Knuckleball

It all started one afternoon when he was driving through the State of Nebraska during a severe thunderstorm. Looking at the dark sky, he thought, weather is very much like a knuckleball pitch in baseball: very unpredictable. Yesterday was a beautiful day. The sun was shining. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky. Today the rain is coming down so hard, my windshield wipers can barely manage to give me visibility of the road.

Although the science of meteorology has made great advances, it still can’t predict the weather with certainty; like trying to predict what will happen in life. He then smiled as he recalled an ad he once read in the London Financial times: "The Clairvoyance Society of Greater London will not meet next Tuesday because of unforeseen circumstances."

During his trip, he was totally unaware that his life would be completely altered, and his childhood dream would soon become a reality. The course of life may sometimes change as quickly as the blinking of an eye, and for no apparent reason. Had Charlie Hawkins consulted a mystic or Tarot card reader before he started his journey, none could have predicted the incredible reversal in his life that would that afternoon occur.

Many years ago, when he lived Northern Arizona, he remembered that a heavy rainfall could turn a small stream of water into a raging river. A friend was once caught in a flash flood while attempting to cross a gully that minutes before had contained only a few inches of water. The friend was unable to cross because his car was inundated in mid-stream. Fortunately, he was able to open the door on the driver’s side and get out as the car was swept away like a small plastic toy caught in a curbside gutter. As a result of that accident, Charlie Hawkins had great respect for the weather and the damage it wrought. The once popular commercial, "Don’t fool with Mother Nature," was no joke. It was reality.

Looking at himself in the rear view mirror, he had vain thoughts. Not too bad looking for a seventy three year old man. A full head of white hair, black eyebrows, he wore glasses and had very few facial wrinkles--a gift from the family genes. His grandmother, father and mother in their later years also had few wrinkles. So did his older seven brothers and sisters. (Six of them who were deceased.) When science finally discovers the gene that prevents wrinkles, he thought. It will probably make someone very wealthy. And probably put many facial products now on the market out of business. Perhaps they will name it, "Ponce de Leon Cream," after the Spanish explorer who sought the fountain of youth in Florida.

During his life, Charlie Hawkins experienced many unusual situations in his travels as a business executive. Most noteworthy, were two accidents that almost caused his early demise. Those experiences had taught him not to take anything for granted and to realize change was inevitable. Thinking of change, he fondly remembered his former college professor, Dr. Werner, and the first day they met in a college physics class. The professor walked into the classroom like a Prussian general reviewing his troops--with a stiff back and a military bearing. After laying his books on a desk, he said, "Good morning students, I’m professor Werner and I want to start this class by tell you to remember that in nature there are no absolutes-- nothing is permanent."

Charlie, who was sitting in the first row of seats, raised his hand with trepidation and said, "I disagree with you." The professor looked at him over the rim of his glasses which had slipped down on his nose and shouted, "What a way to start this class with a smart ass. And what do you disagree with Mr. Wiseguy?" Charlie meekly answered, "There is one absolute" "And what might that be Mr. Einstein?" The professor asked in anger as his nostrils flared like a bull getting ready to charge a bullfighter. "The Greek philosopher Heraclitus once said, ‘There is nothing permanent except change.’ Based on that, one can say, the one absolute is all things change." There was total silence in the classroom as the professor glared at him. Slowly stroked his beard, walked to the blackboard while the students held their breath in anticipation of what he might write or say. Then Professor Werner bellowed in a loud voice, "Students, I want you to remember this for the rest of your life." Then wrote, "The only absolute in the universe is, ALL THINGS MOVE, THUS ALL THINGS CHANGE" on the blackboard and the entire class laughed and applauded his statement.

Charlie and Dr. Werner subsequently became very good friends; forming a relationship which endured for many years. Until it ended a few years ago when the grim reaper came along with his sharp scythe and harvested the professor’s life at the age of 87. Professor Werner was a wonderful role model for the young Mr. Hawkins and a devoted friend: Always available and ready to give consul whenever needed. The professor was one of several persons whom Charlie credited for his successful career in business and in life.