The King and the Pawn

I’ve had quite a few weeks. I spent 10 days in Palm Springs at The Bob Hope Classic. I had the honor of meeting and having my photo taken with Arnold Palmer. During the week, I attended a birthday dinner for one of our donors. He is a man who has collected wealth and many friends in his eighty years. We were fortunate to have in attendance Mr. Tom Dreesen, a longtime comedian and friend of Frank Sinatra. Among his stories that evening was one about Mr. Palmer. He related how Mr. Palmer signed autographs for fans after what most would have considered a punishing defeat on the course. Whether the quote is attributed to Mr. Dreesen, Mr. Palmer or another, I am not certain, but it is apropos especially since I dined and mingled with the wealthy and now I am back to the realities of  the working class of Colombia. “After the game is over, the king and the pawn go back in the same box.”

My profession has brought me to hundreds of lavish resorts, and yet I have not truly experienced life as those in Colombia experience it.

We hired a worker, William, today to install a new water pump for our house. While he was waiting for supplies, my wife and I were shoveling gravel for our new front porch. The worker grabbed a shovel because he said he felt guilty not working. This coming from a guy who might make $10 a day. Although I cherish my experiences and my casual meetings with those like Mr. Palmer, it just might be that I have a fonder spot in my heart for the pawns. In all honesty, I would be just as proud to have my picture taken with William: certainly a name fit for a king.