Some Things I've Learned

One of the greatest perks of my job is that I get to meet the most interesting people. I also get to learn something new every day.

So here are some things I have learned:

• Thirty years of being an Elvis Impersonator will give you a hip condition known as "Elvis Pelvis." I asked if he has problems with his hips and he busted out laughing. His doctor coined the name.
• When asked to talk to an eighth grade class about careers don't tell them the one story that always makes you cry. The story that makes me cry happened years ago at another paper. I had to interview the volunteer of the year. She was impossible to get in contact with. Finally late one night I called her and we talked. At one point in the conversation I asked her why she volunteers and she gave me an answer about how she wants to help people. I noticed a catch in her voice, nothing big. "No, why do you volunteer? What motivates you?" The woman was quiet for a full minute before she spoke again. "I've never told anyone this before," she said. Then she told me about the worst day of her life. Late one night two counties away her husband and two little boys were coming home. They missed a curve on a country road and crashed. Her husband and two little boys were killed instantly. She only had a broken leg but was trapped in the car. She prayed to God to spare the lives of her husband and sons and to take her instead. As she lay trapped in the car begging to be taken, she heard a voice say, "Not yet, you have more work to do." "I guess that's why I volunteer." That story gets me every time, and so in front of a class of eighth graders, I cried.
• Homework can be fun. I did a story on the new homework center at the middle school. I sat down and started talking to one of the boys who was typing in a story. We had so much fun laughing. I went back the next week just to check in on things. I had a great time, once again. If this reporter thing doesn't work out . . .
• Good training can tame fear. I talked with World War II vet who survived a plane crash. They were on a mission over Berlin when their engine was shot out. They started to go down. I asked if he was scared, what was he feeling, was he afraid he was going to die? He said no. Their training kicked in. They threw a bunch of loose stuff out of the B-17. Then they took cover in the radio room. The pilot and co-pilot crashed landed the plane in a freshly plowed field. They kept the guns loaded because they didn't know where they had crashed. Villagers crowded around the plane, peering into the armed 50 caliber guns. Finally a little boy who spoke some English said they had crashed in Belgium, just 15 miles from the German boarder. They plummeted 25,000 feet out of the sky, but he wasn't scared. Makes me want to get trained. In something . . .
• Crazy has many forms; sometimes it's all about Christmas. I went to this house right before Thanksgiving. They had 18 Christmas trees, over 100 nutcrackers, 60 or more creepy animated Santas and Mrs. Clause statues, angels and Santas from around the world. There were Christmas trees in each of the bathrooms. These people even had a life sized Santa in the tower. Yes, the tower. I asked their children if they like the Christmas stuff. Both kids - elementary aged - snarled an emphatic "No!" Hmmmm. Their therapy sessions should be interesting.

And oh so much more.

TARB