Argo Drive-In

Good Thursday morning!

I hope everyone is having a good week. I know my Josh is. I had a story I wanted to share today, but Tuesday Josh came in and told me something that had happened at school that made me think of something from my own past. Something I remembered that was so important then, and should be so important now.

When I was in high school, there was a boy in my class named Ken. He was tall, handsome, popular, athletic, a class leader, and he wore the most amazing flannel shirts! Ahh! How I loved flannel shirts. Everyone loved Ken, and he spoke to everybody. He was that kind of guy.

But Ken was even more special.

There was also a boy at our school (which was about the size of Gardendale High School now) who was not popular. In fact, he was pretty much ostracized. He was very overweight. He didn't have many, if any, friends. He didn't do anything wrong. He just didn't fit in... and no one let him fit in... until Ken.

Ken was our wrestling champ. He was amazing to watch and could pin anything that was moving. We had a very good wrestling team if I remember correctly. I vividly recall a day during our Senior year in the large foyer of the school. Classes had changed so it was packed with students hurrying from one hall to the other. I was on my way to class when I noticed Ken standing in the middle of the foyer. He dropped his books to the floor and put his hands on his hips. The crowd of students made a large circle around him. I don't think any of us knew exactly what was about to happen.

On the opposite side, standing on the edge of the circle, was the other boy... the total opposite of Ken. (We'll call him Bob for purpose of this story.) He dropped his books and stepped into the circle. The crowd of kids had now grown even larger, and all thoughts of getting to class on time had disappeared. What was going on? Ken had his "game face" on and crouched and started walking along the edge of the circle. Bob copied him and did the same. As a whole, the crowd was fairly quiet... a few of us were whispering wondering if there was going to be a fight and why? That was not like Ken, and it was not like Bob.

Then in a split second Ken rushed Bob going for his knees, and the wrestling began. It probably lasted all of one or two minutes, but it was a wonder to see. Ken made Bob work, but at the end of the "match," Ken had been pinned... by Bob. The crowd went wild. Bob's name was chanted. Ken stood up and held Bob's arm up as the winner of the match. I looked around and saw teachers watching, smiling, and clapping. And then as quickly and unexpectedly as it started, it was over. Everyone hurried to class. Ken and Bob slapped each other on the back. Things were back to "normal."

As long as I live, I'll never forget Bob's face. The sheer joy. It may have been the only time in his high school career he had ever been in the spotlight for a positive reason. I think that day changed things for Bob. I know he was still teased and mistreated by some students... but when Ken was around, they would bear hug, slap each other on the back and go their separate ways.

What did Ken lose by being kind to someone who had never experienced kindness in a school setting? Nothing. How long did it take Ken to reach out to someone everyone else had deemed unworthy of being treated kindly? Mere seconds. How HUGE was the difference it made in Bob's life? MONUMENTAL!

I never looked at Ken the same way again. I didn't care that he was handsome, athletic, and wore flannel shirts. I didn't care that he spoke to all the popular kids and the unpopular kids. Ken was so much more than any of those things. At a time in life when everyone was so worried about being "cool," Ken had looked around and saw someone who was floundering and needed some help... and he then did something about it! What an extraordinary young man.

One of Josh's obsessions, as I stated in Josh's Journey, is football. He eats, sleeps and really thinks of nothing else. And at Gardendale, there is a young man who is a very good football player that Josh admires very, very much. (Since I haven't asked his permission to be on the blog, I will simply call him BT in this story.) Our high school had Hero Day during Homecoming Week this past season, and everyone was supposed to dress up as their favorite super hero. Josh made a fake football jersey and with duct tape made BT's number on the front and back. BT noticed and smiled.

I've known BT since middle school. He played in the band with Austin before he started playing ball. He is popular, athletic, funny and a class leader. He could go his entire Senior year and not even look at an underclassman and no one would think anything about it... but yesterday Josh was walking down the hall and heard someone call out, "Hey, Faulkner!"

He quickly turned around and was shocked, surprised and thrilled to get a call-out and wave from BT. They didn't have a 30 minute talk. BT didn't commit to spend every day seeking Josh out and speaking to him. It was a very simple, simple thing.

What did BT lose by being kind to someone who has been treated unkindly by many because of an illness others do not understand? Nothing. How long did it take BT to reach out to someone who needed a kind word that day? Mere seconds. How HUGE was the difference in Josh's life Tuesday? MONUMENTAL. He got in the car NOT exhausted, defeated and world-weary. He was elated, laughing and happy.

As a mom, I don't care that BT is handsome, athletic and popular. I don't care that he speaks to popular kids AND unpopular kids. BT is so much more than that. What an extraordinary young man!

The Kens and BTs of this world will always get a lot of attention and glory... I just want to make sure they get it for the truly important things they accomplish. Believe me, before BT graduates and moves on, he will know what a blessing he was to a freshman named Faulkner one day in February.

I'll let him know the freshman's mom was appreciative, too!

Argo Drive-In

I'm sorry, but this date is only for the locals.

I highly recommend the Argo Drive-In for a one-on-one date OR a great family date. Unless they tell you otherwise on their phone message, all movies are $10 a carload, except for Sunday nights which are $5. You can call them any time after noon on Mondays and get the movie listing for the following weekend. Their number is 467-3434. You will get a recording with the time, movie and the days it will be showing.

Also, if you have never been before and you decide to make it a family date, they allow you to bring in coolers and any food you want. Once you pay for the movie, you do not have to get snacks and drinks from them. (However, they do have a good concession stand.)

When we go as a family, we take all of our camping chairs, turn the van backwards and put the radio on the station the movie will be playing on (they will tell you as you enter the gate). We take bags of snacks and a cooler of drinks, and we're set for the evening. We take blankets in the spring and fall, and bug spray in the summer.

If you go on the one-on-one date, the same applies except you can both sit in the front with comfortable seats and enjoy the climate control of your own car. (No bug spray or blankets necessary.)

This is a great outing. Very affordable, memorable and fun. We go several times a year. If I know we have a free weekend coming up, I make the call to see what's playing and we make our plans to attend!

NOTE: Next week I'll have a date that applies to everyone in the Continental United States.

Have a beautiful Thursday. (It's almost the weekend!) I'll be back tomorrow with a good book to curl up with. Also, I will be giving my review of all TV shows worth watching. You don't want to miss that, do you?

Take care and I'll talk to you tomorrow!