Becky Says...

June 2003

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June 19

A lot of years ago, about a month into the job at Non-Profit Agency #1, I had the pleasure of doing something that was not included in what I had been told was my job description.

It was a late February morning, and the agency phone rang. The local director of the agency happened to be in my office, and when I told him who his caller was, he chose to stay at my desk to take it. The caller was his son-in-law, and the news was that the first grandchild was not far from being born. The parents-to-be were at their home in Virginia, about three hours away from us.

Good thing the man was in my office. The next thing he attempted to do was call his wife at work. He did manage to get the number dialed, but as he was waiting for her to answer, he gave me the phone and informed me I would have to tell her. He then proceeded to weep.

So I put my right arm around him and got him settled on my shoulder, which let me use my left ear on the phone. Mrs. Director soon answered the phone, and I told her not only what the news was, but that her husband was overcome with the emotion of the moment and was not doing well in terms of talking. She was basically overcome, too, but could at least manage to tell me she was leaving her office and would walk across campus to ours. She and her husband would then decide when to leave for their daughter's home.

Oh, I probably should have told you already that these people were friends of mine, in addition to my working relationship with the director. I knew the parents-to-be, too, but not as well.

As it happened, the director was to give a speech that evening, which would have been difficult to reschedule. As he was deciding how to handle that situation, we found out that the baby's arrival would probably be much later in the evening. So the plan was set that the grandparents would leave after the speech was given, and would make frequent phone calls to keep up with the progress.

All went well, and a baby girl arrived, to the delight of all.

You have probably guessed what has reminded me of this story this week. Although Senior Partner learned of events before the workday began, and his daughter was only about an hour away, the happiness and excitement were very similar.

Text © copyright 2000-2003 Becky