Late October 2013

I learned that if you wanted some spending money you need a job.  I hadn’t really worked before that summer, aside from chores, housework, etc.  But that summer I worked for Mrs. Terry Bryant doing yard work and I baby sat a kid in the neighborhood.  Mrs. Terry treated me like an adult, which I was feeling very much like.  And the neighborhood kid called me Mr. Wes, which made me feel authoritative.  And I got paid for both jobs, which made me feel rich (not really, but $20 can go a long way for a 15 year-old).

I learned that UD (Uncle Dennis) can see into the future.  I remember walking thru the house one day and someone commenting about my height or my 125 lb. physique and I said that I was going to grow up to look like Grandpa, meaning Grandpa Cole who was roughly 6’ tall and 165 lbs. soaking wet.  But ole UD, as soon as “Grandpa” came out of my mouth immediately rebutted with “Yeah, Pops!” (Take the over on one & the under on the other).  UD, hilarious! And painfully accurate today.

I learned that teaching VBS was way more fun than just attending (not that attending isn’t fun).  I was part of the group responsible for 2^nd graders.  It was a learning experience for me, but a lot of the excitement of it was the company of the other “helper”, i.e., females.  We spent a lot of the after-hours (and the week before actual VBS which I suppose would be “before” hours) playing capture the flag.  The awesome thing about this was this church was 10 times larger than any church I had ever attended with a lot of places to run, a lot of places to hide, and a lot of kids my age.  And I’m sure we made positive impressions on some 2^nd graders too.