I first noticed it during the Second World War, but the law, “If something can go wrong it will”, began to be recognized in 1949 when Capt. Ed Murphy was working on an Air Force rocket sled, crash test project, where the strain gages were wired backwards. Weeks later at a press conference his superior officer stated that the success of the project was a result of their belief in Murphy’s Law, which brought the concept to the public.
Several books have been written with every imaginable variation on this theme. Much good natured joking goes on about why things go wrong and how best to avoid it. For those of us that do things, Murphy is a valuable tool for explaining what causes frustrating problems. Happenstance may be the real reason, our nature is to look for someone to blame. The important thing is that one expects it and be able to take it in stride. Murphy takes the blame.
The more complicated a task is the greater chance of Murphy being there.
Working on a boat involves the most opportunities. Drop the nut in the hot oil. The ladder leg finds the low spot in the floor. The electric cord ties its own knots or grabs your shoe as you walk by. No matter which tool you select you’ll need the other one. If you can’t reach the phone, it will ring. Bringing a phone with you will prevent calls. Moths know where the wet varnish is. If you plan for a second coat tomorrow the first coat won’t dry tonight. Any quantity of screws you have will be too short for the job. The very thing you go to buy, they’re out of. Worst yet, favorite products become unavailable first.
Anticipating that things will go wrong leads to a strange backward way of thinking. Imagining the worst leads you to, be prepared, the Boy Scout motto and the single most important boater’s rule.
Some think Murphy is the devil. I won’t let the devil in my life so I think of him as a jokester, who likes to make fun by screwing things up. We’ve all run into characters who act like this and probably avoid them at all costs.
Murphy is harder to control. He likes catching you off guard, so if you’re ready for him, it spoils it a little bit, which gives you the advantage. When you go up a ladder tie it to the building, tie your tools to your belt, always take extra screws even if you only need three. Have two of every tool you are using, if you have only one, Murphy will hide it, stopping the job.
Most of all when these infuriating things happen don’t get mad, just laugh, he really hates that, and you don’t waste your valuable energy. Murphy knows where splinters need to be to go under your fingernail! Kinda hard to laugh about, Huh? He’s always there testing you and the fun of it is when you win and get everything done right anyway. Then there’s the dreaded triple Murphy!
To be avoided at all costs; more about that next time. Oops, Ouch, Damn! Oh well… Ah it’s just Murphy. He may be on board your boat!
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