4 is the Loneliest Number

Pinewood derby was yesterday, and Austin's entry "The Flying A" was the best car we have ever entered. He consistently finished 1st or 2nd in the eight qualifying heats they had for the Webelo 1 division, which featured 13 cars of various designs and speeds. By finishing in 3rd place overall in the heats, he was able to advance to the final round, featuring four cars from the Webelo 1 Division.

In the finals, four races are run, with each of the cars running once on each of the four lanes, (in case one or two of the lanes are running quicker than the others).

"The Flying A" finished in 3rd during the 1st heat, and in last the other 3 heats, making him the 4th place car in the Webelo 1 division.

1st - 3rd place get trophies. Last place gets a "Scenic Driver" trophy. So the most heart-breaking position in which a scout can finish has got to be 4th place, knowing you were so close to the trophies and yet going home with a pocket full of squat!

Thus, when Austin got home, he proceeded to place his car in the trash can, in perhaps the most dramatic scene I've witnessed since Jodie Foster's on-screen depiction of a "tay in the win" in the movie 'Nell'.

Once we got his post-melodramatic-stress-disorder under control, we went to the store for a pint of Blue Bell's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream, and it was good to be Austin again.

"The Flying A"