First Published 6/30/08
Deep down, do many of us have a little “Walter Mitty” in us?
Any fan of American Literature knows that James Thurber wrote “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” and that it was first published in 1941! Danny Kaye played Walter Mitty in the movie version and it is a classic. It is a story of a man that leads a mundane and mediocre existence, who would daydream his way to great feats of accomplishment. War hero, doctor and finally, a condemned man facing a firing squad who feigns a blindfold, Mitty longed for a life defined by adventure and heroism. His daydreams were always interrupted by reality.
Are some of us like Walter Mitty or are more of us like Mrs. Mitty, who would bring Walter back to reality and to the stark reminder that he was a simple man, who had no business thinking about the “what ifs” that left his life a giant question mark. He couldn’t be someone or something else in his mind, simply because his partner in Life preferred the person that she saw through HER eyes!
How many “Mrs. Mittys” have we encountered in our lives?
You know the type. They were your teachers, coaches, instructors and in some cases, parents who had a rather pessimistic future planned for you.
In high school, I was tagged by our guidance counselor as “most likely to under achieve”! I had a basketball coach who told me not to waste time by going out for basketball. I was too short, according to him. He told me to try wrestling instead. I had a baseball coach who benched me, because I would not adopt his style as catcher that required me to stick my butt out a considerable and uncomfortable distance. I had too many cheerleaders telling me that I would fail.
So, I was never in lock step with authority figures and that started me down the “James Dean Road to Rebellion”.
When I joined our fire department, I was barraged by all kinds of negative energy from the chief and trustees and all because I refused to accept and to maintain the status quo. They were “Mrs. Mitty” to my “Walter Mitty”.
My alter ego-the “Mitty” in me-had me dreaming of my Big Fire, my Big Rescue and ultimately, my name on the Big Statue that would grace the front of our fire station.
Now, keeping that statement in the context for which it was intended, our “big fire” undoubtedly comes at someone else’s expense. A “good fire” to us is a “bad fire” for the home’s occupants. But the “Mitty” in me has me barking out commands at the scene; orchestrating the rescue and the fire suppression with glorious results! Oh, Chief Mitty; how can we ever re-pay you?”
Your thanks is more than enough, Mitty might say.
It is well documented that many join our ranks because they are drawn by the heroic tradition and history of the profession and one that is perpetuated by the various medals of valor or honor that are awarded for those deeds.
For some, it is unexpected and even unwanted recognition. For some, it is the stepping stone that they relish and will give them a push into a career that they dreamed of. Still, for others, it is peer recognition for all those times “Mrs. Mittys” were telling them that they would lead an ordinary life.
As I grow older, I find myself thinking more and more like Walter Mitty, because I can’t go back and change the life that I have led. Oh; I think back to the many times that we had an incident that left its impact upon me and I still find myself thinking about what I could have done differently that might have changed the outcome.
I guess that it is more along the lines of “reminiscence” than it is “daydreaming” and might even border on the “serendipitous”, but left me ask you this: do you ever find yourself thinking about leaving this life with the fear that the ones around you never really knew what you had contributed to your small corner of the world or had accomplished for the sake of others? We weren’t really looking for approval as much as we were looking for an acknowledgement. Just a nod of the head, you know?
For the record, I didn’t serve so that I could get a medal. I have no desire to have a statue erected in my honor. All that I ever wanted was to leave our department a little better off as a result of my efforts.
And if that leaves people saying nice things about me, then that is good enough for me.
My legacy might very well be “The Adventures of Jake and Vinnie”. I write it with the same theme that can be found in Thurber’s “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”. Many have asked me if Jake or Vinnie have been somehow fashioned after my experiences and I can honestly say “NO”!
All that I can tell you is that Jake and Vinnie are the only two characters in the story lines that are not based on “real” characters that I have met and known over the years. I am sorry if that explodes the myth.
I end this blog with these questions:
Will your humility deprive you from sharing the extraordinary events of your life with others who may have no other means that will transport them from the ordinary to the extraordinary?
Can we dip into our “secret” lives for that small respite from the mundane and mediocre moments?
Which Walter Mitty would you be?
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Also on Chief Reason …
- Look For The Hook – August 10, 2010
- The Tradition Expedition – January 7, 2010
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