Spoke Two

Second of fourteen spokes. The first section is the original version I wrote, the second section is a collaborative effort between my granddaughter Ariel and I.

Spoke Two

    Fear was always guiding me, which put me in a position of being second to Jimmy, who was heroic and very large. I was well protected. Lord knows the fear felt cannot be explained fear of being called copycat I went to to the teachers desk turning my paper in just a little late.

~ ~ ~

    As a young man, fear guided me, which is what drew me to Jimmy. Jimmy was too large and too smart to be bullied, and yet never used his own power to bully others. Jimmy’s largeness and our friendship kept me in safe hands in the classroom: I was a skinny boy, but I was able to perform well and make good grades without being beaten up for it by other classmates. I was well protected. Again, I was a chick hatched, following instinct for survival. Jimmy was not an extraordinary friend, but he kept me sheltered so that I could encounter other heroic figures. Bobby, who had 4 or 5 different ways to solve every math problem, showed me what true genius was for the first time. Coach Binion, who so naturally nurtured and helped those around him, made it easy to follow his lead. Charlie Branch showed me that determination and perseverance can bring you more success than innate talent. I thought that talent just appeared, but it had to go along with hard work. I realized over the years, looking back at these men who helped guide me, how much time and effort was put into the endeavors, the persistence. A willingness to keep at something is what moved them forward, and so it would be for me.