Crazy For You

The instant connection Janine felt with Sean wasn’t exactly par for the course . . . A wish comes true in this endearing short story by Glenda Young.

TWO adults and two children, please.” Janine looked up from her brushes and paint into the kindly face of her first customer of the season.

“You have a nice day for it.” She smiled and handed over two iron clubs for the adults and two smaller ones for the children.

“Any particular colour?” she asked, pointing to a bucket filled with balls.

“Can I have a red one, Dad?” the little girl asked.

“Green for me,” the boy added.

Janine handed over the balls along with a score card and pencil, then watched the family head out to the course.

“Have fun!” she called. “If you ring the bell in the windmill on the last hole, your wish will come true!”

Her words were lost on the breeze as the family headed to the first hole on Janine’s crazy golf course.

Janine loved the summer when the course was open. It was a welcome retreat from her academic year spent as an art tutor.

When she wasn’t tending to customers, she spent her days painting the changing moods of the sea.

Her paintings sold in town to tourists and brought in extra cash.

Her friends said she was mad to keep the crazy golf course going, as it didn’t make much money. Janine could see their point.

But her dad had set the place up and, after he passed away, the crazy golf course had come to her.

She’d been offered a substantial sum from a property developer to sell the plot, but she wouldn’t budge. The course held a special place in her heart.

“Twelve adults, please,” a voice said.

Janine looked up from her painting into the most gorgeous pair of brown eyes.

When the man smiled at Janine, she saw a dimple appear in his chin.

“Twelve?” she asked, surprised.

It was still early in the season and tourists hadn’t yet started flooding into their little seaside town.

“I’m paying for everyone.” The man laughed. “All part of my best man duties.”

“You’re here with a stag party?” Janine asked.

“Are we allowed in?” the man asked. “I know some places don’t like to take big groups. We’d understand if you want us to go.”

Janine looked at the men. They looked a lot older than the usual stag crowd: more sensible. She knew with a glance they wouldn’t cause any trouble.

“Twelve it is,” she said cheerily, ringing the sale through her till and producing the tickets.

She handed over 12 clubs and produced the bucket of balls.

“Which one’s the groomto-be?” Janine asked.

“That’s Paul over there,” the man replied.

He stuck out his hand towards her.

“I’m Sean.”

Janine shook his hand. “Thanks for allowing us in,” Sean went on.

“When Paul asked me to arrange this stag do, there was only one place I wanted to bring everyone.

“I have happy memories here; I used to come with my family when I was a kid.”

Janine smiled and took in Sean’s lovely brown eyes for a second time.

“That would have been when my dad was running the place. I took over when he passed away.

“Enjoy your game. And don’t forget to make a wish on the last hole.

“If you ring the bell in the windmill . . .”

“. . . your wish will come true!” Sean chipped in. “I’m glad things haven’t changed.”

“That was one of my dad’s sayings,” Janine told him. “I’m surprised you remember it.”

Janine watched as Sean glanced around the course and saw his gaze settle on the sparkling blue sea.

“It’s a special place, this town,” he said softly. “I had many happy times here. It’s a place that holds tight to your heart.”

Janine and Sean locked eyes and she felt something happening between them.

“It certainly does,” Janine agreed.

“Come on, Sean!” Paul called from the course. “Let’s see if you can get through the dinosaur with a hole in one.”

“I’d better go,” Sean said with a shrug.

Janine watched him join his friends, all of them happy, laughing and joking.

Ahead of them, the family of four were halfway around the course. A shout of joy went up when the little girl got a hole in one on hole number six.

It was days like these that made Janine more certain than ever that she’d never sell up and move on.

She returned to her painting, trying to capture the sea as the waves kissed the shore.

She was concentrating so hard she didn’t notice Sean watching her from hole number three.

When his group’s game was almost over and Sean took his final putt at the windmill, Janine watched him carefully.

She saw him close his eyes for a second before he hit the ball, and saw the joy on his face when the ball rang the bell.

Sean gathered the clubs and returned them to Janine.

“I hope your wish comes true,” Janine remarked.

“That depends on you,” Sean replied shyly.

Janine felt her heart race. “Me?”

“The lads are heading home tomorrow, but I thought I’d stay on,” Sean explained. “Is the fish and chip shop still open on the prom?”

“Parky’s chippy? Yes, it’s still there.”

“Could I buy you lunch tomorrow?” he asked.”

“That sounds nice, yes.” Janine grinned.

Janine and Sean smiled at each other. Neither of them wanted to be the first to say goodbye, but Sean’s friends were calling.

“See you tomorrow,” he called over his shoulder. “My windmill wish has come true after all!”

The End.