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

[Woofie]

Now THAT was one of the most wonderful pick ups to my day, ever!!!!!!:)
Ah... the superb "Chinese Handkerchief"!

I call it that because that's how folks blow their snouts in China. It is a 
bit off putting when you first see it, but on rumination (you do not need to 
be a ruminant to ruminate), it makes perfect sense as no trees need to be 
cut down to create tissues and no cotton handkerchiefs need to be 
surreptitiously hidden in pockets until they are laundered.

However it is not a skill easily learned. It takes much art and much 
practice to master it. Preferably lessons need to be carried out in 
childhood, just as learning to eat with chopsticks is.

To get the right amount of pressure with the correct thumb and the timing of 
the blow and the flick of the head, takes much mastery and is not for the 
faint-hearted!

This was a wonderful piece of writing, Chris:)
regards
W:)
PS, Can you do it again, Chris?:)




-- 

Best regards,

Woofie mailto:woofie at woofess.com



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"The one constant in life is absurdity" - Woofie - 30/4/02

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-----Original Message----- 
From: A. Christopher Hammon
Sent: Sunday, May 20, 2012 10:55 PM
To: thebanyantree at lists.remsset.com
Subject: TheBanyanTree: Cool, Mister; Can You Do I t Again

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/