Society & Politics

The Little Engine That Could

Someone asked a question if they were too fat to play a sport in high school. So I decided it was story time (true story from many years ago).


When I was in the 8th grade I was on the wrestling team. The wrestling coach was also the PE teacher. Near the end of the year he went around inviting kids to a new special PE class he was starting the next year (my 9th grade). It was strictly optional and met every day. It was always outdoors no matter what the weather - when it was snowing, freezing, raining, high winds, or sweltering heat. Once a week we also tested for a statewide physical fitness competition, doing pushups, pull-ups, running, jumps, etc.


It was mostly athletic types who joined the class. But there was this one kid who was short and chubby, almost round. I'll call him Richard. He was the type of kid in PE who was lucky to do a few push ups. You sometimes hear stories about kids like that getting made fun of, but our coach would have never tolerated that. Richard was hand picked for the class like the rest of us, and that was that.


Every day we started with a run through the woods. I'm not sure how long it was, somewhat less than a mile. The coach would call out the times as we finished: 4:36, 4:39, 4:42, etc. Then finally, long after everyone else had finished, Richard would come struggling out of the woods, barely able to lift his feet off the ground. We didn't start our activity for the day until everyone was in. So we were always there waiting for Richard.


Every week an athlete of the week was selected. Everyone would clap and cheer that week's pick. Over the course of the year, everyone in the class got selected at least once. When Richard was selected, he got more cheers and slaps-on-the-back than anyone else. We may have been more athletic than him. But he had something we didn't. That fat kid never gave up. He was there every single day. He finished that run every day no matter how bad the weather. He stayed in the class and finished the run even when he knew we were all waiting on him.


It wasn't long before we understood why he got hand picked for that class. He might not have been the most popular kid, or the most athletic kid. If it wasn't for that class I doubt if I would have known who he was. But he got a heck of a lot of respect from us. That kid had what it takes to succeed in life.


I've never forgotten him. I have a strong visual memory of Richard straggling in after that run. Every day without fail, without complaint, and without fanfare except for those of us who were witness to it. He never got his name mentioned in the school announcements. He never got his name or picture in the newspaper. He was virtually unknown in school except for those of us who saw first hand how much persistence that kid had. He just would not give up.



The Little Engine That Could



I read back and my words seem flat. It doesn't seem to convey the kind of respect I had for that kid, and still have for him. It's not about the gifts you are given in life, it's what you do with them. Richard took what he was given and did his very best. He kept going and kept trying when most of us would have given up.


The Little Engine That Could
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