What If?
by Mark Lyons
Image by Ryan McGuire from Pixabay
SammySocks Etc. Blog - Comments and Observations from Someone Who Is a Retired Educator and the Father of Sammy of SammySocks Etc.
“Hmm, should I have the cardboard bran cereal with 25 grams of fiber or my homemade granola wheat toast with the gluten free, tofu based, omega-3 fatty acid infused, flaxseed salmon spread? Oh, nuts, I’m just going to IHOP.”
Oh, hi. My mind was wandering, I mean, I was just thinking. After forty-four years as an educator and now retired, I sometimes think about what my life could have been like if I had chosen a profession other than teaching. I loved my career as a teacher. I loved my students. But, what if?
Rock Star? I am pretty musically inclined. I sing along in my car at a really loud volume to all the current songs on the radio. I’ve got the head banging part down. I did play trumpet in school from grade five all through college. My sister dated and married a guitar player, so I’ve got the rock star lineage. Yep. A rock star. Bono, Ringo, Mark.
I could have been a famous artist. I took art in high school and college. They don’t let just anyone take those classes. I’ve made several ash trays in my day. I sent in my drawing to that very famous and prestigious art school on the matchbook cover. I got accepted and they even gave me a scholarship. All I had to pay was $2,000. Pretty sweet, huh? Yeah, I could have been a famous artist. Rembrandt, Picasso, Mark.
I’m pretty sure that I would have made a great and famous politician. I can say “Aye!” and “Nay!”. I look good in a suit. I have voted in every important federal, state, and local election since I started voting back in 1972. (Go McGovern!) I know where Washington, D.C. is. I have driven past the White House twice. Washington, Lincoln, Lyons.
Acting is also something that I could have been famous, rich, and great at. I have extensive acting experience. Back in the third grade, I was the 1st Pilgrim in our school’s Thanksgiving play. There were three other Pilgrims in the play, but I was the 1st Pilgrim. I had speaking and eating parts in the widely applauded and critically acclaimed production. In the school’s PTA newsletter it said, “Little Markie Lyons brought extreme sincerity and real, yes, real interpretation to the role of 1st Pilgrim especially during the eating scenes.” Brando, Hanks, Lyons.
I was always good at sports. I think I could have been a highly paid and famous athlete. I tried out for my ninth-grade basketball team. Again, they don’t just let anyone try out for this. I didn’t make the team, but I did sit in the stands at every home game and play in the pep band. Oh, wait, maybe that is tied to my being a famous and rich rock star. I guess it works for this, too. Brady, Ruth, Lyons.
A rich philanthropist? Sure. I’m pretty sure that would have been something I would have been quite good at. I am constantly giving money to myself to spend on the things I need. The only thing that held me back was the lack of money. But, if I could have gotten some of that, I would have been well on my way. Gates, Bezos, Lyons.
Einstein, Galileo, Lyons. I could have been a world-famous scientist. I watch all the Big Bang Theory episodes. I have seen every episode of Nova since last Thursday. I wear the same t-shirt size as Einstein. I do look cool in a white lab coat. And I already have my acceptance speech ready for when I win the Nobel Prize in Science Stuff. Yep, a scientist.
Am I light on my feet? Do I cut a rug? Do people stop and stare when I dance? All yeses. Astaire, Flatley, Lyons. When I am singing along to the radio in my car, I am hardly able to keep my body in check with all my dance moves. My wife, Sally, is always trying to get me to stop dancing because she can’t take it, I mean she wants me to rest and take it easy so that I can go get us breakfast from IHOP.
Ah, what if? What if?
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