Jo Daviess county is a place where dreams come true – you just never know which dreams.
I went to the Apple River Mowtor Speedway as a spectator and left a racer. All my years of mowing the lots at Apple Canyon Lake had finally paid off!
I had showed up as a poorly prepared spectator. Not knowing lawn mower racing, and only guessing at the environment, I had rushed out the door in shorts, a short-sleeved top, cheap sandals, and wet hair. But as soon as I saw the suped up tractor mowers speeding around the oval track, I know that I wanted to be part of it. I never would have guessed that I would get to participate, but how it happened is a metaphor for life, at least for the cool things. The racers had years of experience, mechanical knowledge (and interest), specialized clothing, customized trailers, support crew, sponsors, and more.
But I did get to race a mower, and not because I was qualified, trained, or prepared, but because I asked. Let that be a lesson (to me).
Just ask. The worst someone can say is “No”. Or, “No, because you’re ugly and I don’t like you.” But they’d probably just say “No” and maybe think the rest to themselves. You don’t need to know what they’re thinking anyway.
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