Family Of Champions And Leaders
Darlene Forsythe
Broomall, Pennsylvania
Monday November 26, 2007
It was an unusually dark and rainy late November morning to the start of the new week after the Thanksgiving holiday.
Darlene Forsythe was standing in the trophy den of her parents Daniel and Deidra Forsythe, gazing at their awards and trophies that they received while playing sports in college and the pros.
With a cup of coffee in one hand and a half eaten apple in the other hand, Darlene started looking at her dad’s Charles Creighton College Athletic Award and the Max Lingenfelter College Football Player Of The Year for 1970 while playing for the undefeated National Champions Villanova University.
Just then her dad walked into the den. Silently standing there watching his oldest daughter gazing upon his illustrious trophies.
“Well, good morning, you’re up early and raring to go."Daniel Forsythe said, greeting his daughter.
Chewing on a bite of the apple, then swallowing, Darlene said, “Yes, it just makes me proud to be your daughter."
“So are you reflecting on your own glories, now that you are retiring from the women’s golf tour and now you’re joining your mom, myself, Denise and Debbie in this new women’s baseball league business venture that we all signed on too."
“I’ve accomplished about as much as I am able to.” Darlene said, then added, “Especially in the relatively short time, I’ve dominated enough, it’s time for someone else on the women’s tour to take the lead.”
“So, are you going to continue for awhile yet to work for the marketing agency?” Daniel asked his daughter.
Darlene, taking another bite out of the apple, mulling over her reply while chewing, then replied, “Oh, probably until the end of the year, unless, you need me to just go ahead and join you and mom to settle on the details for this venture.”
“Well, lets see what happens”, Daniel said, then added, “I am sure that your expert analysis will be very helpful.”
Finishing eating her apple, Darlene went to the kitchen , threw the apple core in the trash can, then came back into the den, then Darlene said, “Frankly, If it was not for me, Deane Abbott would not even have much of any business, as I am responsible for 80% of his business clientele, I am the one who helped build his business, so the sooner I join you and mom in your company operations, the more, the better.”
“Also, you have to include being engaged to Deane Abbott twice within several years,” Daniel added.
“Let’s not discuss that situation, please." said Darlene, now thoroughly annoyed about the change in subject.
Then Darlene said, “Yeah, Deane is always having to call me, because when a client approaches him, more than likely they will not do any business with him unless I am in the mix.”
Then Darlene added, “Most of the marketing honors that the agency has been bestowed, is only because I was the one mainly involved.”
Daniel said proudly to his daughter, “You’re “World Class” in every way possible”.
Darlene smiled when she heard her dad’s compliment.
Then Darlene told her dad, “Yes, it’s starting to get late, I need to get going up the road and head on home, then see what awaits me.”
Just at that moment, Darlene’s mom Deirdra, walked into the den, then apple to her daughter saying, “Looks like you’re ready to get rolling’, hugging Darlene she said, “well, let me give you a kiss, too.”
“Yes, I really need to”, replied Darlene, then she said, “I have to babysit a grown man who does not seem to have any idea whatsoever about being able to run a business, or even be able to work with clients, without by saying, “Without having to ask for my input all of the time.”
Darlene smiled, then said, “It will be a very welcome change.”Then she went and picked up her overnight bag and laptop case, kissed her father and mother on the cheek, goodbye, then opened the front door, walked along the sidewalk to her car, put the bag and case on the back seat, then got into her car to leave for her home up the road towards Westtown.
A little later Darlene was heading up Chester - Delaware Highway. It was raining and foggy, she was trying to be cautious for it was not a morning to be out driving around unless it was necessary, but darlene wanted to get on her way home.
Darlene made a right turn at the intersection of Chester - Delaware Highway on to North Westtown Road. On a day like this, with the dense tree lined highway, there was little or no light to speak of.
As Darlene was heading along North Westown Road, her cell phone rang, she looked at the caller ID for an instant, it was Deane Abbott.
Just at about that same moment, a large herd of deer jumped out of the woods, in front of her, several of them crashing into her car. Between the shattering of glass and the airbags being deployed, Darlene lost control of the vehicle, ended up in a roadside ditch that was full of murky water.
A few moments later after the dust settled, Darlene who had passed out in the resulting crash, woke up, scanning the situation and the extent of the damage to the interior. She instinctively reached for her cell phone, only to realize that it was way too damaged and in no condition to be used to call for help.
Attempting to open the car door, finally opening it, she climbed out, looking like a wet, haggard and ragged mess, but relatively uninjured.
Standing there along the roadside, Darlene surveyed the scene, inspecting the damage which was quite extensive, realizing that the sports coupe would be declared a total loss.
Just then, a Pennsylvania State Trooper’s car was pulling up alongside the road, coming to a stop to be of assistance to Darlene.
The trooper climbed out of his State Police cruiser, saying to Darlene, “Someone called an accident report to us about a damaged car, just what happened here mam."
Darlene spoke up, explaining, “I had a herd of deer all of a sudden, running out, right in front of me from the woods, trampling all over the car.”
“Did you try calling 911?" inquired the trooper.
“Sorry, no, my phone was damaged and it will not work now,” replied Darlene.
The he trooper looked at Darlene kind of inquisitively, like a light bulb coming on, then said, “Oh my, you’re the golfer, you’re Darlene Forsythe, I know your parents.”
Through the haze that her mind was in, Darlene managed to smile, then said, “Yes sir, I am.”
The trooper said to Darlene, I am Darren Grout. I was on the 1970 football championship team at Villanova, I played on the same team as your dad, as I played the Center position.”
I am sure that my dad will be very happy that you answered the rescue emergency call to save my life.”
Trooper Grout said to Darlene, “Go see what valuables that you can get out of the wreck and put them in the back seat of the patrol car, then I am going to call your dad and let him know what happened and that I am bringing you to your parents house.”
Later On That Day
Sitting on the sofa in her parent’s den, Darlene had gotten in touch with a customer service agent at her cell phone carrier, trying to explain what had happened to herand the phone and how she could possibly go about receiving a no cost replacement.
Darlene was able to get hooked up with her voicemails, especially the one from Deane Abbott, who was requesting her to get in touch with him to discuss a potentially lucrative client & contract.
Darlene explained to Deane what had happened and asked if he could hold off for a few days so that she could get everything concerning the accident squared away, of course, Deane Abbott was being his usual, impatient self and said, “Please make it soon, the client requested your involvement, otherwise, they may not wait.”
Broomall Gardens Restaurant
Broomall, Pennsylvania
Friday November 30, 2007
The athletic looking willowy blue eyed blonde with shoulder length hair, wearing a matching powder blue pants suit walked into the crowded restaurant, many eyes were upon her, as Darlene was easily recognizable by the restaurant patrons, of course being a well known, hometown woman.
As she strode through the room, approaching the table where Deane Abbott was sitting at, he got up to greet her, gave Darlene a hug, even though she did not reciprocate, he pulled out the chair for her to sit down.
Deane Abbott sat down, then he said to Darlene, “Well, now that you’re finally here, now we can talk some.” Darlene rolled her eyes and said to Deane, “You’re always in some great hurry, you just never change, do you.”
Taken aback by the comment, Deane responded, “Where did that come from, what’s with your animosity towards me.”
Darlene spoke up, tersely saying, “You just never change, do you” attempting to stick it to Deane.
Deane, on the defensive now, said, “Gee, I thought that we had buried the hatchet and gotten past all of that stuff, I was hoping that we could talk some business, and then maybe about the two of us, too.”
Darlene at this point bristled up at the remark Deane made, then responded by asking, “Are you saying that you want to propose marriage
and be engaged to one another for the 3rd time.”
Deane gave Darlene a perplexed and surprised look, then blurted out, “Yes, why not,
“I guess you do not remember the past two times we were engaged, and what a disaster it was for me both times, not only did you turn my family against you, but they almost turned against me, almost disowned me because of you,” Darlene grumbled to Deane.
Deane Abbott did not respond, he just sat there with a blank look on his face.
Then Darlene continued by saying, “And now that my parents, sisters and brother have finally accepted me back into the fold, here you come back once again with your crap.”
Deane Abbott was still sitting there, just listening and not saying anything.
The restaurant patrons were now observing the ongoing conversation.
Then Darlene continued her rant by saying, “My parents are starting a new women’s baseball league and business and I am going to go work for them.”
Deane Abbott then snottily remaked, “Ah, yes, the family of champions and winners, the family that always wins.”
Darlene had heard enough, then stood up and angrily said to Deane, “That’s it, we are through, I am no longer your business partner.” She then picked up his water glass, threw the water in his face, whipped around and walked away and left the restaurant, to the resounding applause from the patrons.
(C) 2022
