Scared

One of my favorite bits from the movie "Airplane!" is when Robert Hayes grimaces and grips his seat just before the plane takes off. His seatmate, Barbara Billingsley (Beaver Cleaver's mom from the classic TV sitcom) asks, "You look scared. Is this your first time?"

Hayes replies, "No, I've been scared plenty of times."

Some scary moments are more memorable than others. Number 1 on my list happened in Chicago. Plant Manager Bud Klotz asked me to go to his desk to retrieve a tape measure. Bud was an amateur taxidermist and his office was decorated with all manner of stuffed critters in life-like, generally snarling poses. The tooth-baring raccoon, etc. didn't faze me as I entered Bud's inner sanctum. I was expecting it.

The unexpected (and scary to this day) occurred when I opened Bud's desk drawer to find eyeballs rolling around in there!!!

Of course, they were glass eyeballs for Bud's taxidermy pursuits, but pyre panic seized me initially. Bud and the plant guys later revealed that this was an initiation of sorts for out-of-towners to the big, bad Chicago plant (which actually was on the South Side "the baddest part of town"). They had gotten screams, drawer slams, and quick exits in the past. Their goal was to get someone to pee their pants.

I passed the test with a shouted obscenity (and nightmares to this day). I've been scared plenty of times, but never quite like that. Thanks, Bud.