’t deny the fact that you like me. Right now, you like me!”

Someone asked where I have been. I'm still here, friends. I'm here for any school or organization that wants me. I treasure the games and these years. 

I know it's fleeting and, today, that's all over, but it felt great at the moment. So I called the game, working with the great DJ Furano as my trusty cameraman. 

Warde beat Greenwich 9-0. I know Cardinals fans are disappointed and maybe even upset at me but I try to give the fairest broadcast possible. I like both schools and, regardless, I have to be impartial. Only my knowledge of GHS can lean the needle slightly, but I had Shawn Sailer on standby in case more Warde info was needed.

People texted me and messaged me throughout the day, making me feel like I was an old friend who had come home. They were beyond kind.

In the meantime, I had already heard that the Renegades game might be off. Nobody minded that I was calling the FCIAC and they knew I'd fly to the stadium, but the stress could be lightened with a delay and/or postponement.

I got the text that the Gades game was off before the FCIAC game was over. That changed the tenor of the day entirely.

Again, fate.

I knew there would be a party in Darien at 5 p.m. to honor Susan. It had been a source of friction all week. She likes the attention on the newspaper and the stories but never on her. Worst of all, the one person she might have wanted there (I could be wrong) would be in a booth in Wappingers Falls. No question I was bummed about that.

But now, as it was past 3:30, there it was like a hanging curveball. It was already on my mind before she texted me.

"Can you come today then?"

Of course, I could. I was already planning on it. I texted Sean, told him I'd order him dinner, texted Jeff Semancik at Z93 and told him to prepare for a doubleheader on Saturday, and met Susan in Darien.

Despite her reservations, I tried to get a few other friendly faces to wander to the party as a late surprise. I never wanted her to go through this alone if only to have someone to lean on.

I joked that I'd speak at the party. Shockingly, Darien first selectman Jayme Stevenson had already asked.

The party was quite nice, even with Susan's modest reservations. Friday, May 28th, 2021 was named "Susan Shultz Day" in Darien. A proclamation from the CT General Assembly was also read by State Rep. Terrie Wood.

(Note: I had predicted both of those things)

But this was far more than political types speaking. The outpouring of love was amazing and something that her former employers at Hearst should have to hear and have smothered on their eyelids.

Her former intern spoke. The owner of the Darien News Store made sure to visit and was too visibly emotional to speak. Other people whom Susan had impacted spoke of their love for her. A note was read from the Darien police department.

What could I add?

Fate.

Fate that I was there. Fate that I knew so much about the ins and outs of the Darien Times and the town. 

I didn't even get into the fate of our friendship, which started because she knew I was the one person at the Wilton Bulletin who would actually respond to her about stories.

It finally hit me, as I knew Susan would not speak -- and she made that clear -- that I was sort of her...wait for it..."voice."

Yes. Me. "The Voice of Susan."

"What would she say?" John Sini asked me.

I kept it simple.

"She'd say, 'Thank you, Darien.'"

She'd want to thank you for allowing her to tell your stories.

She cried. I tried not to.

People hugged and said it was the party with the most soul they'd ever been to.

Fate poured down like the drenching rain outside that I walked through, carrying the proclamations and gifts back to my car.

Fate got me back home.

I doubt I'll ever appreciate a rainstorm more than last night.