Assemble

I’m finally getting back into a semblance of shape now that I’ve returned to the pool on my regular schedule. My series of dermatological excavations prevented that for a long time and then I got more than a little bit lazy (it happens). A few weeks in I’m no longer in basic survival mode where I have to focus on not drowning. Now that I’m over that hump I help pass the time while swimming back and forth by letting the mind wander. I know that is firm ground for the Cantankerous Friend to leap to several very obvious burns but so it goes. For some strange reason this morning the memory machine ended up back in Middle School although in my day it was still called Junior High (which I still like better than middle school)

Some of my strongest memories back from what is rapidly approaching the dawn of time were, oddly, the assemblies. I wonder if they still do them? I loved it when these took place because it got the entire school out of class for a couple periods (hopefully Mrs. Drew’s 7^th grade English class). There was usually some sort of motivational speaker or presentation, after the principal yelled at the entire group for whatever the latest transgression was. As I was chugging down the lanes this morning two of these came back to me clearly. One was from a guy who had memorized the entire Sears catalog and focused on the power of the mind. They threw out sections of the massive tome that was the catalog and he would correctly describe whatever page was yelled out. It was impressive. The other one I remembered was from a guy talking about the importance of imagination. He challenged us to embrace our imaginations and that we were all better equipped than we realized. He used a simple exercise. He told us all to write down twenty varieties of birds. At the time this seemed daunting (thinking he was looking for the purple breasted Siberian warbler) but then he quickly listed twenty common birds everyone could have listed, chickens, pigeons, eagles, hawks, sea gulls, etc, etc. It made an impression. I hope they still do these things. A half century later I’m still thinking about them.

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RECURRING CHARACTERS                                           

BRS - Blog Reader the Sequel - second granddaughter; FBR - First Blog Reader - first granddaughter, ABFA – Amazing Best Family Athlete = my daughter in law, formerly known both as MEF – Most Excellent Fiancé & MEG – Most Excellent Girlfriend; Wingman – my son in law; Keene Friends 1 & 2 – friends since high school from my home town of Keene, NH; Soxfather - my brother in law; Great Aunt = my elder sister; Cantankerous Friend – friend since grade school who likes to argue about everything, poses as radical leftist to attract women; Pittsburgh College Roommate – high school friend, also a “Minor Celebrity” in Pittsburgh; Deckzilla – our backyard deck which grew to monstrous dimensions once my wife got involved in planning; Maine and Virginia Musqueteras – two close friends of my wife – her US sisters, my wife is the 3^rd musquetera (musketeer); Buddy – AKA the Wonder Pooch – family dog, a black lab – hates squirrels, died in 2017; Riggins - also known as the Grandpuppy, son's dog, surrogate grandchild while awaiting arrival of the BRS; PanaGals – female relatives/friends of my wife from Panama; Panamanian/Latin Mafia – inevitable group of Latino friends my wife accumulates wherever we have lived & their spouses; Neighborhood Mafioso - wife's close friend and Panamanian mafia member, Favorite Panamanian - the wife (of course); First Friday – celebrations to mark the First Friday of the Week; Excellent Boss – my former direct boss at work; Deckzilla Dude – senior citizen carpenter/contractor; Voices of Inappropriate Worth - members of public who come to every Worcester public meeting to complain, all are on public assistance along with demeanor issues