She fought the lawn, and the lawn won

As reporters, we have the opportunity to cover myriad issues, events and happenings in the community. Whether it’s a Board of Supervisors’ meeting or a new restaurant, it’s difficult to report on something without attending or experiencing it firsthand.

You can’t write a movie review without seeing the movie, and trying to describe a new band without hearing its music is tricky. But there are times when I would rather stay out of the spotlight and simply describe via observation in lieu of participation.

Take, for instance, my coverage of a bull sale earlier this year. The friendly older gentleman sitting to my right teased me about buying a bull of my own.

“But I don’t want to buy a bull,” I told him. “Not to mention I don’t have the money or a place to put him. I live in a third-story apartment.”

He laughed.

“I got space,” he told me. I wasn’t convinced.

A few weeks ago I wrote about a new equestrian center, where the owners and trainers tried admirably to get me to take one of the horses out for a ride.

“You can’t write about it unless you try it,” they teased.

I actually really wanted to take a lap around the riding ring, but I was wearing a skirt — not exactly appropriate attire — not to mention I had to get back to the office to finish the story before my deadline. Disappointed, I had to decline.

But on Labor Day, a reporter hoping to play the role of casual observer became part of the story herself.

Fellow CSE reporter Rhonda Simmons and I had the lovely duty — by choice, I must add — of working on Labor Day. As you might expect, unless there is breaking news, there is not much to report on holidays. So when Rhonda asked me to accompany her to a lawn mower race to take pictures, I gladly accepted.

Apparently covering the Culpeper Lakes’ neighborhood Labor Day Lawn Mower Race has become an annual tradition for CSE reporters, but this was Rhonda’s and my first year. Race host Hunter Spencer explained the rules, adding that he acts as “Race Master” and lets someone else ride his mower. That’s when we heard that familiar phrase.
“You should race,” Spencer and his wife, Susan, told Rhonda. “You can’t really write about it unless you participate.”

She vehemently objected, but they were persistent. And it probably didn’t help that I was egging her on as much as they were. She shot me an annoyed glare, but I couldn’t help it. How could I pass up the opportunity to catch her riding a lawn mower on film?

After much debate and teasing, she finally gave in. And she still won’t admit it, but she had more fun than anyone else in that race, though she screamed the entire time. I tried to follow the mowers through the course, losing track of them after they passed a line of trees. But her shrieks gave her away.

I couldn’t figure out where the noisy mowers had gone until I heard Rhonda’s wailing from across the property. I heard her even before I heard the motors growing closer as the group emerged from behind trees and brush. Fellow race participant Roy Higashi was chasing her, acting as if he was going to run her off the course.

Of course he was just teasing, and loving every minute of it. Everyone cheered her on, and she may not have won the race, but she wrote a great story. Maybe we should get involved more often, but I’m still thankful my editors didn’t make me go see the fake Chippendales perform.

Catherine Amos is also still thankful she didn’t buy that bull. She can be reached at 825-0771 ext. 138 or camos@starexponent.com.

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