Bob's Magic Moments - Just A Few

I worked for the same company as my father, during the summers while in college and then before entering the service. He was the company's chief marketing officer and I, its "Assistant to the Actuary" ... he, the actuary, liked cream in his coffee ... but no, it wasn't my job to get him coffee.

One day, I was unexpectedly called to Daddy's office ... the first time I'd ever been to the sixth floor, as memory serves ... biggest desk in the biggest office I'd ever seen, marble floor, mahogany waste can and private restroom.

He and his staff, the company's marketing vice presidents, were having a meeting ... they had all known me for years, but never in a business setting ... and here I was, center stage! Daddy asked his secretary to close the door and gave instructions that we were not to be disturbed. What did they want with me, what had I done?

To my great surprise and greater relief, he moved some stuff from one edge of his desk and indicated that as my seat ... definitely not Daddy!

At his behest, the Actuary had recently revised the way an agent's weekly paycheck was determined so as to reduce fluctuations. I was familiar with the problem and with the new system ... is was a simple 13 week rolling average that replaced the existing system where the agent's pay changed quarterly. I had seen the explanatory materials and thought that it had been well presented ... and well received.

Daddy explained that the agents hated the system because it was too complex for them to understand ... that even the five of them were having some trouble. Simply put, they didn't understand it and he wanted me to explain it to them ... I was sworn to secrecy ... truly was a magic moment!

They gathered 'round ... and I explained, best I could. Expecting kudos, I closed with "I told you it was easy ... is everything clear? ... any questions?" ...

Indeed it was a magic moment ... being asked to Daddy's office and asked to do something important. However, that bubble was burst when the only response was ... "Yes Bobby, it's clear as mud! "My reputation for being difficult to understand is well established; here in the Shop, and on other blogs, but I doubt that any suspected that it was a disease of such long duration.

The new system was short lived, but they were wrong ... the agents did understand ... we got a call, memo or letter every time they thought a mistake had been made ... almost always a few pennies due to rounding.

Daddy goodnaturedly tried to place the fault at my door ... Mama would have none of it ... she said the problem was that the marketing department felt they were left out of the developmental process by the actuary ... Mama was a smart lady. Well, regardless, I honored my oath to remain silent ... until long after all were retired.

Like many of you, the first person with whom I played games was my mother ... she taught me to pray too "Now I lay me down to sleep (my only memorized prayer other the "Lord's"); ... my first song, "Jesus Loves Me" ... I think my second was "Walking The Floor Over You" by Mr. Tubb, Sr. My ABC's ... to bowl ... how to make fudge ... all magic moments, courtesy of me mamma.

Four things were a given at our house ... the Atlanta Constitution at the breakfast table, a simple Blessing said at every meal, freshly made cornbread with supper, and Daddy in dress shirt and tie, regardless of what he was doing ... washing the car, tending the garden or playing scrabble.

Mama always gave thanks at breakfast and lunch ... Daddy at supper. My big break came at Sunday dinner, with company no less ... "Bobby, you say the prayer" ... startled, my mind went blank but after what seemed an eternity, came "Now I lay me down to sleep ..."

For over 40 years, we played Scrabble ... Mama and me ... sometimes with family but usually the cutthroat, two player variety ... a quarter, half dollar, dollar a game. Her style was different from mine. We both were defense oriented but she attempted to maximize the utility of each play, while I went for words she didn't know, hoping for a challenge ... and the big play; double and triple word scores, and seven letter word bonuses.

While I averaged over one bonus qualifying word of seven or more letters per game, I honestly can't remember her ever so doing ... it wasn't her style and she didn't have the patience.

Over the years, I won about two times out of three ... from a combination of what she called "bonuses, cheating and luck" ... but luck had nothing to do with it!

We held the 1st Annual McBrayer World Scrabble Grand Championship in Mama's hometown; Bell Buckle, Tennessee ... under a shade tree on its main street, following a great country ham, eggs and biscuits breakfast. Breakfast was free, courtsey of the waitress and a triple or nothing bet that she couldn't guess Mama's age within 10 years ... she hit it on the nose ... MY age, that is. Truly a magic moment!!

Four players ... One Trophy (memento from the Opryland Hotel, site of an earlier match) ... it was fun ... and another magic moment for I led for the entire game while poor Mama had a bad day and brought up the rear.

Well, until a seven letter word ... on a triple word score ... on the last play of the game ... Mama finally had her bonus word ... eternal!

She passed away the next year, before we could hold the 2nd Annual World Championship. We thought about it, long and hard ... decided against ... no good reason to hold another tournament ... we already had our Grand Champion ... undefeated, eternal, and magical!

My favorite magic moment? It's one of them, that's for sure! Tied, methinks with Miss Carol saying YES; seeing Robbie just seconds after he was born; meeting Country Brown and my favorite Crackers; that visit to Daddy's office; my first 300 game, my only hole in one ... a sailboat ride, Superbowl XV, Estes Park and a few more that are reserved for another day ... all still bring goosebumps, chills, and smiles!

Another anecdote involving Mama started when, as a Georgia Tech freshman I wrote a paper covering some fundamental theorems of matricies ... and ended 15 months later. Good paper, maybe my best work ever ... it received an "A" ... two magic moments ... one for Sam Nunn's roommate ... he got the "A", passed the course with a "B" and I got $25!!

Mama never let me live it down ... maybe the maddest I've ever seen her ... insisted I give that money back!

I took the same course a year later ... had the same test too, only this time it was an in class, midterm examination. Qne theorem was on back of the last page of the test, which I unfortunately overlooked. Payback I guess, the test was graded on the curve and I received a "D" ... I too got a "B" in the course ... another magic moment, this time for Mama! Well, "always mind your mamma" is a good rule but there are exceptions to every rule.

Other Moments ... lesser perhaps, but still magic

Recently, I was telling our "Miss Know It All" of the songs I remember singing to and with Mama ... those first two early ones plus "Caldonia" (1945), "Five Minutes More" (1946), "Open The Door, Richard"(1947) and "Bushel and a Peck" (1950).

Carol started singing ... "Jesus loves me! This I know, for the Bible tells me so; Little ones to Him belong, They are weak but He is strong" ... she really does know it all!

The magic moment, or maybe the end of one I guess ... as you can imagine, I "learned" my first song when I was very young and over the years, I would sing and hum it ... mostly to family and myself, thank goodness ... for I always sang "little one stool, him belong, they are weak but he is strong" ... never understood that ... finally, after all these years of pondering, I've learned the words ... goodness!

... and another

My father's father's mother was a great lady ... quiet and reserved but when she talked, you listened. She reserved the money for his higher education but Daddy elected to join his uncle and work in Atlanta, for it was 1930.

Growing up, I didn't really know her that well ... we would visit my uncles, grandparents at Christmas and on weekends, a few times each year but we would only see her on those ocassions when she was visiting my grandparents. On those trips, Georgia red clay took on a special meaning for us ... deep ruts in the dirt roads of rural northwest Georgia. Oldest grandchildren and great-grandchildren get special treatment when they're young ... homemade teacakes were my favorite ... times were good!

One Sunday during a Sunday School prayer, a strange feeling came over me ... like a chill ... thought I was sick, but it was just this very strong feeling that something was wrong ... someone had died. Before Church, I told Mama ... and again, going home ... but, "Why would you think that? Nobody you know is ill ... neither family nor friends" ... not a quote, but close.

Yes, my great-grandmother had unexpectedly died at age 92, methinks ... at 9:30 that morning, yes the very same time of that chilly feeling ... we got the call about an hour after arriving home. Coincidence? Perhaps, but I remember having that feeling but once in my lifetime ... some things we can't explain.

... and one more

One Sunday, several years back, we were watching some NFI event and the question was asked "what's the most yards ever lost in a play from the line of scrimmage in an NFL game?" ... I didn't know the answer but, being me, I made one up and shouted 57 yards at the TV ... and, doggone if it wasn't right! Had to go change my clothes ... well, almost.

A few weeks later, we were visiting family, none of whom are NFL football fans, and I decided to relate the story at the dinner table ... asking the question ... I nearly choked when my brother guessed 57 yards!

My brother isn't above having fun at my expense but he swears that he had neither seen the program nor known the answer ... and though it's irrational, I believe him! Regardless, we had a good time with it, making that a magic moment of the first order!