Here's a chapter. Hopefully you will like it.
A Slow Journey
It’s The Numerator
It was always interesting to hear what was on the kid’s minds. Of course these days it was schooling. School had gone on for most of the year and it was now Spring. Jennifer was finishing her Freshman year in high school, Sunny was in grade school, and Stacey was off in college at Indiana State finishing her Freshman year. I’m not real sure where we were heading that day, just off cruising in the Saturn. Maybe we were going to the dollar show or perhaps on our way to a state park. It wasn’t real important to where we were going. It was probably just the fact that there was excitement to be had. That’s just what dads do. Then again perhaps it was just that the kids had their dad to themselves.
I’m not sure how the conversation started since, well, I had to keep my eyes and mind on the road. Jennifer was doing really well in school. She always had. Not bad for a kid who didn’t talk until she was three. I mean if you don’t count the ear covering shrill screams of something gone horribly wrong in her uncomplicated 3 year old life. Years later, a movie came out called Wild Hogs. In it Bobby’s little girl said, “Hey dad, listen to this” and emits the most shrill, ear piercing scream ever”. Fingernails down a chalk board barely cover it. Bobby, “inside voice, inside voice”. Then Bobby’s oldest daughter walks down the stairs, “It’s like a car alarm that <edit>”! Now that captures the moment for me.
Getting back to the conversation, “Jennifer what do you rank”? Jennifer, “As of now I’m ranked #1 in my class. Sarah and Ryan say so what; it’s a small school and a small class”. Ronnie is just taking it in, I think. I’m beaming with pride here as would any parent. However, there’s a real parental fear in those remarks by Sarah and Ryan. I’ve always found good in striving, striving for education, striving athletically, and just striving to learn in any environment. For me striving is the key and promotes the joy of life in anything, business, religion, success, or even just plain old self satisfaction. You control your destiny when you strive. Now what these kids were saying was why try; it’s doesn’t matter. I want my kids to try, I want them to strive. They need to be the best they can be. This was preached to them often. I won’t be undercut here by a bunch of goobers. It will not be done! Ironically, Sarah and Ryan are actually very bright kids. I’ve met them and their families. Why they bought into this I don’t know. Other kids, politics, jealousy. Who knows! I fail to believe it was their parents. No parent sends their kids to a private school with the notion they shouldn’t try. This piss poor thinking has to be rebutted. I reflect back to my days in statistics class at college. This was just a couple of years ago at this point in time. I’ve always been one who believes no education is a waste. Still though how that comes into play is amazing or at least surprising. We were studying probabilities in stats 101, specifically small populations. Now I wish I could tell you I remember that statistical formula and persuade you that I’m just that smart. Sure can’t! I still have the book and actually looked it up. IT IS COMPLEX!! Yet at the time I made it through the class with a proud “B”. Tough though. In one particular lesson I distinctly remember the Professor saying, “It has been asked which is more important, the numerator or the denominator. As it turns out it’s the numerator”. This is from a guy who testifies in court cases on a fairly regular basis. I have always assumed it was the denominator. Now this was a shocker to me at the time. I mean, let’s think about it for a second. What seems more valid 1 in 1,000 or 1 in a 1,000,000? You certainly would feel a little luckier if you won against the odds of 1 in a million. You know what, that’s luck not probabilities. Probabilities take into account deviations and all kinds of variances. It appears to me that probabilities take many more variables into account and in specific situations. My Gawd you should see some of the complex formulas. As I said, I looked them up as I was writing this.
Interupting, “Jennifer, It’s not the denominator it’s the numerator. It’s that “1” Jennifer”. She has a curious look on her face. “Now let’s think this through for a moment. Say you have 2 folks running for President of the United States. Now I ask you, do you think that guy that finishes second matters. Nope, sure doesn’t. He doesn’t make policy, make war decisions, tax decisions, and is a brief footnote in history”. I somewhat smile inwardly at my over simplification but still I think I drive home the point.
In 2006 a movie debuts called “The Pursuit of Happiness”. A story about Christopher Gardner. The man just struggles almost unrealistically against all odds. It is however based on a true story. In one part, he is narrating, “I graduated first in my class, a class of 13”. I smiled at that. It’s the numerator Christopher. Well done!
