Wow Factor

That's my good friend Duane Laursen up there.  We get in a quick visit while he is in town for a conference on the health of the oceans. They must have held it here so the sharks couldn't eavesdrop.

It is clearly a privilege to give a tour of this fair city to Duane. Even at his age( same as mine) he holds on to this amazing curiosity about life. He is fascinated by everything around him. He is a retired high school science teacher. It had to have been a life changing experience to be in his class.

I am going to join up with Duane to pass on some advice to  students just getting started in the World. 

I first met Duane in Junior College in an intermural basketball game. We both end up at Long Beach State where Duane gets hooked up, and ultimately marries one of my sister's best friends. A whole bunch of us end up living in Seal Beach after college and a few other adventures.

In those days Duane and I were both closet athletes, he certainly more than I. We ran on the beach, we biked, we hiked, we played tennis, played beach volleyball, and.....let me get back to that.

Were you to talk to anyone who knows or knew either one of us casually? Two of nicest guys you'd ever want to know, right? BRING ON THE PING PONG TABLE.

Put paddles in our hands, eyes glass over, the ball arrives and the war begins. If you play table tennis semi seriously, four or five games can be a workout.

Well, here's two young adult men in Duane's backyard going on their 50th game. This was mostly because neither of us wanted to quit while we were behind.  I don't know Duane, didn't we keep score with chalk marks for a while?   Seems like we put them on some bricks over by the Koi Pond?

I mentioned we played some beach volleyball. Well one night Duane calls me and wants to know if I want to go play "rotate in" volleyball at the Junior High School.

"Come on Duane. We live at the beach. Why do I want to go play at the Junior High?"

"Oh, I think you'll find it challenging."

UNDERSTATEMENT.

On the court that night was at least one Olympian, and this guy named Randy, I think, who was born  with rockets in his feet. (I'm told one night Wilt Chamberlain was there. Thankfully I was not.)

Back to Randy.  I think he was about 5'8"? And when he jumped for a kill at the net, his CHEST was above the net. 

CertainlyRandy must be on some college or professional team? I hope I remember this right. Randy it seems liked hustling on the beach more than championships or trophies. It was easy to think you could whip this 5'8" inch kid in some two man volleyball. Wanna bet?  Not!

Back to that night at the Junior High.  I think I may still have some facial scars from volleyballs coming at me at supersonic speed. But hey I was gong to stick it out no matter what. I was never very good, but I sure learned quickly how to play the game right.

Well Duane and I have casually kept track of each others lives over the years. We live about 17 hundred miles apart.  But you know as we visit here the other day?

"Boy, my knees hurt!"

"Oh, my aching back!"

"How many pills do you take a day?"

"Ten, you?"

"Got ya, just nine."

So I guess I'm getting to the advice.  I don't think either one of us look back and say, "wish I hadn't done all those things."

What we would say is, "wish I'd taken better care of my knees"

"Yeah, wish I'd taken better care of my back."

It's not just the old NFL linemen groaning every morning when they get up. It's also some of us regular guys who occasionally put competition ahead of good sense.

I still play some occassional tennis, but Duane does that and a lot more despite his bad knees. His most noted fete you can witness yourself every New Years Day. He twirls a rope in the Rose Parade. And he does it on foot. 

Thanks for spending some time here Duane. Sorry we couldn't get out to the house. I've got the table tennis table set up in the basement?

SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO KNOW. DUANE IS DETERMINED TO STOP BY ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF PaulsModestMusings. HE WANTS TO BE THE FIRST ONE HERE.  ARE YOU GOING TO LET HIM GET AWAY WITH THAT?

i'm wondering if duane would like to get into a little blood pressure reading war.....I'm 120 over 82 this morning thanks to five pills.