CNJ+ February 2025

On Eagle’s Wings THE SWIMMING LESSONS By Richard Mabey Jr.

• Paintings, Prints, Bronzes • Estate Jewelry • Coin & Stamp Collections • Judaica • Costume Jewelry WE PAY CASH FOR SINGLE ITEMS TO ENTIRE ESTATES! • Watches, Clocks, Pocket Watches • Chinese & Japanese Artwork & Porcelain • Sports Collectibles • Comic Books • Old Toys • Records • Cameras • Lamps • Cameras • Lamps • Military Collections Merit Badge. I was not going to let Mr. Taylor de feat me. That night, after being told that I failed the Swimming Merit Badge classes for the second time, I prayed and prayed and prayed for God to help me earn this most coveted merit badge. The long and short of it was that the Swimming Merit Badge was one of the required merit badges to earn the prestigious rank of Eagle Scout. So, in mid-August, I began taking the Swim ming Merit Badge classes for a third time. It was during these classes that Mr. Taylor’s anger to ward me took on an even greater height. It was in early September, when I turned 16 and began my junior year at Boonton High School, that my third attempt at passing the Swimming Merit Badge classes concluded. Once again Mr. Taylor failed me. But it wasn’t enough that Mr. Taylor failed me for the third time. With anger in his voice, he told me that I was wasting his time, taking the Swim ming Merit Badge classes. Mr. Taylor’s last words to me, as I walked away from the big riverside dock to the driveway, where my mom was wait ing for me in her car, were these words. “Maybe, you’ll never make it to Eagle Scout!” As the tears flowed down my cheeks, I got into Mom’s car. Mom asked me what happened. I sim ply replied to my dear mother, “I failed again.” To be continued. Richard Mabey Jr. is a freelance writer. He has had two books published. He hosts a YouTube Channel titled, “Richard Mabey Presents.” He can be reached at richardmabeyjr@gmail.com. MOVING or DOWNSIZING? CALL US!! WE BUY VINTAGE LIQUOR 201-880-5455 CELL 917-887-6465 WILL TRAVEL ENTIRE TRI-STATE AREA 346 PALISADE AVE, BOGOTA WE BUY ANYTHING OLD. ONE PIECE OR HOUSE FULL. WILL TRAVEL. ANTIQUE & ESTATE BUYERS FREE ESTIMATES • Sterling Flatware Sets ANTIQUE STERLING Military Collections Wanted Swords, Knives, Helmets, Etc. ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES BUYERS ESTATE LIQUIDATORS behind the oth er scouts. Sadly, Mr. Taylor once again failed me for the Swim ming Merit Badge classes. A fury burnt in my heart. Fire filled the mar row of bones. I was more de termined than ever to earn the Swimming TOP $

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This is a con densed chapter of the book that I am presently writing about my journey to earn scouting’s highest rank, Eagle Scout. This is a true story; however, I changed peo ple’s names. In June of 1969, at the age

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of 15, I had just completed my sophomore year at Boonton High School. I began taking classes for the Swimming Merit Badge. I had had Rheumat ic Fever when I was 12, and up till that time my Cardiologist, Dr. Martin Rosenthal, felt strong ly that my heart was not yet strong enough for the strenuous challenge of the Swimming Merit Badge classes. The classes were held at a docking station of the Rockaway River in Boonton Township. The beach area was owned by a Scout Commissioner, who loaned out the use of his large dock for the scouts to have an aquatic center. It was known as the Boonton District Aquatic Merit Badge Cen ter. I was not as strong and coordinated as the oth er boys were. My Swimming Merit Badge Coun selor, Mr. Taylor, was quite a tough man. He was stern and strict. He had a continuous facial ex pression that seemed to convey that he was al ways upset about something. We met three eve nings, every week, in the pursuit of earning the Swimming Merit Badge. In mid-July, the first class of that summer’s Swimming Merit Badge classes had completed. There were about 25 scouts in the class. I was the only scout who failed the course. But, there was good news, another class was going to begin the next week. My biggest challenge was swimming upstream. You see, we would be required to swim quite a dis tance downstream, then turn around, and swim upstream to return to the large riverside dock. It was during the swim upstream that I fell woefully

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