Is it just luck?

There are lots of ways to express it. “Any luck today?” “Just my luck.” “How lucky can you get?” “Boy, were you lucky.” “Try your luck.” “Good luck!”

What is luck anyway? Luck refers to fortunate or unfortunate happenings by chance, beyond one’s control, often seen as good fortune or success. That’s an online definition I found that is, I think, accurate and precise.

For most of us, life just sort of rocks on. Today is much like yesterday, tomorrow will probably mirror today. But then, occasionally, something happens, out of the blue, unexpectedly, seemingly by chance. Sometimes it’s good, sometimes, not so good. But we all experience it: luck.

A while back, a friend noticed an NFL football in a display case in my living room. “How did you get that?” he asked. “Pure, dumb luck,” I responded.
With an on-field pre-game pass, I was standing in the endzone as the Lions warmed up for a game with the Washington Redskins. A football came bouncing along and hit me in the shin and lay there at my feet. I picked it up, looking to toss it back to someone but there was nobody there and nobody was paying any attention to that ball. So, I held on to it, fully intending to give it back.

Officials started herding all of us back to our seats, so I took the football with me. I got a note later from a former NFL Commissioner (friend of a friend) that said, “Rick, you can keep the football, Paul Tagliabue.”

As I look back, now, I can remember many times that luck intervened in my life. Let me share a few with you.

In 1967, I was walking past the White House gate when a police officer asked me to stop. Just then the gate opened and President Lyndon Johnson drove out only a few feet away and waved to me as I took his picture. Nice timing.

On a trip through Kentucky in 1989 I took a chance and drove into a “closed” Claiborne Farm and asked a man if I could see Triple Crown winner, Secretariat. He took me to Big Red’s stable where I spent a few minutes “talking” with him like he was Mr. Ed. You can Google Mr. Ed. Very memorable as Secretariat died only three weeks later.

In 1984, I submitted a postcard for a drawing for Detroit Tigers World Series tickets. I got some for game five, the night they won the championship. Thrilling.

In 1972, while in the Air Force, one of the officers asked me to come along on a trip to the Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston. We were VIP guests in Mission Control during the Apollo 17 mission, the last manned mission to the moon. I even got to hold a moon rock in the Lunar Receiving Lab. A few years later I became friends with Ron Evans, Command Module pilot, on that mission. Unforgettable.

Over the years, in various drawings I won a full set of golf clubs, a Raleigh 10-speed bike, a new VCR and other rewards. Lucky.

Of course, like most people, my luck was not always good. On December 1, 1969, the first draft lottery was held. They drew birthdays from a large container. It was a sure bet that if your number came up 1-150, you would be drafted. 151-250, maybe, over 251, you were home free. Mine came up at 96. Dead meat. The day before my birthday was number 320, the day after was 304. So, I wore the Air Force blue. I now use the veteran status to my advantage.

Many people keep good luck charms handy. Maybe a rabbit’s foot or some other item. Go to a Bingo game sometime and see how many players have their favorite “charms” with them. I never found one that worked.

By far the luckiest thing that ever happened to me was meeting Sue. Or maybe it was fate. Or destiny. Or divine intervention. Whatever it was, I’m forever grateful and thankful.

Good luck, everyone!

Contact Rick at dave@tri-citytimes.com