Nineteen

Paul Hardcastle wrote a hit song in 1985(?) simply called "Nineteen". It referred to the average age of a soldier in the Vietnam War. Not exactly uplifting...but a pretty good beat, nonetheless.

Nineteen was the number my dad used most commonly when racing cars. Naturally, it's been a number I've tried to acquire in every sport I've done. The first time I remember having the number 19 was by pure coincidence...or was it?

I knew I liked to run at an early age. In middle school I competed in some summer track meets. In Junior High I was part of my first organized team. During the first couple of weeks of practice the coaches made us run long distance, regardless of your event, to "weed out" the weak people. I ran like a scalded dog during those first weeks.

There were 40 pairs of sweats that the school owned. The first day of practice they were handed out to the 9th graders, but could be "earned" by lowerclassmen who worked hard and showed promise. At the end of the first week there would be a list posted of those who had earned (and lost) sweats. As an underclassman, you were expected to go to the locker of the person whose sweats you earned and ask them for them....talk about intimidating.

I don't remember the name of the guy whose sweats I was to take after that first week, but I remember he was BIG. I bucked up, walked over and said "I believe I'm supposed to get your sweats". He wasn't happy, but handed them over. They were number 19.....I never gave them up.

Ther have been several instances where that number came up and I was pleasantly surprised. The fact that Olivia was born on June 19, at 8:19 didn't faze me. Obviously, today I interviewed for a job that I desperately want on the 19th. It's a small thread to hang on to, but I'll take it.