Today I went to the Public Health Dept.’s Employee Service Awards Ceremony. No reason, really, just hadn’t attended in years and thought it would be fun, see some friends, some co-workers….okay, I admit, free coffee and fresh muffins WERE a big draw!
The first group of award recipients was announced: they were two 40-year civil service employees of Alameda County…40 years! They were hired in 1973 – I was a junior in high school! The hosts showed some Power Point facts from 1973, like Billboard’s top 4 songs: Tie a Yellow Ribbon, Bad Bad Leroy Brown, Killing Me Softly, and Let’s Get It On, (the youngster sitting next to me didn’t know any of them, I knew them all); best picture Grease (polite applause); and, the President that year, Nixon, who resigned the following year (solid boos for him).
By this time I was having a pretty good time, albeit a little jittery because I was drinking a full cup of Starbucks coffee, caffeinated, which I haven’t done in a few years. I usually drink decaf coffee or herbal tea. A few years ago I was monitoring my heart rate for my doc and discovered that caffeine spiked my heart rate! I guess the Public Health Dept. doesn’t believe in decaf coffee or herbal tea since there wasn’t any available - I sort of understand that because better to have amped up workers than relaxed, decaffeinated ones, right? Okay, on top of that I had one-half of a poppy seed muffin….of course, it was one of those humongous Costco muffins and even only half of it was about the size of a flat truck tire, but how could I resist?
So, wired from fully-leaded coffee and sugared up from the tire-muffin, I sat there thinking my jittery thoughts, wondering whether I should just ease my way through the crowd of employees, go back to my cubicle and drink a bunch of water to dilute the expected raging chemo-induced energy about to course through my body.
But then the two 40-year employees were brought up to the podium to receive their employee awards and they stepped up to the microphone. One I knew and actually worked with for a few years in the early 90’s, Ms. B. (her name has been omitted to protect the innocent, namely ME, because she might whoop on me for telling everyone she’s been working for 40 years!). When she spoke I was knocked for a loop – so I guess she got me anyway - she actually thanked me for hiring her to the Health Dept. some 22 years ago! And then she thanked me for taking the time to help her become a better employee, better supervisor, and for caring enough to stick with her through some rough periods. She told everyone I was one of the reasons why she had stayed in the Dept. for 40 years!
Wow. Now the reason I’m sharing this is not to pat myself on the back (which I can’t reach even if I felt I was deserving) or to let you know how truly remarkable I am (I’m just a normal, everyday Phil). I mean, honestly I’m not ashamed to admit it, but, before she mentioned it, I didn’t really remember that I had hired her. Heck, it was twenty two years ago! My youngest daughter, Kelsey, was born that same year, and that’s one of the few things I DO easily remember from those years gone by. For the rest of those 22plus-year old memories either someone’s going to have to remind me, like Ms. B. did this morning, or they will remain tucked away, gently resting, quietly relaxed and happy.
No, the reason I chose to share this part of my day with you is to only say something pretty obvious: Life is sure funny. Because when you least expect it, something happens that helps you realize you are part of a bigger drama than yourself; that you may touch someone or help someone or even piss someone off without even realizing it. And then, years later, even 40 years later, you might get thanked ….or just as easily whooped!
Congrats, Ms. B., for being such a dedicated public employee and for bringing a good memory back to the present for me. It was a good way to start the day with some perspective.
Now where the heck is my water mug….aaarrrggghhh?!
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