TheBanyanTree: Cool, Mister; Can You Do I t Again

[A. Christopher Hammon]

I am always amazed at what thrills kids, particularly young boys. I know 
that I shouldn't be surprised, especially not in light of the stories 
that circulate around my childhood.

One moment that I comes to mind happened years ago; back when I was a 
young sailor in southern California, racing my bicycle, and not yet 
smart enough to wear a helmet and gloves. I was practicing sprints with 
a friend in a parking lot next to a school. We would dash the length of 
the parking lot, make the turn, and sprint back the other way. The 
secondary game was how much speed could we carry through the turn around.

On one of the sprints we came flying down the length of the parking lot 
and you could see the images in our minds of snatching the victory of a 
stage in the Tour de France. Then it happened. As I leaned into the 
turn, I caught a patch of loose gravel that we had not noticed. Down I 
went, but not into a simple road rash slide. I bounced and then rolled 
several times before slamming to the school yard fence. It was a 
dramatic crash and the kids all came running. One voice stood out above 
all the others, but they all held the same sentiment. That was cool, 
Mister. Can you do it again?"

They gathered along the fence in hopes of having a better seat for the 
encore. I picked myself up and hobbled off in search of emergency first aid.

It is allergy season in Louisville. Actually, we are having a second 
allergy season this year and I understand that it is as bad as the 
first. I missed the first this year recuperating from a second round of 
abdominal surgery and chemo, but I am back out on my bike experiencing 
the second.

I was out riding along the river this morning and then climbing the 
hills up through Locust Grove. I was taking my 25-mile route to my 
neighborhood coffeeshop. Somewhere through that stretch I inhaled 
something my allergies did not like. Suddenly my sinuses were full and I 
was sneezing like crazy.  Once I quit sneezing, it was time to address 
the other issue. Since I was cruising along at 20 mph and there was a 
break in the traffic, it seemed like a perfectly good place to practice 
one of bicycling's finer techniques; the fine art of blowing one's pipes 
and clearing one's sinuses while underway. And so I touched a finger to 
one side of my nose and blew. It was grand; oh yes, I can blow snot 
rockets with the best of the pros. Suddenly, to my surprise, I heard 
this cheer, "Hey cool, Mister! Can you do it again?"

I failed to notice that I was passing in front of a church where a 
couple of teachers were trying to coral a class of young boys. The boys 
cheered, the teachers scowled, and I rode on smiling because I could 
breathe again and it was a beautiful morning to be on the bike. And I am 
glad to be doing that again.

Cheers,
Chris

/_________________________________________
A. Christopher Hammon, D.Min.
Executive Director //
Wayne Oates Institute
A Learning Community for Spiritual Caregivers
http://www.oates.org/

/Affiliate Faculty, Doctor of Ministry Program
Drew University Theological School/