db: Lake Hartwell déjà vu – follow-up

No one saw me.

I hope.

It was about 10:30 a.m. Saturday morning, I was walking around the bowels of the Classic arena, stopped in the dot-com room, stopped in the Media Room, went to the bathroom several times, then, then…

…I pushed back some heavy black curtains and stepped out onto the floor of the 2015 Bassmaster Classic in Greenville, S.C.

The last time I did that was seven years ago at my first Bassmaster Classic, same town, same arena, same curtain. Year, 2008.

Back then I was a Carp among Bass.

This time as I stood on the floor, as I roamed the hallways, sat in the Media Room, the dot-com room, this time in Greenville I was a Bass among Bass.

This time as I stood alone in the corner of the arena, stood protected by the dark curtain around me, this time here, I knew I was actually a B.A.S.S. among Bass.

And after all the hundred’s of days on the road, all the thousands of miles on the road sandwiched between my Greenvilles, for the first time I knew, knew, I belonged on this Greenville cement floor, knew I had earned the right to push back that curtain and step inside the show.

In the story, Lake Hartwell déjà vu I wrote this:

I will stand on several more Classic floors, each will be special, none though as special as this floor.

This floor will bring tears to my eyes.

I will pick up the confetti from this floor when this Classic ends and I will bring it home and have it framed.

If you want some of that shiny stuff, you email me and I will send it to you. Send it if you understand what it really means, what it means for the competitors, what it means for me.

It means dreams are indeed possible, if you work your arse off.

B.A.S.S. gave me my first Classic, I earned all the rest.

An hour or so after Casey Ashley won this Classic I walked back out onto the arena floor, walked past all the people doing all the tear down, walked to a dimly lit corner near the stage, bent down, took a baggie out of my pocket, and scooped up a few handfuls of the confetti.

I will frame some for me. And I will place it on the shelf in my house that holds the other awards.

I will place it front and center.

Because of all the hardware on that shelf, this was easily the hardest, this was easily the least probable, this is in my mind, my greatest accomplishment.

When I went from a Carp to a Bass.

And then from a Bass to B.A.S.S.

If you have a similar story, email me it (don.barone@gmail.comand I will send you your own piece of this confetti.

Dreams are indeed possible if you work your arse off, and stay true to yourself.

Greenville 1 and Greenville 2 taught me that.

db