SCRABBLE: Going For It
How often have you had a rack of letters, considered a certain combination as a word, but held back from playing it because you lacked total certainty? I have done that many times. Usually when I take the time to make notes and look it up after the game I find that I would have been correct.
What’s the worse that could happen? I’d be wrong. Maybe get challenged off the board and lose a turn. But the experience would plant that word deeper into my memory for future use.
How many opportunities in life have passed you by, because you didn’t go for it? Do you have a stack of ‘what ifs’ that you are lugging around?
As you may know, I live in southern California, a transplant form southern Michigan. Whenever I go back to visit, landmarks ignite memories. Last week, during a visit, when driving through the intersection of Inkster and 14 Mile Road, a lazy residential community, I gazed at the large 10 acre property on northeast corner and remembered when.
It was sometime in the late 1970s. I was headmaster of a growing private school and looking to expand. I already had purchased and converted two residential properties into preschools during a 10 year period. The corner of 14 Mile & Inkster would be an ideal location. The realtor picked me up, and we drove up the driveway to a rather small home to the rear of the 10 acre parcel. A deep ravine was at the North end of the property, falling to the Franklin River. Large, lush trees dotted the acreage. As we entered the home, my interest dampened. I was very familiar with the requirements for school use, which required 45 sq. Ft. per child, and I eyeballed this building as being way too small. The realtor sensed my concerned and said, “You’ve got to see this.” He opened a door at the end of a hallway, took two small steps down and we stood in an 8 car garage ( 80 Ft. x 20 Ft ). I quickly recalculated the area in my head. I hadn’t even finished when the realtor said, “And look here.” He opened another door in the garage and took two more steps down into a subterranean basement with a side ground-level exposure, with an area of 60 Ft. x 90 Ft. All I could think was ‘what a find’.
I came prepared to spend about $125K for a property. The asking price was $420K. I hesitated. I really wanted this but the gap was far too big. If I would have simply walked away I would have always wondered.
I stretched myself to my limit and offered $148K. And would you believe me when I tell you that my offer was accepted? It was. But I knew that this was only the first hurdle to putting a school on that location. My offer was contingent upon the approval of the zoning board. Although schools are a permitted use on such properties, politics play an important part in such decisions. My appeal to the zoning board was a whole other story with some of the attorneys of some of the wealthiest people in that community quashing my dream.
I have no regrets. I played it out to the end. I did my best.
And that’s how I play scrabble too.
To help you ‘Go For It’ in your scrabble game, I have created The Bookmark Series. These word lists, on Bookmarks include the hi-probability bingos that every competitive play needs to know. CLICK HERE