Who Stretched The Hill. - LB

"Looking Back" is a feature in which I choose a previous blog which I have written, rewrite it and share it once again.  This one was first posted in 2013.

         Recently one of our cars had to go in for repairs.  Dianne was very ill and in bed and I really didn't want to disturb her.  It was a beautiful afternoon so I thought I'd just walk home.  It was only about a mile from our house and I had walked that route a few times before.  
          Now I did walk farther than that almost every morning, at a large area shopping center where it is climate controlled and flat.  So, I thought it was no big deal and the first few blocks went fine.  But then I turned the corner and started to walk on Prince St., the longest leg of the journey.  As I looked ahead, I was shocked to see how steep the hill ahead of me seemed to be. 
          Ten to 15 years ago I walked on Prince St. several times a week when I was teaching nights at Millersville University.  It was always a nice easy walk.  But I don't remember the steep hills being there before.  Were they new?  I don't think so.  Did somebody stretch them to make them steeper?  Well maybe, but I doubt it.  Was I now a decade older?  I guess that is a good excuse.

        Now I faced three choices.  I could have called Dianne and said "Help!".  But she was too ill for this option.  Second, I could have kept my eye on the peak of the hills and faced the challenge of getting there.  So often in life it is good to keep your eye on the finish line or the goal which you are trying to reach. Runners in track need to keep their eyes on the finish line so that they don't fall short.  I guess if you don't set goals in life and work to reach them, you really don't accomplish what you are capable of doing.  
          I thought of Hebrews 12: 1, 2, "let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith;" But, I didn't quite feel that this had the proper application here.  The top of the hill just looked too far away.

          My third choice was just to look at the next few steps as I climbed the hill.  The next few steps just didn't look nearly as steep and weren't hard to take.  And that is what I did … little by little, step by step. And as I climbed, I thought how often in life I worry about the tasks, changes, and challenges that might be ahead.  And one can grow very weary doing that.  
          Sometimes it is just better to take on today's challenges.  The Lord does promise us strength for today.  And tomorrow is in His hands. He will supply the strength that we need when tomorrow becomes today.  So, while it is important to keep our eyes on our final destination - heaven for the believer - living needs to be daily, as we draw upon His resources for today.

          So, taking a few steps at a time, the hill didn't seem quite as steep, and I made it.  However, on the way up I was passed from behind by a young lady walking her dog and an "old man" carrying a bag of fruit.  Both the humans and the dog didn't seem to have too much problem with the hill.  Good for them!  
          And, after reaching the top, I found going down the opposite side was a snap.  But I still wonder if I should ask the borough manager when they stretched the hill and made it steeper.

 

(Please note – Since originally writing this blog and experiencing this challenge, I now face a much different challenge – just walking anywhere.  Physically my days of doing any walking are gone.  Now I find myself dependent on a cane and a walker.  I miss my walks but I thank the Lord for the many years when they were possible.)

Answers Are Here

Here are the answers to the brain teasers in last week's blog.

1. The third. Lions that haven't eaten in three years are dead.

2. The woman is a photographer. She shot a picture of her husband, developed it, and hung it up to dry.

3. Charcoal. This one it tricky. Only old-timers can remember using coal for heating...

4. Sure you can: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow!

So how did you do?

Use Your Brain

Study the five brain teasers. Then, see if you can answer without looking at the answers. Very interesting! Don't look at answers!

1. A murderer is condemned to death. He has to choose between three rooms. The first is full of raging fires, the second is full of assassins with loaded guns, and the third is full of lions that haven't eaten in 3 years. Which room is safest for him?

2. A woman shoots her husband. Then she holds him under water for over 5 minutes. Finally, she hangs him. But 5 minutes later they both go out together and enjoy a wonderful dinner together. How can this be?

3. What is black when you buy it, red when you use it, and gray when you throw it away?

4. Can you name three consecutive days without using the words Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday?

Answers next Tuesday

Field Goal!

Over the years I have been writing life stories for my grandchildren. I have now completed almost 300 pages for them.  Some of them have appeared in previous blogs and I have decided to share others as I am doing today.   

 

         We had just completed an administrative staff meeting when my assistant superintendent, Jerry Brooks, received a telephone call telling him that he needed a timer for a district basketball doubleheader that was to begin in a few hours at the Farm Show Arena in Harrisburg.  Jerry was chairman of the District 3 of the PIAA and he served as game manager for many district and regional play-off games. He was in a pinch and asked me if I could run the clock.  

          Now I had been involved for many years writing, coaching, scoring and keeping statistics for basketball games so I figured why not try running the clock.  And so that night I joined a team of five Penn Manor administrators who worked the district doubleheader.  And this was the start of an interesting 30 years of working at district and state basketball play-off games.

          For many years we worked doubleheaders, triple headers and on Saturdays two sets of doubleheaders at the Arena, commonly called the "barn".  Some nights were very long, especially when we had girls games.  Those were the years before girls basketball became exciting.  In those days the games were slow with loads of walking calls, jump balls and fouls.  The games never seemed to end and I often had trouble keeping awake.  

          But the boys games were different - often fast and furious.  I had no trouble keeping awake for those.  And I had the fun of watching the great Carlisle and York Catholic teams work their way to several state championships.  And the extra pay was good.

          I also had a chance to serve as scorer for a few play-off games at other locations when the regular scorer couldn't be there.  One of my interesting experiences came in an eastern semifinal game.  Before the game the official asked me if I knew that with two technicals you would be ejected.  I had never heard of that rule and had never been at a game where somebody had two technicals.  But I guess the official suspected that this might happen.  At that time hanging on the rim was a technical foul.  The game featured Lebanon and their future 7 foot NBA star, Sam Bowie.  And would you believe that Bowie hung on the rim twice resulting in two technicals and I had to inform the officials that he was to be ejected.  

          The crowd was incensed and we were pelted with trash and even soft drinks.  Fortunately, Lebanon played a better game without him and went on to win.  That satisfied the crowd and nothing more came of their anger towards us.

          I did have another very difficult experience in a district elimination game between Steel High and Dallastown.  Steel High was always very good and always  brought a very large vocal and involved crowd with them.  It was a close game and Steel High was up by one point in the final seconds when they fouled a Dallastown player as the final buzzer sounded.  

          Now most of the time good officials quickly determine whether or not the game was over and if they thought it was, they quickly disappeared to the locker room.  But these guys huddled and weren't sure, so they came over to me to make the final decision.  I told them that I thought the foul was called before I could react and snap the clock off.  So, based on my decision, they sent the player to the foul line for a one and one situation. And he calmly sank both shots to win the game and end Steel High's season.  

          The crowd went wild and I was escorted out of the arena by a policeman.  But the next day, the Harrisburg newspaper reported that I had made the decision and gave my name and where I lived.  I was prepared for the worse, but fortunately it never happened.

          But in making that decision I did impress one person, the head of the PIAA.  A few days later he came to me and invited me to become the official statistician for the eight state finals at Hershey.  He said that I could choose somebody to work as my assistant.  So for 25 years I kept the stats for the finals with the help of one of my sons, usually Craig.  The work was always very stressful, but I loved it and couldn't wait each year to return.  

          We saw great basketball.  We saw many well know college coaches who were there to recruit.  We saw future college and NBA stars, such as Kobie Bryant, Sam Bowie and Billy Owens.   We were on television and we had special privileges.  We were treated royally by Hershey and by the PIAA.  Great, great memories.

          But as is usually true in life, things change and come to an end.  When Hershey added the Giant Center, the old "barn" at Harrisburg was no longer used for basketball games.  And so I was "retired" as timer.  That was fine because I still had the exciting state finals.  

          But then, Penn State lobbied to have the finals at State College and the PIAA moved them there.  I was no longer needed and I never got an explanation or an invitation to return.  And that's the way life often is - 25 years and you just aren't invited back.  Not even thanks for 25 years of service - nothing.  Things didn't work out for the PIAA at Penn State, as I anticipated, and they've now moved back to Hershey.  But I'm no longer needed.  So now I watch the games on television.  

          While I was very disappointed about not even receiving a response or a thank you when they made the move to State College, I'm glad I wasn't asked back when they returned.  While it was fun, I am getting too old for the fast pace and all the pressure and stress.  It was probably time to "retire".

         But I do have great memories.  And I really do miss the excitement.  Those were special times and I am glad to have had these extra special opportunities. And during those challenging years of raising a family on one income, the extra pay went a long way in helping to pay the bills. It was another example of the Lord allowing me to be at the right place at the right time when the right opportunity developed.  And I thank Him for that.  But now it is just a good memory.

 

 

Customer Service

The following is actual correspondence between a London hotel's staff and one of its guests. The London hotel involved submitted this to the Sunday Times. No name was mentioned.

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Dear Maid,

Please do not leave any more of those little bars of soap in my bathroom since I have brought my own bath-sized Dial. Please remove the six unopened little bars from the shelf under the medicine chest and another three in the shower soap dish. They are in my way.

Thank you,

S. Berman

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Dear Room 635,

I am not your regular maid. She will be back tomorrow, Thursday, from her day off. I took the 3 hotel soaps out of the shower soap dish as you requested. The 6 bars on your shelf I took out of your way and put on top of your Kleenex dispenser in case you should change your mind. This leaves only the 3 bars I left today which my instructions from the management is to leave 3 soaps daily. I hope this is satisfactory.

Kathy, Relief Maid

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Dear Maid-I hope you are my regular maid.

Apparently Kathy did not tell you about my note to her concerning the little bars of soap. When I got back to my room this evening I found you had added 3 little Camays to the shelf under my medicine cabinet. I am going to be here in the hotel for two weeks and have brought my own bath-size Dial so I won't need those 6 little Camays which are on the shelf. They are in my way when shaving, brushing teeth, etc. Please remove them.

S. Berman

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Dear Mr. Berman,

My day off was last Wed. so the relief maid left 3 hotel soaps which we are instructed by the management. I took the 6 soaps which were in our way on the shelf and put them in the soap dish where your Dial was. I put the Dial in the medicine cabinet for your convenience. I didn't remove the 3 complimentary soaps which are always placed inside the medicine cabinet for all new check-ins and which you did not object to when you checked in last Monday. Please let me know if I can of further assistance.

Your regular maid, Dotty

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Dear Mr. Berman,

The assistant manager, Mr. Kensedder, informed me this A.M. that you called him last evening and said you were unhappy with your maid service. I have assigned a new girl to your room. I hope you will accept my apologies for any past inconvenience. If you have any future complaints please contact me so I can give it my personal attention. Call extension 1108 between 8AM and 5PM. Thank you.

Elaine Carmen, Housekeeper

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Dear Miss Carmen,

It is impossible to contact you by phone since I leave the hotel for business at 7:45 AM and don't get back before 5:30 or 6PM. That's the reason I called Mr. Kensedder last night. You were already off duty. I only asked Mr. Kensedder if he could do anything about those little bars of soap.  The new maid you assigned me must have thought I was a new check-in today, since she left another 3 bars of hotel soap in my medicine cabinet along with her regular delivery of 3 bars on the bath-room shelf. In just 5 days here I have accumulated 24 little bars of soap. Why are you doing this to me?

S. Berman

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Dear Mr. Berman,

Your maid, Kathy, has been instructed to stop delivering soap to your room and remove the extra soaps. If I can be of further assistance, please call extension 1108 between 8AM and 5PM. Thank you,

Elaine Carmen, Housekeeper

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Dear Mr. Kensedder,

My bath-size Dial is missing. Every bar of soap was taken from my room including my own bath-size Dial. I came in late last night and had to call the bellhop to bring me 4 little Cashmere Bouquets.

S. Berman

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Dear Mr. Berman,

I have informed our housekeeper, Elaine Carmen, of your soap problem. I cannot understand why there was no soap in your room since our maids are instructed to leave 3 bars of soap each time they service a room. The situation will be rectified immediately. Please accept my apologies for the inconvenience.

Martin L. Kensedder, Assistant Manager

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Dear Mrs. Carmen,

Who the heck left 54 little bars of Camay in my room? I came in last night and found 54 little bars of soap. I don't want 54 little bars of Camay. I want my one bar of bath-size Dial. Do you realize I have 54 bars of soap in here. All I want is my bath size Dial. Please give me back my bath-size Dial.

S. Berman

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Dear Mr. Berman,

You complained of too much soap in your room so I had them removed. Then you complained to Mr. Kensedder that all your soap was missing so I personally returned them. The 24 Camays which had been taken and the 3 Camays you are supposed to receive daily (sic). I don't know anything about the 4 Cashmere Bouquets. Obviously your maid, Kathy, did not know I had returned your soaps so she also brought 24 Camays plus the 3 daily Camays. I don't know where you got the idea this hotel issues bath-size Dial. I was able to locate some bath-size Ivory which I left in your room.

Elaine Carmen, Housekeeper

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Dear Mrs. Carmen,

Just a short note to bring you up-to-date on my latest soap inventory.

As of today I possess:

On shelf under medicine cabinet - 18 Camay in 4 stacks of 4 and 1 stack of 2.
On Kleenex dispenser - 11 Camay in 2 stacks of 4 and 1 stack of 3.
On bedroom dresser - 1 stack of 3 Cashmere Bouquet, 1 stack of 4
hotel-size Ivory, and 8 Camay in 2 stacks of 4.
Inside medicine cabinet - 14 Camay in 3 stacks of 4 and 1 stack of 2.
In shower soap dish - 6 Camay, very moist.
On northeast corner of tub - 1 Cashmere Bouquet, slightly used.
On northwest corner of tub - 6 Camays in 2 stacks of 3.

Please ask Kathy when she services my room to make sure the stacks are neatly piled and dusted. Also, please advise her that stacks of more than 4 have a tendency to tip. May I suggest that my bedroom window sill is not in use and will make an excellent spot for future soap deliveries.  One more item, I have purchased another bar of bath-sized Dial which I am keeping in the hotel vault in order to avoid further misunderstandings.

S. Berman

The Elderly

They call us "The Elderly." 

We were born in the 40-50-60's. 

We grew up in the 50-60-70's. 

We studied in the 60-70-80's. 

We were dating in the 70-80-90's. 

We got married and discovered the world in the 70-80-90's. 

We venture into the 80-90's. 

We stabilize in the 2000's. 

We got wiser in the 2010's. 

And we are going firmly through and beyond 2020.

 

Turns out we've lived through EIGHT different decades...

TWO different centuries...

TWO different millennia...

 

We have gone from the telephone with an operator for long-distance calls to video calls to anywhere in the world. 

 

We have gone from slides to YouTube, from vinyl records to online music, from handwritten letters to email and WhatsApp.  

 

From live matches on the radio, to black and white TV, color TV and then to 3D HD TV. 

 

We went to the Video store and now we watch Netflix. 

 

We got to know the first computers, punch cards, floppy disks and now we have gigabytes and megabytes on our smartphones. 

 

We wore shorts throughout our childhood and then long trousers, Oxfords, flares, parachute pants, shell suits, and blue jeans. 

 

We dodged infantile paralysis, meningitis, polio, tuberculosis, swine flu and now COVID-19.

 

We rode skates, tricycles, bicycles, mopeds, petrol, or diesel cars and now we drive hybrids or electric.

 

Yes, we've been through a lot but what a great life we've had!

 

They could describe us as "exennials"; people who were born in that world of the 50s/60s, who had an analog childhood and a digital adulthood.

 

We've kind of seen it all!

 

Our generation has literally lived through and witnessed more than any other in every dimension of life.

change.

 

A big round of applause to all the members of a very special generation, which will be UNIQUE.