I have always loved the Beatles, for as far back as I can remember. When a new album came out, my older brother and I were two of the first in line to buy one. But that wasn't easy, for you see the nearest town with a record store was many miles away. And it was one such trek that taught me a lesson about life, and one that helped dawn on me what a wonderful person my once dastardly brother was becoming.
Dawn broke on the first Saturday after the release of A Hard Day's Night and my brother woke me early. And so began the first leg of our journey, hours spent trying to talk my mom into giving us the $7 or so to buy the LP of our dreams, and another hour or so begging and pleading so I could go along. Finally, around noontime, our youthful expedition was ready to depart.
Most kids nowadays don't appreciate what it was like to walk places, especially really far away places. The aches and pains, the anticipation, the boredom, and the sights. But for me walking for 3-1/2 to 4 hours was not a new experience, just rare. Sure I walked to school everyday, but that was only 15 to 20 minutes. This was much farther. But it was a special day, and I walked the distance with head (and hopes) held high.
At long last we reached downtown. But evening was drawing on and we were beginning to get concerned with the time. Were we too late? Oh no! Please never that! We approached the store - the lights were dimmed. Not a good sign. We tried the door. Locked. We were too late. After all that walking, we had done it all for nothing. My heart sank.
And then it was I learned to marvel at my brother's qualities. For you see, he holds a firm unshakeable belief in the goodness of people, and the value of effort in reaching that goodness. He knocked on the door, tap-tap-tap. "We're closed!" came the muffled voice of an employee sweeping up behind the glass doors. Tap-tap-tap again. And again. The tapping became knocking and the knocking became a loud thudding. At long last the door cracked open. And then began my lesson of how holding strong beliefs and persisting in those beliefs is a marvelous thing to see. "No, no no!" insisted the employee. But you don't know my brother. He is the most persuasive person you will ever want to meet, especially when he earnestly believes in something. To my amazement, after 20 minutes of persuasion and persistence, we were allowed in and walked out 5 minutes later with a shiny red LP!
Some people think we are wasting our time pleading for a continuation of Battlestar Galactica. Everything is against us. But even if someone would normally resist doing something for you, yet for your importunity they may ultimately give in. My brother taught me that if you believe in something strongly enough, try hard enough and persist long enough, you can prevail. Call it what you will, but that is one of the most endearing qualities of the human spirit.
Importunity and BSG
