The Way I Heard It with Mike Rowe - 31: The Hangman & The Windsor Knot

Episode Date: August 23, 2016

How a perfectly tied Windsor knot led to a date with the gallows.

The ocean delights us as playful otters restore coastal kelp forests. The ocean teaches us how our choices impact even the deepest places. The ocean connects us. Visit Monterey Bay Aquarium.org slash connects. This is the way I heard. The hangman looked out upon the crowd of spectators who had come to watch the execution. It was an enthusiastic gathering, bigger than usual. He waited for his cue, and when it came, he slipped the noose over.

the head of the condemned and tightened the hangman's knot behind the left ear. Then, in the seconds before the floor fell away, the hangman allowed his mind to wander back to a simpler time, a time when the only knot he cared about tying was the elusive Windsor. Every Sunday morning, as the father dressed for church, the sun would watch and wonder as the long ribbon of silk looped and spiraled around itself in a mysterious series of swirls and eddies, culminating in a perfectly proportion pertuburance, high and snug against his dad's neck. Watching his father dressed for church was a cherished part of his Sunday morning ritual and unlocking the secrets of the Windsor Not.

It had been a great challenge. Like his grandfather, the boy's dad was also a preacher, and church, a bi-weekly event. So, by the time he turned 12, the boy could not only quote much of the good book, he could tie a Windsor with his eyes closed. Now, over 50 years later, this mild-mannered son of a preacher man had mastered a very different kind of knot and become notorious for his association with a very different kind of necktie. He knew for a fact he'd participated in more public executions than any governor, any prison warden, or any priest could ever hope to avoid.

But standing there on the gallows, midway through his sixth decade, He could not help but wonder where the road not taken might have led. What, for instance, might have happened had he stuck with writing? Once upon a time, he'd had a newspaper column. His editor said he had a natural ability with the language. Or what about acting? Years ago, he'd appeared in a film, and the director said he was a natural, said the camera loved him.

Or what about sports? When he was 17, he'd shattered his high school record for the 24-mile marathon. His coach said he was built to run. So what if he'd kept on running? How far might he have gone? Might he have outrun the many temptations that very nearly killed him? At one point, he was putting down a case of beer every day, then a bottle of vodka, along with a few grams of cocaine, then a few more after that. He recalled the alcoholism, the overdoses, the rehab, the cirrhosis, and the women. So many women with so few strings attached. It was a miracle he survived at all. The hangman looked out upon the crowd of spectators who had come to watch the execution. It was an enthusiastic gathering, bigger than

usual. He waited for his cue, and when it came, he slipped the noose over the head of the condemned, his head, and tightened the hangman's knot behind his own left ear. The guitar wailed, the bass, thumped, the drums crashed, the hangman thought about the Bible study he would attend the next morning back home in Phoenix. He'd wear a tie naturally, probably the blue one, with a winds or not, high and tight against his neck. Then the floor fell out from under him, and once again, the hangman was dead, swinging slowly back and forth before a legion of adoring fans. Rolling Stone once estimated that Vincent died on stage over 60,000 times in his long and storied career. Not always from hanging, of course.

Sometimes he dies in the electric chair, sometimes in the guillotine, sometimes all three in the same night. But like Lazarus, rising from the grave, Vincent is always resurrected and the crowd always goes wild. In fact, his personal nightmare is still one of the most popular stage. shows ever, and his ability to navigate the gauntlet of sex and drugs has led him straight into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But don't expect the hangman to take any credit, because Vincent Fernier, the king of Shock Rock, is also a born-again Christian, who for the last 30 years has been clean, sober, remarried to his loving wife, devoted to his weekly Bible study, and utterly obsessed with the game of golf.

while his legendary other self is still coming back from the dead, resurrected night after night, as the one and only, Alice Cooper. Anyway, that's the way I heard it. If you work in University Maintenance, Granger considers you an MVP, because your playbook ensures your arena

is always ready for tip-off, and Granger is your trusted partner. Offering the products you need, all in one place, from HVAC and plumbing supplies to lighting and more. and all delivered with plenty of time left on the clock, so your team always gets the win. Call 1-800-Grangeer, visit granger.com or just stop by, Granger, for the ones who get it done.

The ocean moves us, whether that's surfing a wave or taking in an inspiring view. The ocean feeds us. Sustainable seafood practices bring the ocean's bounty to our plates. The ocean teaches us how our everyday choices, big and small, make an impact. The ocean delights us as playful otters restore coastal kelp forests. The ocean connects us. Find your connection at Monterey Bay Aquarium.org slash connects.