The Squeaky Wheel

We've all heard the saying, “The squeaky wheel gets the grease.” My first memory of hearing it was from my Mom, when she was trying to explain why my two extroverted, high-strung brothers were let off the hook more often than myself and my quieter brother, G. She knew it wasn't “right” but that sometimes it was just easier to ask more of G than of B, because B howled the loudest and longest. Then she sighed.

Why am I thinking of this? Because I have noticed that in my own life, I had to learn the hard way that sometimes it's necessary and right to be the squeaky wheel, even when, or maybe especially when, it isn't in your nature.

Two nights ago, I had to visit the ER. I won't go into details about why, but let's just say that I had plenty of time to observe my fellow sick people during the long wait in the ER lounge, and by my observations, I was not the sickest one there; I was second in line for that honor. After waiting two hours while in excruciating pain and having to run to the public restroom several times to vomit, I decided to muster up the energy to become the Squeaky Wheel. And, in less than ten minutes I had a bed to lie down on. But, two days later and feeling much better, I began to think about the woman in the ER lounge who appeared to be the sickest one there, and how she and her husband waited patiently while she sobbed quietly in pain. I sit here wishing that her husband had become the Squeaky Wheel for her so that she could have at least gotten a bed to lie down on while she waited for a doctor.

So, how does this relate to bison ranching? I'm not sure exactly, but I think it has something to do with a willingness to push a little harder and not sit back and wait for things to happen. I believe this is a skill that both Page and I will have to use more than once if we want to bring our idea to fruition.

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