Here's a beaut for you

I couldn't even complain that it was a lecturer I'd never met. I couldn't hide behind the veil of unknowing. I couldn't even say that I had forgotten about the event. I planned it. I also knew the speaker personally and had enlisted him before.

The first part was OK, even though he tossed out trendy metaphors, like,"There are plenty of on-ramps for providing input." We all understood that. Actually, I thought that was a clever phrase. Very contemporary.

But then he used a phrase several times. As a preface to sharing personal experiences he said each time, "Oh, here's a beaut for you," and then gave the illustration. All I could think of was National Lampoon's "Christmas Vacation" movie when Clark Griswold finally gets his outdoor Christmas lights to work and Grandpa, Clark Senior, exclaims, "It's a beaut, Clark, it's a beaut."

I wonder if the audience understood the significance of something being a "beaut." After catching on that this was becoming a pattern, I surreptitiously glanced around the auditorium from my right side front seat. Did anyone realize that something monumental was about to be offered each time the speaker said, "Here's a beaut for you!"

No matter. I caught on. I took notes. I dutifully listed out all his examples. And then I stood back to marvel at the wisdom on the page. Truly, wisdom had been uttered. I caught it all. And it was a beaut.

[Nancy Linenkugel is a Sylvania Franciscan sister and chair of the department of Health Services Administration at Xavier University, Cincinnati Ohio.]