Several years ago, at a time that I needed help with putting books, papers, things in order, Daughter #1 told Susan about my need, and it was arranged that she would come to work with me. Apparently, she had serious trepidations about working with me.
You know how it is that we never really know how we present to the world. Now, I know that when I need to be stern, I can be. I remember when working at the university with the Chair of the Department of Pharmacology, I had occasion to talk with a woman (younger than I – of course, everyone is always younger than I). This woman was an admin to another department chair. Her response to whatever it was that I needed (something, I’m sure, that my department chair wanted) was less than acceptable. Much less than acceptable. She did, after all, represent her department chair to the world.
In my career as an education administration person (school superintendent, as well as the director of education at one of our state mental health hospitals), it was a major part of my responsibility to review and evaluate the performance of my staff. So, in my role as assistant to my department’s chair, I called the supervisor of this young woman. In our discussion, I shared the situation with him and shared my opinion that his admin was in desperate need of an attitude adjustment. That whenever she was talking with anyone, she was representing him and his department. He actually thanked me. Whether or not he ever acted on my suggestion, I don’t know.
I never believed that this was a face that I presented to most folks. I don’t know. Maybe, Susan had some reason for her hesitancy in working with me. WITH me – you see, I did not ever work FOR someone. I worked with them. I always figured that I was working FOR myself and WITH whomever was my supervisor.
Susan did come to work with me. I think we had great fun. I respected her work. She was efficient. Positive. Capable. I could go on. And, she got everything done that I needed. She made suggestions for improving the way(s) that I did things. I still have the fire-proof box with all important papers, in the front closet. Just in case, I needed to exit my house quickly, I could pick up that box with “my life” in it and go out of the front door. And, I haven’t forgotten those lessons. See below.
Dearest Susan,
As I was sitting here at my desk and computer, avoiding the election results, I realized that I was channeling Susan. I remember well talking with you about your work with other people. Saying, “Do you really need five of this widget?” Or, “I think two of these would be better than six.”
I was here saying, I really don’t need two single-hole punches in this pencil holder – one will do. One pencil-thin white out pen is enough – not two. Why am I keeping this 2023 … or 2021 … or 2020 edition of publishers of children’s books. Or, publishers of children’s books and illustrators. Or … … I realized it’s Susan that I was hearing. Susan’s voice is in my ear.
You can guess that my desk area is actually coming together in a way that I: 1) don’t have replicated things – I can store the extras; 2) have dusted everything; 3) have burned all of the paper stuff – it went into my wood stove which is burning, especially now that we’re having our first real snow of the year. My books and binders are in order because they are organized by need and topic … and properly labeled. My papers are ordered in the same way. Those that I don’t need or that are duplicates of what is needed have fed the fire all evening.
So, you can see. I learned from you. You are a good teacher.
I miss you.
Love,
M
Be safe and be well
The Cranky Crone
Thoughtful comments are welcome and appreciated.