A friend has done a series of posts about her and Jeffs
lifelong romance, and all they had been through.
Jeff hired me to work for his tile company back about 2001. I worked for
Jeff about a year. I didn’t do very good work for him, but he hung with me and
did everything he could to help me. It was a time in my life that help was a
bit wasted on me. But that didn’t stop Jeff from trying. I think our association
and my employment ceased when I spent two weeks in jail.
Years passed and I got better. Took an office job in 2004. Twenty
three years later, I’m still there.
One of my fondest memories was answering the phone at work
one day. We get calls from people wanting their television repaired. But we
don't repair televisions. Usually I cut them off and refer them to Hurst TV and
Appliance . Sometimes rather rudely.
But this one day at work the phone rang and
the man was telling me about his television, and how he needed it repaired. He sounded
a bit elderly. He had a kind warm unhurried
voice with a wonderful Southern drawl.
He said “I have a stereo and television console. It’s a Magnavox,
we bought it in 1963, and we never had a problem with it. But lately it seems
to take a long time to warm up, and the color is off, and the stereo sounds kind
of scratchy. I don’t know anything about
these things. Can you repair it for me?”
I just listened , and I listened long enough that the voice became familiar.
‘Sir, if you have had that since 1963 I’d say you got your money’s worth. Most people
these days just go out and buy a new one. I’m sad to say that we don’t repair things
like that. But you can call Hurst TV and Appliance. They may be able to help
you”
And then It hit me, where I’d heard that voice before. Jeff had had me do some work
for his parents. They treated me like one of their own. Fed me lunch and
dinner, and some kind of wonderful Anastasi dried beans and had Nora Jones
playing on the 1963 Magnavox stereo. Jeff and his dad had the same voice, and
same manner of speech and I was talking to Jeffs dad.
I was sure of it so I added “This wouldn’t happen to be Mr Maddox, would it?”
And sure as hell it was.
Here's the thing. It changed the way I answer the phone at work. I'm never
short or rude anymore. I even hung up a post it note with the phone number for
Hurst TV and Appliance so that I can provide that to folks that call, looking
for help
And when I get those calls, I always think of Jeff and his
father.
It’s a good thing to let good people influence us. Jeff and his father, they were
good people.
