1963 Magnavox

 

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.