Will Fame And Love Return

The Long Road Back

Elk Neck State Park, Maryland

Friday October 12, 2007

It was a beautiful fall afternoon in October. Rick Randolph was out and about and was spending the day enjoying the beauty of Elk Neck State Park and the headwaters of the Chesapeake Bayand along the Elk River, having always been fascinated with the cliffs at Turkey Point. 

The sky was clear as was the air, too. Rick could see way up the Susquehanna River up to the Conowingo Dam.

Rick then walked around the grounds of the Light Station at Turkey Point. The woman who was the head Park Ranger for Elk Neck State Park was waiting for visitors so she could conduct a tour of the Light Station Lighthouse. 

When Rick walked up to the Light Station, he noticed that he knew the Park Ranger, she was once a neighbor of his grandfather and grandmother Albert and Ginny Randolph in the town of Elkton, Maryland. Rick said, “hello Jenny Hopkins” to which she turned around to look and see who was calling her name and had a look of shock.

Jenny said to Rick, “It’s been awhile since I’ve last seen you. It was really sad to hear about what happened with Alicia and the ending of your marriage to her. It’s even sadder what happened to you on the opening day of the baseball season and not be able to return to the field until late in the season”.

Rick replied to Jenny, “Yes, it has been a very long year and baseball season, but I have been resting and I will be ready for the next season to begin”. Continuing his conversation with Jenny, Rick said, “Thank you very much Jenny, You have always been a great friend to the family”.

Rick then said to Jenny, “Now about that tour, I have been here several times, especially since I have lived here in Elk Neck for several years, this spot is very beautiful and you can see for miles off in the distance, like today, looking up the Susquehanna and on a real clear day, like today, one can see the water falling down from the dam at Conowingo”.

Rick and Jenny entered the Lighthouse and walked up the staircase to the top, they were checking out the automated light. There was much history surrounding the Light Station that was built in 1833, 174 years ago, it’s light warning navigators who ships were headed up and down the Elk River and traversing the Chesapeake And Delaware Canal to and from ports along the Delaware Bay and Delaware River.

Rick started pointing out the hills across the bay on the northern side of the Susquehanna River, between Port Deposit and Bainbridge where in a clear area one could see a wide expanse, up the Susquehanna past Conowingo, a good portion of Elk Neck State Park, including the beaches, cliffs, open fields and the lighthouse, and all the way down the western Chesapeake Bay shore and the Aberdeen Proving Grounds.

Rick said to Jenny, “You have one of the best jobs in the world”, adding, “It’s beautiful on a sunny day, but there’s also a beauty to it when it’s rainy and foggy”.

Heading back down the staircase, Jenny added. “The only drawback is when the weather is challenging, it’s not the place to be when the weather is severe”.

Once they reached ground level, Rick thanked Jenny for her tour and urged her not to be a stranger to the family.” Jenny smiled and said, “Certainly”.