Allan’s Site

We’ve finally settled down.  The house was finally fully cleaned about six weeks after the robbery, and we have a new safe — and nothing of great monetary value to put in it.  Or that will fit; it’s a bit smaller than the old one, though higher-tech.  Hsuan noted that we didn’t have specific insurance coverage for the lost jewelry, not having cared that much about it in the past.  When State Farm, during all her communication for getting back some money for our losses, offered to sell us additional coverage for items of jewelry, she pointed out that we now no longer have jewelry to cover.

The most important thing is that both of the boys are alive and well, and not only that, but J has shown no signs of psychological trauma arising from his experience.  He’s too focused on school.  Or relaxing after homework.  He’s smart and tough.

Last summer, W served as Senior Patrol Leader for our boy scout troop at the National Jamboree, and he did very well in such a position of high responsibility, just under the scoutmaster and other adults.  In addition to the trip itself, the scouts got fancy uniforms, backpacks, and duffel bags, specially embroidered with their identification.  W's nice, fancy (and expensive) duffel bag was one of the things stolen by the robbers, who used it to carry away the jewelry.  When that year’s scoutmaster, Kelly, found out about the loss, he, the current scoutmaster (Mike), and the current committee chair (Vince) agreed to use troop funds to replace W’s duffel.  Kelly went online and found the exact model of duffel (from eBay, I think; it’s no longer manufactured by Osprey), got it embroidered with our Jamboree troop number and W’s scout number (6), and even replaced some of the patches that W collected — including some Order of the Arrow patches.  The last bit is remarkable because, although W is a member of the OA, Kelly hasn’t been very positive toward the OA in the past.

When I asked Kelly earlier if I could get the model of the duffel bag, so Hsuan and I could replace it ourselves, he got back to me a little later and let me know that they were going to replace the bag themselves, and to keep the replacement secret from W, as a surprise.  So I kept it a secret from W, though I told Hsuan.

The embroidery was finished last week, and at the troop meeting last night, Kelly presented the bag to W.  W was very surprised.

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We love Kelly, BTW.  He’s the guy who convinced us to join this troop, and he has always had a special appreciation for W., having had him serve also as Senior Patrol Leader at Camp Cherry Valley.  He’s also been a great friend over the years.

One thing that is a point of conflict between us is that I sometimes wear my Stanford hat at troop activities, and he’s a Berkeley guy.  Well, actually, since I knew it bugged him as a Berkeley guy, I’ve been wearing my Stanford hat at almost all troop activities.  His saying is “Better dead than red” in reference to the Stanford Cardinal color.  He can’t stomach the color red, and that’s part of the reason why W’s duffel was blue (and all of our Jamboree troop’s duffels were blue, the backpacks green, etc.).

This year, I proposed a bet:  If Stanford won the Stanford-Cal Big Game this year, he’d have to wear a Stanford hat at the next campout, and if Berkeley won, I’d have to wear a Berkeley hat.  At the Court of Honor this past weekend, he sat behind me, and I noticed the score on my iPhone.  Stanford won 23-13.  I showed him my iPhone, and he replied, “I’m not stupid enough to take that bet.  We always figure out a way to lose to you guys.”

Maybe next year.