The Bommy Knocker (pt 2 of the Israli Who Would Not Lie)

I was lying in bed, unable to sleep, hearing creaks and the noise of the wind blowing. I kept telling myself that all that mattered was making sure that Pam escaped, no matter what happened to me. I was also wondering if he had already dispensed with Susan and Irvin and was making his way to our room. I put suitcases in front of the doors and was thinking that I might be strong enough to yank a part of the sink loose and use it for a weapon. It turned out that Pam was awake as well and it was then she suggested that I get the Bommy Knocker.
The Bommy Knocker was nothing more than a decent-sized rock, but it’s name does demand some sort of explanation: Pam is a kindergarten teacher and there is a children’s book that has a story about a giant that chases little children around with a weapon called a Bommy Knocker. Pam has had a small passion for collecting rocks from everywhere we travel and putting them in our rock garden at home. The trip had been great for rock collecting and she had gathered almost fifty pounds of rocks it seemed. One was large and fit into a fist of a hand. She dubbed it the Bommy Knocker and said that it would make an excellent weapon. The only problem now was that it was in the car and that was two flights of stairs away, and who knew where the caretaker was right now. I got up against my will and went as quietly as I could down the stairs in the dark, foggy night. I didn’t see any looming shadows and got into the back of the car and fumbled under the seat for the rock Pam wanted. There were so many and half of my attention was diverted to listening for the sound of footsteps and a voice saying “I won’t lie to you….”
There…I found the largest rock, backed up and closed the door as quietly as I could. I crept up the stairs, a few creaking noises, but nothing more and got back into the room unscathed. Pam was sitting up, staring at my hand with the rock. “That is NOT the Bommy Knocker!” she said, “Go back and get the right one.”

Things Get Very Interesting

In some truly Zen fashion, I'm am being taught another lesson. Or, the same one for the 100th time. Just as I feel that some things at work are just too much to take, other things happen in my life that derail the energy I wanted to put into anger and resentment.
One, out of the blue, I'm asked by a friend to fill in for his keyboard player for a gig at Northland Church, doing a kind of gig, I've never done ever. Playing music I've barely listened to. I'm practicing my butt off, listening to these songs around the clock and am determined to do my best. The band is happy and even have remarked that I'm doing more with the music than they normally expect. So what's the big deal? Northland is a megachurch with a band that is top notch. The first time I witnessed them, I remarked that I definitely belonged in the audience and not on stage with guys like that. Yet here I will be tonight, up on that stage...wasn't even on my bucket list!
Yes, bucket list, because while all of this is going on, my doctor is having me tested, telling me "don't worry" while I hear stuff to worry about and my brain starts playing, "What would you do if you only had 6 months to live?" Would I drop out and surf Hawaii until I can't get out of bed, or would I work until they carried me away in a stretcher?
I sure hope I pick the surf in Hawaii option....

I Still Have a Pulse

Here I am, almost a week later, still fired up. The only thing that would disappoint me now would be if I sat back and decided it's not worth the effort. I've heard friends say that you need to choose your battles, and what they need to know is that this is the one I've chosen. This is not some keen observation, merely the old "Are you a man or a mouse?"
The really strange thing is that I cannot see the future. Perhaps that is good because right now I have to believe that I can make a permanent change....and that is a tough belief to hold.

This Will Be Interesting

This is a bookmark..today should be the beginning of a pretty fundamental change for me. I've been on the bench since 2003 and now somebody with a short memory has called me lazy. today, he will be witnessing my A game.
Perhaps he will go down in my history books as yet one more negative coach, the ones that instead of shouting encouragement, shout "pussy!"
We'll see.....