Who me? A true story

Beginning of Story
“Its the easiest job in the troop. You just have to be fun,” the organizer announced.

Mary was there with to help my twin boys’ (10 year-old Webelos) cub scout troop rebuild after its cubmaster had politely quit, and we found out how much he was really doing. We were the parents who cared, there waiting to see what position we might volunteer for, or be volunteered for.

We already had the key volunteer, the committee chair, selected ahead of time. The chair is the CEO, we were told, and that was what we were missing before. Now Mary was looking for a new cubmaster.

The chair smiled and tapped me on the shoulder. “That’s you,” he whispered. As he stepped away, he attached a qualifier along the lines of ‘only if you want to.’

I listened to Mary and her husband share about how easy it is to be cubmaster: You get to have fun, give out awards, and have boys look up to you. “We need someone who can be the goofball,” Mary explained, while my head swam.

The chair handed me a sheet with the job description. Not like I could read that right now. But now I knew he was serious.

Dramatic Part of Story
I looked around the gymnasium at the other parents. I don’t know most of them, and its hard to pick out a goofball in a crowd by looks. Someone had already volunteered to be treasurer, to which I was very grateful. Could anyone of these want the job and save me?

I had already proved my goofball-worthiness in some scout events the year before. The chair knew me well enough. He had confidence that I could be the figurehead they were looking for.

I dug around for excuses, reasons to say no. Life is too busy, I don’t have time for this, of course, but who does. Len thinks I can, he is actually excited to be nudging me. I’ll take his confidence in me for the lack of my own confidence.

My hand thrust up and I announced my intention, humorously, that I would be the cubmaster. Followed by a smattering of applause. Mary then started her hunt for an assistant-cubmaster.

Funny Conclusion of Story
And do you know what I did next? I can’t believe I did it.

I waved at my boys’ friend’s mom, and whispered “that’s you.” I know she is way busy, but she ‘likes fun’. She leads parties at the kids school.

That’s right, I volunteered someone else. My first act as leader. 🙂

Moral of Story
My friend Larry told me this: “The best leaders are those that don’t mind getting involved. Remember my definition of leader? Someone who is willing to step up and make a difference. “

Stepped or nudged. Who me? Yes, me, the leader, the figurehead. Whatever–watchout, here comes the goofball!