The worst day of his life

Everybody has a day he or she can remember as the worst day of their life. Some unfortunate people have endless days they call the worst day of their life. As I think back, most of these times were not really so bad and some of them even comical when told later at family get-togethers or reunions.

As I think back, the worst day of my life was really a long night. It was the wreck of a passenger train and a freight train in Missouri Valley. I worked all night at the wreck and when dawn finally arrived I wished I hadn’t. The carnage was so much worse in the daylight hours. This was over 50 years ago but it is etched in my mind like something that happened a month ago.

We, Jean and I, had many “worst times” that come to mind: our oldest son being burned by hot water; our youngest son reacting to a flu prescription that could have easily left him a vegetable. It always seems like worst times bring out the best reactions. You get a little nearer to God as well as each other.

Any businessperson has probably remarked, “This is the worst day of my life,” and then found out that the next problem makes it pale in comparison. It seems like sometimes problems feed on themselves. You can about tell how any day is going to go by the time you arrive at your business. If the phone is ringing before you get your coat off you know someone is sick. This gets the ball rolling and where it ends can have you ready for a breakdown before it stops.

As I recall different people saying this is the “worst day of my life,” one young boy about eight years old stands out as one of the most laughable. It was Saturday night, he had come shopping with his mother. When they got out of the car he wanted to carry the car keys. He was tossing them up in the air and catching them. He missed and the keys went through an air grate that fed air to our furnace. We couldn’t see the keys but I told him when it was lighter we could probably get the keys with a fishing pole. I agreed to take the young man home where he could get his father’s keys. On the way he remarked, “This is the worst day I’ve ever lived.” I said, “Worse things could happen.” He said, “They already have.” He went on to say he had left his bat and ball out in the rain and his dad was really mad at him. To which I replied, “I’d be mad if one of my boys left his equipment outside.” He said his dad wasn’t too mad until he reminded him that he had left the window of the car open and it had rained in on the new upholstery. With this I cracked up laughing.

He looked at me like I was nuts and said, “You wouldn’t laugh if this happened to you.” When I got him to his home I related his story to his dad. His dad laughed harder than I did. The young man started laughing too. This “worst day” turned out to be not so bad after all and I’ll bet he still remembers what he thought was the worst day of his life.

For nearly 25 years, until his death in 2015, retired grocer Don Behm wrote a column for The Storm Lake Times, “Cracker Barrel.” Don’s everyman view of everyday life was a favorite of Times readers. This was first published on Dec. 14, 1994.