14 FEBRUARY 2023 WorldWide Drilling Resource® but ashamed to explain how I got into trouble. Mother screamed at me, but Dad was solemn and stern. He interrogated me until he understood all the details of my ignominious adventure. He put me on restriction for the next six weeks. He also forbade me from telling anyone, anywhere, about the incident. He explained it was to preserve my reputation. At the probation office a few weeks later, I showed up with Dad, Carl with his mother, and Hal with both of his parents. We were told the charge was larceny; and we could sign a form admitting our guilt, write a 200-word essay on why we should not have committed the crime, serve two years probation, and then if we stayed out of trouble, the charges would be expunged from our record when we turned 18 years old. If we pled not guilty, we would be sent to Juvenile Court for a trial; if found guilty there, we could be sentenced to jail time. Hal and Carl chose to sign the form and write the essay. My dad asked if I had told him the truth. I replied, “Yes.” Then he declared that I shouldn’t plead guilty to something I didn’t do. He then told the probation officer we would go to trial. Those words terrified me, I would’ve been content to just sign the form and write the essay, but at the same time, I was happy my dad wanted me to stand up for the truth. Dad hired my Uncle Gene, who was an attorney. I told my story to him, and he subpoenaed Hal and Carl to be my witnesses. Three months later, on the day of the trial, the police officer, who was the only witness against me, did not show up. My uncle made a motion to the court that if the prosecution did not have a witness, then the charges should be dismissed. The judge agreed, and just like that I was free to go. Hal and Carl cheered my victory. All in all, it was a rather unspectacular ending compared to the months of anxiety I’d experienced. Initially, I was just happy it was all over, but in time, the experience yielded several important life lessons. The obvious ones were not to neglect the truth or situational awareness; it was what I learned about my dad that has stuck with me the most. It was during those early teenage years I was most at odds with him, but I learned he loved me anyway, wanted to protect me, as well as teach me how to protect myself. I would lose him six years later when the swine flu vaccine of 1976 triggered a blood clot to his brain, but for the 19 years I had him, he laid the foundation for my moral compass and the parent I would later become. Robert Robert is an innovation/change speaker, author, and consultant. He works with companies that want to be more competitive through innovation and with people who want to think more creatively. Contact him via e-mail to michele@worldwidedrillingresource.com Wilson Cont’d from page 12. In Memoriam of one dear to us . . . Delores (Prince) Short 1936~2021 It was a great shock to find our dear friend Delores Short, widow of our Contributing Writer Harry Short, passed away in March of 2021, after losing her struggle with pancreatic cancer. Delores was born in Nekoma, North Dakota, to John and Bertha Prince. After growing up there, she moved to Grand Forks to attend business college; met her future husband Harry, on a blind date set up by her roommate. They were married in June 1958 prior to Harry being drafted into the U.S. Army in October. After Harry’s discharge in September of 1960, they moved to Oregon and on to California. From there, the road was wide open for Harry’s geology fieldwork as they worked side-by-side from May 1970 until July 1974, when they settled down in Concord, CA. At that point, Delores put her business college degree to work in many office jobs throughout the years including Gallo Winery, Western Electric, and finally as an office manager for WDC Corp in Walnut Creek, CA, where she remained until retirement after 25 years in 2007. Delores was very involved in the United Methodist Church in Walnut Creek working on almost every committee position including Lay Worship Leader, Finance Chair, and Pastor Parish Chair. She organized and attended the Wesley Women Retreat for over 30 years. Delores and Harry are survived by their son Mark W. Short of Concord, CA; and many friends and family members. Here at WorldWide Drilling Resource®, we felt very near and dear to Delores as we had Harry. They weren’t merely associates in the drilling industry, but very important people in our lives. We felt it only fitting to show a photo of each of them; Harry the Geologist and Delores “the miner” from one of their many joyous trips across the southwest. They are now together again. Lest we forget . . .
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