8/12/2019
Well, well! I was reading an article by a man trying to sell me something I don’t intend to buy, but he did tell me something of mine which had a name, and I didn’t think it was worthy of a name: The Song in My Head each morning has a name, it’s called Earworm. So, from now on, I guess I have to say, “the Earworm this morning is…” How’s that sound? Which way do you think I should say it: “the SIMH?” or “the Earworm?” I’ll leave it up to you. Vote now, the lines are open!!
Now that the important stuff has been settled. I want to tell you of a restaurant chain with which I’m pretty impressed: It’s called First Watch. Breakfast and Lunch, and Brunches on weekends. They are truly well done and the “fare” is complete and fairly priced and their staff in each of the ones to which I’ve been are well-trained, dressed appropriately, swift and courteous. and they serve you very good water, leaving you a bottle of it at your table! That’s a great finishing touch. It’s an oft forgotten thing, but it is classy, to say the least (and should always be done—with good water.)
I look at a town, these days, on the basis of where and how many Blue Jug stores will fit here. In this case, if I were thinking of putting Blue Jug Alkaline Water Store and Health Market in strategic places in Chattanooga, I would try my best to place one within a mile of each of the First Watch restaurants. The close-by-association would manifest itself by their good practice of water at the table over to reminding people to get the Water the Way It’s Meant To Be which comes from Blue Jug stores. If that sounds trite or miniscule, think of what reminds you at various times of things you need. Tiny or insignificant things often become a routine to our lives. At Blue Jug, we like routine stops for water!
So, in Chattanooga, a metro area capable of 10-12 Blue Jug markets when maturity comes through, I would start with one close to the Hixson First Watch; then, one close to the Gun Barrel Rd. First Watch, and then one close to the North Shore First Watch. If you visit those three areas of the city, you’ll not think me brilliant. You’ll think, of course, I would have chosen these three areas, anyway….Well, get on with it! Chattanooga needs Blue Jug Alkaline Water and Health Markets!
Here we go through the month of August, 2019. Once again, it almost seems surreal for this to be where and when we actually are! I know it shouldn’t be thought strange that I’m approaching my 77th birthday, but if I wasn’t, it wouldn’t be August 2019! I’ve lived long enough that I’ve known many 77 year old people and watched them get older. In fact, my sister, Margaret was 77 when I signed up for Social Security payments, now she’ll soon be 92. Really! that many years! I remember Harry S. Truman being President-by-surprise in 1948, I remember the rookie, Mickey Mantle, Don Larsen’s perfect game, Bill Mazeroski’s 9th inning “walk-off” home run to beat the Yanks in the World Series! In fact, that game was listened to by me in the Trust Dept. of American Fletcher National Bank in Indianapolis, a very special moment in that office that day.
Everyone who worked there participated in the 7th game “pool” —yes, I know, gambling was against the law(my reason for not participating wasn’t that, it was put a dollar in and not eat for two days if I lost: I opted to not take a chance.) That particular pool was unique by the manner you drew your chance to win. It was based on the score. You drew each team (Yanks or Pirates with a number) and that’s how the end score was to end for you to win. Say you drew Yanks 2, Pirates 1—if that wasn’t the score, you lost. Well, on this day, probably the poorest man in the department besides me was a loud-mouth, brash young man the others just sort of barely tolerated—you’ve seen the type. He drew Pirates 0 Yanks 9. He was a big Pirate fan. His heart sank, especially when the Yanks were leading 7-4. Then, the Pirates went up 9-7. In the top of the 9th, the Yanks scored 2 runs. Optimism rose in the young man’s eyes. “Hey,” he says, as the game entered the bottom the ninth, “if the Pirates get a walk off, I win!” Everyone laughed, uproariously. But the Trust Dept. manager, Mr. Reed stepped out of his office and said, he’s right, these are his numbers: Pirates 0, Yanks 9. If the Pirates get a run, they’ll have 10, and since we just use the ten digits, …silence filled the room as the inning progressed with the Pirates coming to bat. It was the bottom of the order, Yankees got their best on the mound, they won’t score, all the other hopefuls said to one another. The young man was strangely silent, some thought he was praying, I would have been.
Then, Bill Mazeroski stepped to the plate as the potential winning run. As the announcer screamed into the mic, “He’s done it! He’s done it! Forget about the “shot heard round the world” this beats all!” The silence of our office erupted in and glorified in handing the $100 giant pool money to the young man who wept for happiness! Yes, that’s they way it was on Oct. 13, 1960, in a bank office in Indianapolis. (ps: radio, no tv.)
Baseball, like most sports, lives on in the memory of those to whom special moments, special plays, special victories occur. Of course they’re not important in the bigger scheme of things, but they remain in our minds, right?
Thanks for reading, the Elder
the Elder's Blog 