Hillbilly version: lessons learned are internalized. Lessons do not apply to all situations. Inappropriate applications of lessons can lead to new lessons. At the advanced age of four, maybe five, and in response to being told that there would be consequences for my behavior, I told my father that “you can not whip me because you can’t catch me”. I took off. That part of this tale is totally accurate. The rest is mostly true. I ran and made good on my escape. I had shown that old man until there was this hand. This hand grabbed me by the collar and lifted me completely off the ground. The distance of my escape was not nearly as long as the trip back. I swear. That old man swatted my behind every time my right foot hit the ground. What was actually less than a block seemed like miles. There was not physical pain but the embarrassment is with me still. Who knew adults could run? It had never happened before and I was fast. Or so I thought.

We mercifully arrived back at the house, Finally. I was set upon the porch and looked straight in the eyes and told, “Don’t ever run from a fight”. That lesson has proven helpful throughout life but it has gotten my head thumped a couple of times.