The Paths We Take Essay

 As a kid attending 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th grade science classes in rural Alabama in the early 1970s....under Ms 'Hilda'....I was pretty set to be the C-minus kid.  

In the same era (4 year period).....I had four different math teachers....who were all 'losers' in getting the topic across. I generally averaged a C-minus through the  whole period.

I changed schools, and in the early 12th grade....the test folks came from the military and figure out our 'capabilities.  This was the ASVAB tests.

So this odd thing happened....in the area of general science (GS),  arithmetic reasoning (AR), mathematics knowledge (MK), and electronic information (EI)....I was around 50 points ahead of the general average.

In the area of General technical (GT)...with word knowledge (WK), paragraph comprehension (PC), and arithmetic reasoning (AR).....I was 40 points ahead of the general average.

In the area of Mechanical maintenance (MM)....with auto and shop information (AS), mechanical comprehension (MC), and electronic information (EI).....I pretty much maxed out.  

So getting into the Air Force wasn't an issue.

But there is this odd story which falls into play.  

I left the farm on 1 August 1977, and about two weeks after this....a recruitment letter came from the Navy.  They wanted me to call and talk to a particular recruiter....offering nuclear operations.  My mom kept the letter around but I didn't really see the letter for five or six years.

After reading the letter....I paused over this.  Me?  The kid with a C-minus science situation and marginally passing math for the mid-years of high school....being recruited for nuclear reactor training and duty?  For several years, I was mostly amused over where this would have led onto.

If the Navy had sent this note the month before I signed up with the Air Force?  Would I have been 'crazy' enough to talk to this recruitment guy and get tangled up into some kind of nuclear  'duty' and go off to the Navy?  The kid with dismal grades in science and math?

I worked with a guy who had this extreme of 'timing' being everything.  He believed entire paths of life....led somewhere, but it was on the timing of events that mattered.  

If I had avoided the science teacher (Ms Hilda) or had some decent math instructor...who knows?