Greetings!
 | | Mission Impossible - Original Intro ( 1966 - 1973 ) |
Yes, "Mission Impossible" does go back quite a long way, and, yes, it existed before Tom Cruise. When you think of "Mission Impossible", what comes to your mind? Elite teams engaging in superhuman feats? Suicide squads on "Do or Die" missions? What about you, have you ever faced your own "Mission Impossible"?
The title of this Issue includes the word "Almost". Have you ever given up on something or someone because you thought it was impossible? Not possible? Too hard? No budget? No time? Well, after you'd given up, did events turn out such that you realized that it WAS possible if only you'd tried hard enough and stuck with it to the end?
 During my National Service days, I happened to be in charge of a small fleet of motor vehicles. My main job was to run the motor pool, ensuring that drivers were properly assigned to their details, vehicles were properly maintained, and all the odds and ends that came with running a motor pool. With a huge complement of six drivers and three noncoms including my nineteen-year-old self, we had the privilege of maintaining over seventy powered vehicles, not including trailers. With the six drivers almost always out on detail, that meant that us three noncoms took on almost all the maintenance work besides running the place. With monthly, bi-monthly and quarterly scheduled maintenance events, you can imagine what our daily schedule was like once you threw in the rest of what we were supposed to do! On one occasion, we had a sudden order for some jeeps, motorcycles and Unimogs to be ready for an exercise in two days' time. Well, the jeeps and motorcycles were ok, but we were still waiting for replacement canvas roof tops for all the Unimogs. As Murphy would have had it, those didn't arrive until late in the evening just before the day we were supposed to hand over all the vehicles. We got to to work putting the roofs back on the Unimogs later that night, which was when I discovered that the other noncoms, both much older and more experienced than I was, had no idea how to fix the roofs back on properly! The superstructure on which the canvas tops were to have been fixed were spring-loaded, and were such that you had to push them upwards, get them properly aligned, and then bolt the canvas tops securely, and it had to be "just-so", if you know what I'm talking about. After huffing and puffing for a few hours, not one canvas top had been put on any Unimog. Discouraged, not knowing what else to do and already feeling the weight of the impending ton of bricks that would surely fall the next day, my two compatriots went to sleep for a few hours. I was left alone trying to figure out what to do. Then, I had an idea! Quickly rousing my two comrades, I explained to them what it was. I would lie on the seats in the driver's cab of the Unimogs, push on the superstructure with my legs and hold the superstructure steady while they bolted the canvas rooftops on. Murphy looked the other way and we managed to get all the Unimogs ready. Just in time! I hate to think what would have transpired if we had taken another five minutes!  Have you faced similar situations and overcome them because you didn't give up even though they seemed to be "Missions Impossible"? Drop me a note and share them with me! Have a great week ahead! |
