Pinewood Derby

It came and went. The cherished moment where father and son bond together in the work shop. Mentoring takes place as father teaches son how to handle the carving tools and other objects that hang in that mysterious room called the garage. It must look like a beauty shop always looked to me as a young girl with all its glittery and alluring objects that I knew somehow could transform me into a beautiful woman. The prelude to the pinewood derby at cub scouts was quite exciting at first. The kit had to be purchased. Ideas were researched on the Internet. Plans were drawn out by the Tiger Cub himself showing his big dreams for the future winning race car. The first meeting for fathers and sons to start working on the actual carving of the derby car should have been a clear foreshadowing of what the future derby countdown would hold. I heard the boys lost interest after the first half of the meeting, when the tools lost their fascination and the desire to chase each other around the room became greater.

Little by little the derby car was carved away, painted, wheels attached and stickers placed on. I won't sugarcoat the project by saying a good time was had by all through the process but it got done (at the last moment - I mean last moment...right before and then after the weigh in....minutes before the big race). The boys were excited to be in their uniforms all looking alike and showing off their cars. You could see the pride in the experienced fathers as they sat back and watched during the weigh in. And then there were the novice dads...their faces couldn't hold back the tinge of nervousness and a little frustration at their sons who cared more about playing outside then putting the finishing touches on the cars. But the race happened and everyone cheered the cars on. All the cars made it to the end of the track (there was genuine worry about that) and the boys learned to win humbly and loose gracefully among their friends.