Think Back

Think back, way back.  Back farther than that. Think back to when the Polish pope visited the United States and a Minnesotan was the vice president of the United States.  I was young and had the world by the tail only I didn't know that at the time.  My uncle called me one day and asked for a favor.  His son, my cousin, was struggling in 9th grade algebra.  My uncle asked me to tutor him.  Instantly I pictured the head and shoulders of my high school algebra teacher and he was shaking his head side to side in disapproval.  Algebra wasn't my favorite subject.  In fact, algebra was one of my worst subjects in high school.  I told my uncle the truth.  I didn't feel qualified to tutor anyone in algebra.  My uncle said that wouldn't matter.  All his son needed was some confidence, some attention, and some guidance.  Again I emphasized my lack of algebra knowledge.  He insisted I was the one who could help his son.  And I, being the people pleasing person I was, and secretly a little honored to be asked to help a family member, agreed to try to help.  We bartered.  My uncle had my Grandfather's most awesome rototiller.  I had watched this rototiller many times.  This yellow behemoth of a tiller had the front of a small tractor and many, many tines in the back. This rototiller had so much power I had seen my Grandfather and my uncle struggle to keep up with it.  I was living in a little house on the edge of a swamp in Columbia Heights.  A small garden at the bottom of the hill would be so nice.  My uncle rototilled a garden for me.  He churned up the grass and the soil was black and rich.  Located next to a wetland made for fertile soil.  My vegetables grew lush and robust.  My cousin came over to my house with his algebra books.  While my uncle rototilled I looked at my cousin's algebra book with him.  He went through the first problem and showed me how to do it.  I paid attention and understood what he was saying. Maybe I asked a question or two. We did the second problem.  Again, he explained it to me and I understood.  Hence we set up the pattern of the tutoring sessions.  After the fourth half hour session of my cousin showing me how to do his algebra it was decided that my tutoring had saved the day.  My cousin  no longer needed my services.  I couldn't argue with that.  I think what most likely happened is that he decided he had buckle down and try to do his algebra in order to avoid any more tutoring from me.  In any case it was win/win for me.  I got a garden rototilled, I learned more about algebra, and I felt closer to my uncle and my cousin.  My uncle passed away this week.  I hope he died a peaceful death.  I wonder if he still has that rototiller.  He was a very nice man and if I had to describe him in one word it would be "integrity."  And although I wasn't so sure about tutoring algebra then, I sure am glad I did it now.