The Power In Powerlessness
Hello Bumby here, General George Patton, is credited with this statement:
I don’t measure a man’s success by how high he climbs but how high he bounces when he hits bottom.
By now, most of you have come to understand that I am very protective of my Family. I have not, nor will I name names, for one simple reason. My Family still likes me and is still speaking to me and I wish this to continue.
We have another disgruntled Vanderbilt descendant, that appears to feel the need to air dirty laundry in public. This pubescent need for attention has resulted in most, if not all, of her Family not speaking to her. As Mister Rodgers would say… Now, boys and girls, can you say…Shameful ingrate…..I thought you could.
What I can and will share with you about my Family, are these few facts. One part of the Tree that I am directly descended from can be found in Burke’s Peerage. Both main branches, owe the King a great deal. Huge land grants and concessions in the new world. One branch made their fortune in slaves (as in the transport of such) and Plantation ownership, specializing in Cotton, Sugar, and Rum, the growth, manufacture and shipping of such. The other branch, in Oil Refining and transport ( part of the original Standard Oil Trust). These two houses joined like all other Great Houses in marriage, as all Old Families tend to do, for the sake of Name Fortune and Lands. Hence, my statement that as WWASPs, our passions run to the very substance of things and that as a Preppy I am more concerned with the fluff of life.
As a direct result of my Family, most of the tone and timber of my life was well established long before I was born.
Growing up in my family was an eclectic mix of the old and new, from cars to furniture, from Beethoven to Disco, from private to public schools but always with this underlining and sometimes overbearing feeling and knowledge of History and Obligation.
Looking back, I have realized that my life has been a cross between a John Irving novel and the movie The Royal Tenenbaum. I must confess that there were only a few consistency’s in my life , they are as follows and in no particular order… I always wanted to say that. A belief in God, Music and Dance and the fact that I stopped growing at the age of 10 and wear glasses, and finally, the knowledge that I was Wealthy and you were not. These consistency’s, still exist today…
My belief in God is not just a thought process; but has turned into a relationship, of which I have written about in another post. As far as music and dance, because of my parents being Bohemians, I grew to like almost all forms of music, the two hold outs are Opera and Rap. Opera because I have to translate the words to enjoy it, and Rap because I just don’t see the point. I am still short and I still wear glasses and by the way, the lenses are still made of glass not plastic. In regards to dance, I do enjoy watching skilled dancers, as far as myself dancing, I am for any activity that will bring my into contact with women, As to the money issue I am still Wealthy, albeit that I spent the first Draw, which was in the 8 figures, in just a matter of a few short years, and the fact that it will be many more years before the next Draw.
In the past few years, I have learned to wear my Entitlement as well as my History and Obligation, as one would wear a loose garment. Just the other day, I had a Aha moment, when I realized, that from the time long in the past before I was born, my dance card was three-fourths filled. Most of my life I have danced to someone else’s music and with partners not of my chosing. I have been given one-third of this card… How am I going to fill it?
I think that is enough for today.
Always Bumby
The Preppy Chronicles Edition 1 vol 7
Well bred! (oops!) Well said!
I love your last paragraph, how most of your dance card was filled, and how will you fill the part that’s yours to decide?
Like Maureen, we are enchanted by the ‘dance card’ description, very well put Bumby. And like you, we are dismayed by the public displays of bad behavior.
Smiles at you Bumby, and a big ‘Thank You’ for the lovely Anniversary sentiments.
tp
Thank you all so very much for your comments.
Always Bumby
Alma mater sweatshirts are not unique to this country. I’m from India and attended the same boarding school as my granddad and his four sons. I was the only male from the next generation to follow in their footsteps. I have their hand -me-down school ties, and have added their numbered crewneck sweatshirts to mine (you got a number if you played in at least 2 varsity sports. They played polo and cricket, and I lettered in cricket and tennis). There are are a ton of waspy things about my early years that are very similar to my former classmates at Yale Law. We just don’t call it waspy.
Thanks, David. I know that India has had some great traditions past down. Thank you for stopping by.
Always, Bumby
Hey Bumby! Another Southern Prep here (Virginia bred, Virginia/ Maryland educated). Just found your sites and think they’re great. Just wanted to say that I’ll be looking in every now to see the progress you’re making on the site hope its a great success. Just a couple of comments, if I may?
1) We need to get over this notion that preppy began with the arrival of the Mayflower. Shoot! Those of us from Virginia know that the Jamestown colony predated Plymouth Rock by 13 years and those folks were wearing madras even then.
2) Loved the comments on Fixing Congress. One can only hope!Best Wishes!
@Isaelm, Thanks.