Broken Glasses

Art Fettig’s Monday Morning Memo 

August 14, 2017

In this Issue

o  Broken Glasses
o  Say Something Good
o  Points To Ponder
o  A Little Humor
o  Quote
o  To Subscribe

Broken Glasses

The wife of my old music partner had made arrangements for me to visit a women’s  maximum security prison and do an inspirational talk for the prisoners. In the past I had done half a dozen talks at prisons and I always felt that I learned something on such visits.

The prison had a nice big assembly room and every seat in the auditorium was filled.  After my introduction I began my speech and it was going just fine.  Of course there were guards standing right up front and at all of the exits and it all seemed rather intimidating.

I reached for my glasses which I had sitting on a little table on the stage and somehow I dropped them.  One of the lenses just popped right out.

I simply looked out at the audience and asked, “Who will try to fix my glasses for me?”

After a long pause one of the older women who was sitting in the front row reluctantly raised her hand and I walked to the front of the stage and signaled for her to come forward and take the glasses.

Three guards came rushing forward to protect me from that sweet old lady.

I negotiated with them and managed to hand her the parts.

She sat down and examined the glasses and said, “A screw is missing.”

One of the other prisoners sitting in the front row said, “I see it.” And she stood up and tried to approach the stage but those three guards appeared again and stopped her.

Evidently the guards were just doing their jobs.  Again we negotiated.  The girl retrieved the screw, handed it to the other prisoner who was working on my glasses and went back and sat down.

I went back to my speech and a couple of minutes later the lady signaled me that she had my glasses fixed.

We negotiated again with those three guards and she gave me my glasses.  I thanked her and asked her name.

“Bonnie,” she said, “Like in Bonnie and Clyde.”

The audience roared.

“Yeah, I’ve read about you.”  I said, playfully.  They laughed again..

“Thank you Bonnie.” I said, “Without those glasses I would not have been able to read a poem I had planned.  In fact, you just saved me a real mess because without you I could not have gone on.  Let’s give Bonnie a nice round of applause…no, hold it. Bonnie has saved the day. I want you all to join me in giving Bonnie a standing ovation.  Everybody up.”  They all stood up and I led the applause.

Bonnie just stood there looking out at that audience with the darndest look on her face.  She was absolutely dumbfounded.

Later I found out that Bonnie had been one of their most uncooperative prisoners and she was serving a life term for murder.

A few days later I gave Sally a few books and poems autographed to Bonnie and a couple of months later Sally told me that Bonnie had really changed for the better following that meeting. I learned that after that standing ovation she had changed her attitude about herself. She had become somebody special.

How many people go through their entire life without ever receiving one standing ovation?  Close your eyes and listen. I’m giving you one right now.

Say Something Good

We’ve got two great farmer’s markets and my wife Jean comes home most Saturdays with a wide assortment of great fruits and veggies and often some baked treats too. Once in a while I wander over there and what I love most is the warm hospitality that abounds there. There is live music too and I generally sit down a bit and just soak in the music and most of all the people.  May God Bless America and let there be peace and harmony among nations. Please God, please keep our troops from harm.

Points To Ponder

Most great people have attained their greatest success one step beyond their greatest failure. Napoleon Hill

A Little Humor

Experience. The wonderful knowledge that lets you recognize a mistake when you make it again.

Quote

Doubt is a virus that attacks our self-esteem, productivity and confidence. Faith that you and your life are perfectly unfolding is the strongest vaccine. Sean Stephenson

To Subscribe 

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