The metal that makes a man

Thanks James.

What is the one thing from your childhood that made you distinctly remember becoming a man? For me it was possessing a pocket knife. I remember with fondness owning several. However, the mere thought of possessing a knife, seemed to transform it into a sword on the level of King Arthur's Excalibur, Edward the Confessors Sword of Mercy, Beowulf's Hrunting or Luke Skywalker's Lightsaber. I remember Uncles, Fathers and Grandfathers of every boy I knew possessed a knife. Using these sharply defined tools, they would whittle and create nothing special, but the mere act of wielding such a dangerous weapon to me, seemed gentlemanly yet dangerous. Long gone are the days of boys playing Nerve in it's dangerous 1-2-3-4-5-6-5-4-3-2-1 fashion between the fingers of themselves at school when bored. And unfortunately so is Mumblypeg as played by Twain's Tom Sawyer and this author and all his friends on the playground. A few years back a good friend and co worker of mine gifted me a Victorinox Yeoman Swiss Army Boy Scouts of America pocket knife. Upon opening this package, I was instantly transported back to the days of being a young Tenderfoot. The magic this knife held to me at the time, still captivates me. I have a multitude of tools at my disposal with just one small unassuming red knife. This newer variation of and old blade has helped me dozens of times. The simple act of cutting rope, to tweezing out splinter's from my daughter's hand, to opening a bottle of wine, screwing in a loose screw on the fence starting fire with the magnifying glass leaves me with the knowledge of MacGyver but feeling as if I am Jeremiah Johnson. No childhood should be complete without one. It served me well in my days at school and does me just the same in my years on patrol in the streets. Just knowing that I possess this "Sword of Mercy", takes me back and carries me forward in this life.