And how far I've come since then.
Last fall, I signed up for the planning committee for this reunion. And thanks to the momentum of social media since my 20-year reunion, planning has been made much easier.
We've found people not on the committee, who are yet willing to help make our reunion even better than before.
One of them I've had lunch with twice over the summer, despite not having been in touch with him for 19 years prior, when he called my request line in the days when I was pulling an overnight on-air shift at a now-defunct hit country formatted radio station in Pittsburgh.
And I've enjoyed both our lunch meetings thoroughly.
Tony is probably one of the most genuine people I know. Groomed with a strong work ethic at an early age, he believed in hard work by his own hand, and that if you wanted something done right, you did it yourself and didn't blame others for your own failure.
He built a business of his own on this very pretext, and is very much a hands-on person.
He had asked me for my advice to help his sons get started in their own business. For some time in my native Detroit, I worked the club circuit as a DJ, playing everything from country to classic rock.
I had also DJ'd my brother-in-law's reunion, and with the cash he advanced me, I purchased a used portable amplified speaker system to fit the bill. I would later learn the secrets to running a complete show automated from a laptop.
Tony had gotten wind of this and asked me what he needed to help his boys get started.
I was surprised by the request, yet pleased. Today I lament how some parents don't teach their kids the importance and value of work, and just give them money arbitrarily, but Tony was giving his two sons the opportunity to get started at an early age and learn to develop this over the years.
Tony and I go back 31 years, when we were in junior high school together and were in most of the same classes. He was the same then as he is now, I would learn.
I agreed to help. We arranged for lunch, and I brought along all the CDs I used for DJ events. He told me of a scrubber-mixer he had bought from Amazon.com and asked if he really needed it. I told him it was a nice thing to have, but it was more of a luxury than a necessity.
He presented me with two bottles of wine afterwards. Unnecessary, but hey, who am I to turn down free wine? Especially good wine?
Then came our second meeting. He warned me that he was running about a half hour late, apologizing profusely the whole way into the restaurant. Hey, stuff happens.
He told me he had been running behind and hadn't transferred all my music yet, apologizing for that. And, he presented me with a digital drive he was going to transfer my music on so my laptop wouldn't get bogged down with music files.
And he bought me lunch.
I said "you don't have to do that."
And he knows that. But true to his character, he believes in giving back more than what you take. And to help others when in need, without expecting anything in return.
How many times have you been asked to do something while thinking 'what's in it for me?'
Fess up. We've all been there. I'm ashamed to admit that I've been there too.
But I've been trying to make up for it since then. As I've grown older, I've come to appreciate the benefits of what it's like to be a part of a community...to give, not just take.
Neighbors helping neighbors.
The way it should be.
NEXT WEEK: "Woodn't" it be nice...
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