I have been thinking a lot recently about things I have only done once. Some of those things were dumb, some were very scary and others so much fun! I read somewhere that: “There are things you only do once in a lifetime I guess, and if you do them right, once is enough.”

One of the most questionable things I ever did was a time when I asked Dad if I could use his car. Of course, I had a hidden agenda and the only way to accomplish my plan was with Dad’s sheriff car. As County Sheriff he had an ex-state patrol car. It was a 1969 Mercury with police interceptor special-ordered 428CJ engine. Rated at over 400 horsepower, that car was FAST, the speedometer registered and was calibrated at 140 mph. Once I convinced Dad to let me “wash” his car. Throwing me the keys, he said to me: “Be careful.” I interpreted that to mean: “Have fun.”

That evening, there was nice crowd at the city ball field, and I thought what better time than now, to put on a show. I approached the right outfield levy at the foul pole line and applied the brakes while simultaneously pushing down the accelerator. I laid so much rubber there was smoke everywhere and you could not see around or behind the car. Spectacular! Releasing the brake, I sped around the levy, unbeknownst to me, while being chased by the City Marshal. As expected, received a well-deserved tongue lashing from the Police Chief. Lucky for me, he never told Dad.

Did you ever jump off the old Gasconade River Bridge? Climbing across that guard rail standing on the edge and looking down at the river, so far below, I was very intimidated. Mustering up the courage and afraid to be called chicken, I jumped and promptly lost my trunks. Once was enough. Another scary time was, on a dare I decided to swim Allgeyer lake all the way across and back. Half way back on the return trip, I got a leg cramp, thought I was going to drown. Luckily made it back to the shore with nothing but a sore leg. I don’t think I have ever been as close to death than at that time.

Did you ever attempt a swan dive off the high board at the municipal pool? Standing so high off the water, it was scary. Heck, now days with my grandkids, the low diving board is intimidating for me.

One summer I painted bridges. We were required to climb and cross the steel girders without ladders. We sandblasted paint while standing on swinging scaffolds hanging from the top of the bridges. Trucks roared by doing 60 mph which caused our scaffolds to swing violently. I looked forward to two things as a bridge painter, Flag Day when I got to spend the whole day flagging traffic, not having to sandblast or paint and quitting time when we could back to our hotel rooms and relax. I lasted four months and that was more than enough.

My wife and I went to Paris once. So happy I was the only man to have taken her there. I tell my sons all the time, Paris is magical, be that man that takes your wife and daughter there. They will never forget. We have visited Ireland, France, Germany and England together.

On our Germany trip, we went to look at the site of the Berlin wall. It had come down the year before we visited. I was able to grab a chunk of concrete that had been part of the wall, a piece of history, and take it home with us. Something I treasure to this day.

What are some of the things you only did once? I imagine some you can remember with trepidation, others with wonderment and many with extreme fondness. Somethings are not meant to happen twice. See you next month.