DelBloggolo: ON MY HONOR

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

ON MY HONOR

A Scout Master was teaching his boy scouts about survival in the desert. "What are the three most important things you should bring with you in case you get lost in the desert?" he asked. Several hands went up, and many important things were suggested such as food, matches, etc.

Then one little boy in the back eagerly raised his hand. "Yes Timmy, what are the three most important things you would bring with you?" asked the Scout Master. Timmy replied: "A compass, a canteen of water, and a deck of cards."

"Why's that Timmy?"

"Well," answered Timmy, "the compass is to find the right direction, the water is to prevent dehydration..."

"And what about the deck of cards?" asked the Scout Master impatiently.

"Well, Sir, as soon as you start playing Solitaire, someone is bound to come up behind you and say, "Put that red nine on top of that black ten!"

It was 1956, and I wanted to be a Boy Scout.

I broke the news to my parents rather suddenly. “Dad, Mom, I want to be a Boy Scout.” “Go back to sleep!” they said.

Have a question or comment for the Scout Executive?

“You a Boy Scout!?” said Dad. ”Yea sure, be a Boy Scout,” said my Mom.

My best friend at the time, Gerry Murray convinced me to join the scouts. The meeting was being held at the Verne Critz Elementary School, AKA Dunton Avenue School, on where else but Dunton Avenue in East Patchogue.

My dream was coming true, I was going to be a scout and I would bypass the cub scouts because I was too old, get me a uniform to impress the girls and strike out in life as a do-gooder for little old ladies and animals.

The first meeting was in the auditorium and a whole bunch of us were joining up. The Scout Master gave us an introduction and we learned what it would mean to be a scout, a rulebook was available for a price as well as the need for a scout uniform, the cost a whopping $12! That was looming as a problem, since I had to get this approved by Dad. He usually didn’t have 12 cents for me to waste yet alone 12 dollars. For a week he skirted the issue, probably wondering where he would get the money for a uniform.

The next time I met with the Boy Scouts was in the beginning of February, a brutal cold and bitter night. What do we talk about? Why an outdoor camping trip, which would cost more money, and equipment, needed to do this. Suddenly like a blow to the stomach I realize a bad word was said: “Outdoor”! It certainly didn't go with “camping” on a cold wintry night, and to think they would spend the weekend camping out, well, it just didn’t excite me. No, the thought of my sleeping in the snow with a howling wind and a little campfire to keep my tootsies warm was unappealing.

Going home I decided that my career as a scout was over. The glory of wearing a uniform with squares with troop numbers in them on my shoulders was done, I was sleeping in a nice warm cozy bed while those dummies were sleeping with the ice cycles. To this day, when the wind howls and the snow drifts I wonder if there are any boy scout campers out there, then I just cover my head and go to sleep, a nice warm sleep.