Cool Gear - The Stick

Just recently, someone asked me what my favorite tool is.

Quickly I rattled off three tools I use most often. These tools were things I use weekly without thought and without I would not know what to do. My table saw, my dedicated mortise press, my pocket knife all jumped out at me.

In my haste I realized I had really not really thought this through… I mean what is my favorite tool REALLY? After much contemplation I think my favorite tool is a stick. A stick you might ask. Sound pretty rudimentary…why not a rock.

Well I will tell you why.

A stick has been mans helper since the beginning of time. Don’t believe me? Think of it this way. In the beginning some caveman found a stick. He used it to get ants from inside an ant hill. Later he sharpened it to a point and used that spear to hunt providing for his family. Later still he formed a club to defend himself and again to hunt. Later he put feather on it to make an arrow, not to mention the bow that flung it. He soaked the end in oil set it afire and used it to light his way. We could find water with it; tapping it we could use it to find our way with out sight.

That was just the beginning. There was no end to the tool possibilities.

Later we made equal marks along its edge and made a yardstick. Put a bubble on it and made a level. We have propped windows open, staked tents with it and cleaned our teeth with it. We roast marshmallow with it and catch fish with it. We chalk the end and play pool with it. We poke, we prod, and pole-vault with it. We skewer, we fondue, we freeze popsicles and place Carmel apples upon it. We have walked softly with it, and our dogs play fetch with it. Orville and Wilbur even controlled a plane with it.

So you see the stick, the lowly stick, has to be my favorite tool. Why? That’s easy because without which we would not be what we are today.