One of the things I enjoyed the most in my years at Desert Crucible was interacting with a diverse and fascinating collection of customer sculptors and buyers who came through our door.
I remember one occasion when I was examining an artist’s clay sculpture to derive a price to produce it in bronze, when I noticed that he had a sketchbook with him. I asked if I might look through it, and he graciously allowed me to do so.
I was particularly interested in one set of illustrations, and he commented, “Oh, I was an illustrator for an old comic book character called ‘Captain Marvel.’ That was before your time.”
“Before my time? SHAZAM, buddy!”
He was taken aback, and delighted to learn that I was familiar with the character.
(For those who did not grow up reading comic books, Captain Marvel was one of the original “superheroes.” The continuing story was about the adventures of a young boy who, after meeting with a dying wizard, was imbued with the power to transform himself into a costumed adult with superhuman abilities, simply by speaking the magic word “SHAZAM!”)
Over the ensuing months of interaction with our new customer, I learned from him that the word SHAZAM was an acronym for six “immortal elders” and their attributes – S for Solomon and his wisdom, H for Hercules and his strength, A for Atlas and his stamina, Z for Zeus and his powers, A for Achilles and his courage, and M for Mercury and his speed.
Keep an open mind with the people you meet. You never know …
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