As reported yesterday, Norm Taylor has indeed passed away. It's a terrible loss to the community in multiple ways. Norm was one of the good ones, a unique personality that left his mark on all that knew him.
Platitudes. I hate them. They say everything and nothing at the same time. Like Polonius of Hamlet, it all winds up being long-winded gibberish.
Allow me to follow another track. I've known Norm for well over 20 years, worked with him closely (at times), and of course trained with him. Perhaps a better way to express the loss would be through several stories that reveal his character.
The Beginning
I first met Norm when I was teaching at Lincoln Elementary, back in the fall of 1990. There had been federal grant money made available for a new program, "Home/School Advisers" they called them, and Norm was one of the first hired. The position was nebulous, amounting to liaison work between school and home. The job would require the counselors to make home visits (something pretty much unthinkable now) in an attempt to facilitate the home/school relationship.
Such a position required people of special character, those with outgoing personalities that could say what needed to be said without offending. Such a position required tact, grace, reserve.
Norm walked into my room, shook my hand, and asked me where I went to college.
"IU Bloomington", says I.
"Naw, BOILERMAKERS ALL THE WAY!", he shouted, and it was on.
Now I'm not really clear on whether or not it was his style to be antagonistic or if he had an innate ability to read people to the point he knew exactly who he could push, and how far. Maybe it was a little of both, but in my case, he had a willing antagonist. I can't be sure who started it, him or me, but we were soon exchanging jokes back and forth.
Norm was shameless. I had a virtually unlimited supply of Purdue jokes at my disposal, and he could never dream of outnumbering my list. However, he adopted the tactic of coming back the next day, repeating my jokes to me, but transposing the characters. He didn't care I would protest, that made it all the more fun for him.
I finally got him though. I needed a joke he couldn't transpose, and searching the list, I found one.
"Hey Norm, why does Santa Claus wear red and white?"
"I don't know, why?"
"He hates Purdue too!"
He scowled, shook his head, a clear acknowledgement he'd been owned. Even he couldn't switch that joke around.
Tomorrow: A life-changing bet
Platitudes. I hate them. They say everything and nothing at the same time. Like Polonius of Hamlet, it all winds up being long-winded gibberish.
Allow me to follow another track. I've known Norm for well over 20 years, worked with him closely (at times), and of course trained with him. Perhaps a better way to express the loss would be through several stories that reveal his character.
The Beginning
I first met Norm when I was teaching at Lincoln Elementary, back in the fall of 1990. There had been federal grant money made available for a new program, "Home/School Advisers" they called them, and Norm was one of the first hired. The position was nebulous, amounting to liaison work between school and home. The job would require the counselors to make home visits (something pretty much unthinkable now) in an attempt to facilitate the home/school relationship.
Such a position required people of special character, those with outgoing personalities that could say what needed to be said without offending. Such a position required tact, grace, reserve.
Norm walked into my room, shook my hand, and asked me where I went to college.
"IU Bloomington", says I.
"Naw, BOILERMAKERS ALL THE WAY!", he shouted, and it was on.
Now I'm not really clear on whether or not it was his style to be antagonistic or if he had an innate ability to read people to the point he knew exactly who he could push, and how far. Maybe it was a little of both, but in my case, he had a willing antagonist. I can't be sure who started it, him or me, but we were soon exchanging jokes back and forth.
Norm was shameless. I had a virtually unlimited supply of Purdue jokes at my disposal, and he could never dream of outnumbering my list. However, he adopted the tactic of coming back the next day, repeating my jokes to me, but transposing the characters. He didn't care I would protest, that made it all the more fun for him.
I finally got him though. I needed a joke he couldn't transpose, and searching the list, I found one.
"Hey Norm, why does Santa Claus wear red and white?"
"I don't know, why?"
"He hates Purdue too!"
He scowled, shook his head, a clear acknowledgement he'd been owned. Even he couldn't switch that joke around.
Tomorrow: A life-changing bet
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