I didn't spend a lot of time in high school. Most days found me walking miles to the banquet restaurant where I washed dishes. I stayed there until it was time to close the kitchen, walking home covered with water. But old Miss Milano complained about me being too skinny, so I had to tell her that I ate eight chocolate mousses.
On a number of occasions, the police would stop me to tell me I was out after curfew. My mom let me work, coming home after 11:00 PM. The police made me run home, knowing they were not going to wake my mom at that hour. She also let me sleep in front of the record store so I could get the best tickets to Kiss and other bands.
One day, I walked out of the high school and walked to work to eat and make some money. My teacher showed up on his motorcycle to take me back to high school. I explained that I needed money. I was making $3.35 an hour, saving my money to buy concert tickets. The first was Kiss, then Def Leppard, and later Aerosmith.
One day, a friend of mine asked me if I wanted to hang out with his band. Jason had a beautiful voice. He asked me if I wanted to sing a couple of songs, and the band let me sing every AC/DC song, as I was a dead ringer for Bon Scott. The band loved my voice. At fifteen, I had a band, and at seventeen, we played all kinds of bars, even though we were not old enough to be in the bars.
Jason introduced me to his coach, and every Wednesday Michelle gave me lessons. One day I asked her when I would be as good as another singer, Tommy. Michelle said, you have always been better than Tommy, honey. You have four octaves, up to a high G. I can no longer hit those high notes and would not even try.
Even though I did not like high school, I always had a book with me and still do today. Right now, two times a week, my chess coach helps me learn how to win games. I am also working on Latin. It is a dead language, but it is still cool.
In 1992, I had a Grand Mal seizure while walking up the stairs to my Los Angeles apartment. I went back to Columbus to have Dr. Tew take out a knot of veins and arteries. After the two surgeries, I decided to go to college, followed by law school, and finally Harvard Business School, nine years of learning.
Now I am learning chess. It is easy to learn how to move your pieces, but putting them on the best square is very difficult. You do this knowing your opponent is trying to prevent you from checkmating them.
But my real learning is reading and writing. It helps me to learn, something I will always do. Leaving this article, make a list of what you are learning and why you are pursuing this new learning.
