It was roughly 9 A.M. and Rory and Richard Gilmore were already on the third hole. The sun was reflecting off of the creek where Rory's ball had just landed.

"I'm sorry, Grandpa," Rory said. "This… this is not good.

"It's quite okay, Rory," Richard said. "You're still learning."

"I really can't believe Chilton makes us do this," Rory said. "I really do not like sports. Or get them. Or want to do them. Ever."

"Well, Rory, Plato said that physical education is as important as a mental education," Richard said. "And if it's good enough for Plato, it's good enough for you. And, plus, Rory. You could do worse than be here right now, I believe."

Rory looked around. The green, lush grass surrounded, only interrupted with beautiful landscaping and blossoming pink flowers, along with the sounds of birds overhead. Richard lined up his shot and hit a 7-iron that landed on the fringe of the green and rolled slightly to the hole.

Richard took a ball from his bag and dropped it on the grass.

"Okay, Rory," as I told you. "Lock your fingers together at your pinkies. Keep your head down and your front arm straight. And then turn with your hips and let that swing your club."

"Right," she said, repeating those words. Rory approximated her grandfather's form and the ball went in the air.

"I… I hit the ball!" Rory scream.

Richard laughed.

"You did more than that, Rory," Richard said. "Your ball landed right where mine did. And it's now two feet from the hole. That, my dear, is the look of a natural."

Rory and Richard now sat at lunch, each ordering a separate sandwich.

"So, Rory, tell me, do they offer economics at Chilton?"

"Oh, yes. But not until senior year. It's an elective," she said.

"Economics an elective?" Richard shook his head in dismay.

"Yes," Rory said. "And I'm glad it is. I'm trying to stay away from numbers as much as I can."

"Well, from your reading habits, I can see that," Richard said. "But economics is the most important field of study in academia. It's not just numbers, you know. It's more about choices. We have an unlimited amount of desires and wants. But we only have limited resources. Economics studies how societies and individuals make those choices."

"Hmmmph," Rory said. "Then why is it so complicated with graphs?"

"It's complicated so only a few of us can understand it," Richard said, chuckling to himself. "Understand economics and how and why people make the choices we do… Well, it goes a long way to understanding how the world works. Why, at my company, no one understands the field more than I do. That's why I only have one boss. And that's the man who started the place."

Rory smiled.

"That must be nice," she said.

"It is," Richard said.

"People don't always make rational choices, Rory." She flinched, knowing her family's history. But Richard continued. "And let me ask you this. Do you want to be the person who makes the choices or do you want to be the person who has the choices made for them?"

Rory looked down. It wasn't a question she ever considered.

"Well, I'd like to make the choices," she said.

"Of course you do," Richard said. "After all, you're a Gilmore. When we get home, I'll give you a copy of my favorite economics book. It's called 'Wealth of Nations' by Adam Smith. We'll start there."

"But Grandpa, I already have enough to read," she said.

"Yes, you do," he said. "But you should start to understand economics. It's a competitive world, Rory. To get ahead, you need to understand how to make the right choice to maximize your resources. You'll have a head start, learning this well before you're a senior. Your classmates won't stand a chance."

Rory smiled as she ate her sandwich.