The part of my job that doesn't turn me on is having to call students to return the computers we loan to them. I start out with emailing them, then I call them if I don't hear from them. Once people hear "SUNY Adirondack" they usually hang up because they know they're guilty of absconding with the computers! What they DON'T remember is that they signed a form that says if it isn't returned: they will be charged for it. You'd be amazed at how quickly you hear from them when they get a letter from collections.
But that isn't exactly what this post is about.
I was going through my list a week or so ago, and got to the name Lydia. She has had a laptop since August of 2021. So without a lot of hope, I called her on August 8, but her voicemail was full. I called her again on September 11 and surprise: I was able to leave her a voicemail. But the biggest surprise was she called me back! She said she was sorry and of course would return the laptop. She said it had been a rough year, what with a house fire that had sent her fiancé and son to the hospital. I commiserated with her for a minute. As we chatted, she mentioned that they lived in South Glens Falls. I said I live in South Glens Falls! Then she said she lived on Spring Street. I used to live on Spring Street! What a coincidence! So she said she would bring in the laptop by Friday.
I'm sitting at my desk this afternoon and a woman of color stepped in. "Hi Rita! I'm Lydia and here's your laptop." "Wow, thank you so much Lydia. I see there's no power cord." We both laughed and she apologized, saying she did have it and would bring it to me on Monday. She then asked me if I had lived in this area long. I said I sure have. She said, "Did you know Bill Harris? He usually walked around the area with a leather satchel over his shoulder. Walked everywhere." I racked my brain but couldn't place him. Turns out he was her grandfather. I said, "The only person named Harris that I knew was LaRue Harris." She gasped. "That was my grandmother! I got a chill when you said her name because that's not a common name. Did you know Stephanie? She's my mother!" And yes: I did know Stephanie and her twin brother Stephon. I knew their mother LaRue because she was one of Marie's best friends, and Marie used to do her hair and she'd bring the kids with her. She really was one of my favorite people, right up until she died. I didn't recognize the name Bill Harris, because I only knew him by the name Harris as LaRue's husband. That's all she ever called him!
The coincidences kept piling up. "Paul Ramsey was my uncle." "He was one of my brother's best friends! (he died in May) His sister Mary used to be one of my good friends back in the day!" It was amazing the number of people we had in common, but our paths had never crossed. The world really is small! By the time we were done, we felt like WE were related! And it all happened because of a missing laptop.
That encounter really lifted my day. I think we were destined to meet so we could share some memories of people that we have / had in common. It never would have happened if my boss didn't have me make those calls. I'll chalk it up to a God thing, and something good happening on this particular Friday.
Thanks for reading: and have a great day!!
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