Trivial Event From Childhood

I happened to glance at “This Date in History” and ran across an event that brings me back to my childhood.  It’s a trivial sports story that leads me to some not-so-trivial introspection.  But first, a story to introduce the story:

I recently got together with a few old grade school friends at a bonfire party.

Whenever we boys get together we talk about the old days, sports, collecting baseball and football cards.  My wife usually just politely listens and rolls her eyes.  Can’t blame her.  My friends are often amazed at the now insignificant, trivial things I remember from my childhood.  This particular night one of my old friends laughingly stated something like, “Kuhnnie, had you applied yourself at school work instead of that other stuff you could have become somebody!”

All laughed. Suzanne nodded.  Of course,  I had/have to agree.  I should have applied myself.

I also remember so not-so-trivial things. I remember grade school summer vacations and having to attend summer school just about every year.  I'm sure I complained; I'm sure my parents retorted with something like, "Well, had you applied yourself during the school year you wouldn't have to go!” 

True.  Ignorance is a vicious cycle.

I remember one summer was different.  Instead of a classroom, I spent a few weeks at the University of Evansville being subjected to a barrage of tests.  Didn’t know why until years later when I found the letter they sent to my parents.  It was very long and very formal letter that basically said:  We can find no physical or mental reason why David is such a slow reader and learner. The boy just doesn’t apply himself.  (It sounded smarter than that, but you get the drift.)

Maybe I didn’t apply myself.  Maybe I still don’t.  Maybe there's something deeper there.  I do know enough to know I should have worked harder on the important stuff instead of playing and watching a lot of trivial games. 

Which leads me to this date in history (finally, right?).
November 17, 1968.  I was 8 years old and watching the Oakland Raiders vs. the New York Jets. 

With a little more than a minute left to play in a fierce contest, the Jets kicked a 26-yard field goal that gave them a 32-29 lead. What happened after that has gone down in football and TV history: Oakland scored twice in nine seconds, and the game was over: They’d won 43-32. 

Only I didn’t get to see the end of the game.  Nor did the rest of the country.  With 65 seconds to play, NBC switched off the game -- which was running long -- in favor of its previously scheduled programming, a made-for-TV version of . . . Heidi. 

Yes, it’s true that I don’t, for whatever reason, remember a lot of valuable information that, if applied, I could use to make something out of myself.   My friends are right, though, I do remember a lot of trivial experiences from my childhood, including . . .

The Heidi Bowl. 

Who knows, maybe that will be the million dollar question on a trivia show I luck onto someday. 
I only hope I can remember it.

Carpe Diem Life
David Kuhn
CarpeDiem-Life.com