My Hammer

My first Theatre course at UB was Stagecraft, a class I have now taught over fifty times.

After my first class I remember going to a F. T. Grant’s department store and buying tools required for class: a hammer, pliers, tape measure, a couple of screw drivers and a “C” wrench.

Most of the tools are gone but I still have the hammer I bought for a few dollars back in the fall of 1974.

It was a generic store brand 16 oz, metal shaft, rip hammer.

I had it all the way through college, grad school, working Off-Broadway, doing summer stock and it was with me when I started teaching and I have it still.

There is nothing magic about it, works like any other hammer, but to me it is special.

If I am working with a bunch of other tools and pick up another hammer, I can always tell if it is not mine right away.

I have used many other hammers, some very expensive, all very nice, but I always prefer my old reliable friend.

When I began teaching and students would have trouble driving nails I would have them use my hammer and often time they would have success and drive nails home.

With air nailers and dry wall screws, the hammer does not get as much use as it once did, but it is nice to know it is still there ready for action.

I lost the other tools from freshmen year one by one over time.

The small 12 foot Stanely tape measure was with me a long time, I replaced the blade once or twice but it finally gave out.

Sometimes tape measures do not even make it through one work day and I had that one for over 15 years, but it is the hammer that is 35 years old, and like me, still has some nails to drive.