Scott's father - Ruth Patrick

Scott’s father

When we raced sailboats on Sunday
I never won.
The wind was wild that day.

Youngest, and most afraid
I came in 4th of 4
and felt a failure.

Scott’s father
talked to me
one-on-one.
He never had before.

“It doesn’t matter
that you came in last
or by how far.
You finished;
others quit.

I’m just tickled pink
you raced.”

Scott became a race car driver.
No surprise.

Years later
I heard Scott had
crashed,
and died.

His father’s words
echoed in my mind
“I’m just tickled pink
you raced.”