Walter Mitty Part 1
Was at my dad's for Father's Day, and we were watching "Walter Mitty" on one of the movie channels. Walter Mitty is this character who always dreamed of doing great things but never did them. I always thought of myself of some what a Walter Mitty, but as I look back at my life I can see some pretty amazing things that I have done.
- When I was 9 or 10, my parents were working for a production company as extras. My dad can be seen in the Movie Used Cars. But this did turn into a job for the whole family one day. My parents were going to a shoot and took me and my sister along. Got us out of school for half the day. We shot a Visa commerical and were paid I think $50 for just walking back and forth at the airport.
- At age 11 I started racing go carts. First race out I crashed sideways into the wall going about 55 mph. Was hurt really badly, but did not realize how badly until many years later. Raced for a few months until the insurance company came in and stopped me, which kind of ended my short lived carting career.
- At the age of 12, I got to go to the largest known gathering of LDS Scouts ever, at High on a Mountain Top. Made some great friends there, earned some merit badges, planted a few Pine trees and sat in Sacrament Meeting carving on a piece of wood with my father sitting next to me. But had a seizure 7 days there and was sent home early. This was one of the side affects from the crash. I think I had a concussion, that no one ever caught it.
- In 7th grade was on the 7th grade soccer team that went undefeated the whole season. The only goal that was scored on use was in the championship game.
- At 14, organised a neighborhood Olympics. It was two streets competing against each other. My mom called one of the local news stations and they came out and put us on the news that night. We got our ribbons and had a pizza party watching ourselves on the news. Still have the t-shirt from that day, even though no one know what it is.
- Went to scout camp the same year in Tennessee. We were the only Mormon troop there, and we let everyone one know it, by causing a food fight in the mess hall. They almost kicked us out. But we made up for it in the end by winning the camp games. One of the only things I was in was the Tug of War and I was the anchor. No one came close to pulling us across the line.
- Having a dad who is a master menhanic was not a bad thing growing up. When I was 5 I got to ride in the Christmas Parade with Santa Claus in the back of a 120 Jaguar. We always had an interesting car around the house. My dad worked for a few collectors in Tennessee and Arizona, so I have seen a lot of interesting things. Dad bought a C Sports racer when I was young and he would race it up and down the roads of East Ridge and Chattanooga, sometimes getting a ride out of it as well. For my 14th Birthday, my dad had a friend who had a 1964 GTO Ferrari, who took me for a ride down the road at a 150 mph.
- My Junior year in High School, I got a service star from the school for my work at Home Coming. I worked on every event that they had. I remember Mr. Warner shaking my hand and telling that I could pin that to my Letter. Well I did not letter in anything in high school.
- Paid for my senior trip to Hawaii from my pay checks from working at K-Mart. Back in 88 it was about $500 for the trip. Money well spent I guess.
- Earned the rank of Eagle in the Boy Scouts. Was given my award by then Govern Evan Mecham, just months before he was impeached.
- In November of 1988 I left for a 2 year mission to the Ireland Dublin Mission. Do not know if I came home a better person, but I did make some good friends. Thought I had made some good friends with some companion, but I guess that was not so. But I did grow to love the people of the South and the North. Glad to still have those relationships in my life. Some have been there when times have been tough.
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