Nomad News-Vol.3-No.62

WORKIES UP: To digress for a moment, I usually think of something to write about when I am in bed, before falling asleep or after awakening in the morning. As I proceed through getting my breakfast eating, etc., I'm thinking about the subject and arranging the elements in some sort of order. Then, when I sit down at the keyboard, I can proceed fairly quickly, which now brings me to: When I was a kid, we played "Workies Up". Most of you folks reading this, probably never heard of the game. It started with two kids and a baseball after school. I always enjoyed school, particulary my competition with Sylvia Rosenthal. Sylvia was always the fastest typist and No. 1 in shorthand. I was always second. In a class of 155 students, I graduated 9th and Sylvia was in one of the other eight positions. I never did much homework at home. I always found time during the day, such as study periods and time between classes, to complete my homework. I was always trying to "steal" minutes from serious time and add them to my fun time. When the three o'clock bell rang, I was off to play Workies Up or to roam the nearby woods. Now, that said, Workies Up started with two kids and a baseball. We would play "catch" until a third kid showed up, then we might hit "grounders" to each other if the third kid brought a bat along. When ten kids showed it, it was time to get serious about some baseball. Usually the kid who brought the baseball had first choice to be first "at bat". Then the other nine filled in the fielding positions; pitcher, catcher, etc. When the first "hitter" either scored or was thrown out, he went to right field and everyone moved up one position; thus, Workies Up. This gave each kid an opportunity to play every position. What we actually had was a high school training camp and didn't know it. The kids that continued into high school sports had already developed skills where they fit in best. Disagreements were always handled with the bat, and I don't mean swinging it. One antagonist would grab the bat near the middle, holding it vertical with the handle up. The other antagonist would grab the bat just above the other hand. They would alternate until one or the other was left holding the bat. That's diplomacy. Every kid carried a pocket knife to school from the time they started to wear knickers. It was a necessary tool to play mumbley peg during recess. Mumbley Peg? You opened both blades of the knife, placing one blade tip on your chin, holding the knife upright by placing finger of other hand on the other tip. You then flipped the knife off, attempting to hit a target on the ground. Sears Roebuck catalogue always showed a calf-high leather boot that included a pocket knife in a side sheath. I always longed for a pair but never got them. It's been years since I have seen a group of kids gather on a sand lot and learn to bond and develop habits and character that would serve them for a lifetime. Workies Up didn't end with the end of school days. We're called the Greatest Generation. That's nonsense. We are but a continuation of the generations that preceded. We had a job to do. We did it. Most of us came home. We went back to work. We forgot about it and went fishing. We didn't ask for anything. Most of us were in low paying jobs but worked our way up the ladder. Those who got married, started off renting a home or purchasing one they could afford. As the family and finances grew, they moved on to a larger or maybe more upscale home. But, always one they could afford. It was called Workies Up. Nothing Greatest about that. It was called common sense; something severely lacking in today's world. We saved and/or invested some of what we earned, planning for our retirement. Personally, I never expected to get married or live as long as I have, or I would have made some different decisions. I dislike paying interest. Debt is a thousand pound rock holding young people back from upward mobility and future happiness. Shortly, I will jot down some suggestions that will show young people how they can buy almost anything they wish, with the exception of a home and car, without paying interest. Will they listen? I doubt it! The government schools have taught them to rely on someone some thing other than their own initiative.