Sergeant Tony's Blog

Both of them were named Danny.

But that’s where the similarities ended.

To protect their identities, I’ll name them “Danny Pitt” and “Danny Wilson.” Some of my friends from junior high, who also read this newsletter, will remember these two guys.

Danny Pitt was the quarterback on our football team, almost 6 ft. tall in the 9th grade. He was a rich boy who flaunted his privilege and the power of his old family name, with their old family money. He had that swagger and arrogance that usually accompanies those things. He wore the best and coolest clothes. (A year later, when he turned 16 his daddy bought him a new Corvette. He was that guy.) Pitt didn’t mind putting people in their places and reminding them of his exalted station in life. He was a showoff in the worst possible sense of the word. His girlfriend was the captain of the cheerleading squad. They were that couple.

The guy was King of Darby Junior High.

The only reason I pretended to like him is because I played wide receiver on the football team. He had a habit of not throwing the ball to receivers he didn’t like, no matter how open they were. And I wanted him to throw me the ball.

On the other hand, Danny Wilson was a relatively new kid at my school. He’d only been there since 8th grade. He wasn’t outgoing, played no sports, was kind of overweight, and he had a case of acne that was about to get worse. He was pretty quiet and didn’t really speak up in class unless he was called on to answer a question. He was a good student and a good guy.

He and I were in the same Spanish class together and were often paired up to practice. Danny had lived in Arizona and could actually speak some Spanish. When I would butcher up a word or phrase, he’d help me to say it correctly. But when our Spanish teacher called on him to read aloud in class, Danny would mispronounce and stumble as if it were ME reading it. I asked him why he didn’t speak correctly and he just shrugged his shoulders. He was humble like that.

I liked Danny Wilson. He thought I was funny — I always like people who think I’m funny — and I liked making him laugh. Not only was he a good guy, kind, and polite, but he also shared some of the pastries he brought to school everyday. His mom would stop at the donut shop on their way to school every morning and Danny always had a white paper bag of yummy donuts! He preferred the jelly filled. And even though I was more of a cinnamon roll kind of guy, I never turned down a gift donut! By October of my 9th grade year, in addition to jelly donuts for Danny, his mom started buying a cinnamon roll for him to give to his friend Tony.

The two Danny’s hardly ever crossed paths except for Danny Pitt to taunt Danny Wilson before school. For absolutely no reason at all, Pitt singled him out to be ridiculed. Pitt was strong, good looking, and popular. The other Danny wasn’t. I guess that meant that he was fair game. Pitt started calling him “Donut Boy” and “Pillsbury Doughboy” when my friend would walk by in the morning.

I should have said something. I should have told Pitt to knock it off and leave him alone. But I was afraid of angering the one guy who could make me a football hero, or just another number on the team.

I was a hypocrite of the worst kind.

But one day everything changed.

That Friday started out just like the day before had, standing around in front of the school waiting for the bell to ring. But it was a game day, so our coach had us wear our football jerseys to class. Nothing too odd, really. I saw my friend Danny Wilson start to pass by the group of rich kids that included Danny Pitt, who was holding court, along with his queen, the head cheerleader.

I heard Pitt start to taunt him with the usual name calling. Then something new happened. Pitt, for reasons I never knew, stepped in front of him and blocked Wilson’s path. And then Pitt pushed him in the chest. What happened next was something I have replayed in my head a million times.

Imagine this scene in slow motion.

Danny Wilson drops his books — along with the white paper bag of delicious donuts!

From under Danny Wilson’s left arm slowly tumbles his notebook, Algebra book, Social Studies book, and other papers. From his right hand falls the white paper bag of splendid sugary sweets. See in your mind’s eye Danny Pitt tilt his stupid head slightly forward with his eyes fixed on, and following downward, the books and white paper bag of confectionary delights. And now freeze that scene in your imagination. The books and white paper bag of yummy-ness suspended in midair. And now look closely at Danny Wilson’s right hand. Do you see it? That’s right. It has become a fist.

When you push the slow motion play button in your mind, you will see Danny Wilson’s right uppercut make contact with Danny Pitt’s nose. A right uppercut that Pitt never sees because his eyes are fixed on the falling books and white paper bag of wonderful goodness. Pitt’s nose was broken before the books and the white paper bag of … well, you know … hit the deck.

Pitt grabs his nose. Blood gets on the front of his #14 football jersey. Almost unseen, with all of the attention on The King holding his nose and crying like a little girl, was Danny Wilson, who calmly picked up his books and the white paper bag of you know what, and walked away with the same regard as if he’d just put a letter in a mailbox.

The kingdom had a new king.

But the new king wasn’t interested in the job. Danny Wilson shunned the spotlight … but he was never taunted again.

Danny Wilson, and every magician, knows the value of distraction and misdirection. When we take our eyes off the main thing, off the most important thing, and put our focus on the distraction, the misdirection, the illusion, true success will elude us. We may ultimately fail. We might get poked in the nose.

Evaluate what’s important in your life. Find out what the main thing is and focus on that.

And watch out for that right uppercut!

———————————————————

CHUCK NORRIS IS A SISSY BOY

Every Monday I ask for a show of hands if you did your one hour (minimum) of continuous cardio over the weekend.

This past Monday, Teri Trotter — yes, the same Teri Trotter who just recently had breast cancer surgery and who started chemo therapy yesterday — was at the 0830 class.

That fact, all by itself, would be enough to admire and praise her!

But she was also the ONLY PERSON at the 0830 class to raise her hand. She got her one hour of continuous cardio! That’s right! And she just had breast cancer surgery!

Teri, YOU, dahlin, rock, Rock, ROCK! We hope and pray that you’re doing good today.

Chuck Norris hears your name and trembles with fear!

—————————————————————

0645 CLASS CALLED TO DUTY!

The masses have compelled me activate the 0645 class on Monday, May 4!

So all of you 0645 Boot Campers, dust off your dumbbells and clean the spider webs off your rolled up exercise mat gathering dust in your garage!

—————————————————————-

FOURTH THURSDAY MOUNT FUJI AT 0530

The popularity of the “Mt. Fuji Workout” has inspired me to schedule it again! Because you asked for it, we’ll be doing it every third and fourth Thursday of the month! Thanks everyone for making this so much fun! The attendance has been great!!

So tomorrow morning the 0530 class will again meet at the University of Memphis for our Mt. Fuji workout! Meet in the parking lot in front of the parking garage on Zach Curlin. Bring your dumbbells!

There will be no 0530 workout at Christ Methodist.

———————————————————

THESE ECONOMIC TIMES

I try to promote and patronize Boot Campers in their businesses. I am also a member of a business networking group (BNI - Business Networking International) that meets weekly to promote one another’s businesses.

Starting this week I’ll include folks looking for a new job or career change. Only current Boot Campers in good standing will be listed.

If you’re not a business owner, or you work on commission, and would like to be mentioned here, send me your info!

Today’s Big Three are:

1. Jay Lawler (Boot Camper) -Sales Manager-Tom James Company of Memphis-

World’s largest manufacturer and retailer of custom-made clothing. We save our clients time by coming directly to their home or office for all of their ready-made or custom-made clothing needs. We also have a complete business casual and casual line and a full line of accessories for any occasion.
cell 277-3694 j.lawler@tomjames.com … www.tomjames.com

2. Katherine Aden-Vermilye (Boot Camper — Job Seeker!)

“I like office work, but I’m pretty open. I’ve worked in a law firm - recently as a fill in for answering phones and then a little paralegal work. In the past I’ve worked at Starbucks and a law firm as a filing clerk and then promoted to head of billing.” khakimoose@yahoo.com

3. Art Johnson (Boot Camper — on leave) — Savvy Spirit – personalized, high quality, but simple brochure-style web site design. http://www.savvyspirit.com/abj/

——————————————————

Keep the main thing, the main thing.

To your continued good health and fitness,

Tony

Sergeant Major Tony Ludlow
USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP, Commanding
4888 Southern Ave
Memphis, TN 38117
901-644-0145

www.usmcfitnessbootcamp.com

www.shaklee.net/tonyludlow/main