No Competing Against an Old Man

Sometime in the past I wrote a blurb about the following experience, but I’m inclined to do so again.

At the time I was approaching a full six decades of life, and I was still substitute teaching on a regular basis. On this day I had been assigned to teach at my old high school alma mater; an environment which I generally enjoyed. While this assignment would be no exception to the rule, there was one “twist” which made my time there a bit more enjoyable.

I was about half way through the school day, and the bell had just rang for the third period. As the students were filing in to take their seats, I happened to hear one young man, as he lingered outside the classroom door, tell another,

“Jim, we have an old bald-headed sub today.”

Well, with this I chanced on an idea, and smiled inwardly.

After the 25 or 30 students were seated, and I had called roll, I gave them the teacher’s assignment, and went back to reading the book I had brought with me.

Forty-five minutes later, and just before the dismissal bell rang, I called the class to attention.

“Okay guys, in our closing five minutes I wanted to mention that as you guys were walking in the door a while ago, I heard one of you fellas say, ‘we have a bald-headed old sub today.’ Well, I want to show you what a bald-headed, sixty year old man can do.”

And I proceeded to drop down, propped myself up on one hand, and demonstrated five or six one-handed pushups. With this, I offered a somewhat insincere apology; (for I knew I had impressed them).

“Sorry guys, when I was your age I could do like twenty one-handers.”

Well, you could have heard a pin drop.

And then, two or three boys, including the one who had made the rude comment in the first place, walked to the front of the classroom, and

(you guessed it)

assumed the position.

(And)

without exception,

… fell on their faces!

I don’t mind telling you victory is sweet.

It was my turn to laugh out loud, and muse,

… “I don’t know about you weak whippersnappers. I guess it just takes an old man to show you how its done!"

By William McDonald, PhD. Excerpt from "(Mc)Donald's Daily Diary" Vol. 15. Copyright Vol. 1-15

**Under penalty of law, do not share, copy or "save" this blog without including the credit line, above