3 hours Ago
Leaving a job, particularly through retirement, meant losing touch with people I saw daily. Fortunately, my first and favorite co-worker in a truly adult job had remained my friend throughout the years. Nancy and I worked together for a decade before I moved on, but our friendship has continued to this day.
Lori DuVall-Jackson, of Amherst, has fond memories of a former co-worker. We spent more time with each other than we did with our families. We worked in a back office, with minimal supervision and an open floor plan that allowed actual conversations.
I missed Nancy when she and her husband, Sid, went on vacation, but looked forward to hearing her stories. Once they travelled around finding covered bridges. Sid was an excellent photographer and hoped to make a book of his photos.
“How’d it go?” I asked when Nancy returned. “It was fun, except for Sid falling down a cliff,” responded Nancy. “And we hit a UPS truck”.
“Sid fell down a cliff? Is he OK?” I asked, bemused. “Wait, do you mean an actual UPS truck, those huge brown ones?” Sid had set up on an embankment to take pictures, but was swarmed by bees and wound up tumbling down to the creek below. Nancy had remained in the car, and because their back window was dust-covered from driving on little-used country roads, never noticed when he disappeared from view.
She was more than a little surprised and did a double take when Sid returned, disheveled and muddy. Then, also due to the dusty rear window (and distracted by having been stung), he backed into a UPS truck that had pulled up unnoticed. I couldn’t help but laugh.
Another time they decided to buy a boat and tow it to a lakeside cabin they rented. I was surprised to hear this, for one notable reason. “I thought you couldn’t swim?” I asked.
“Neither one of us can swim,” Nancy replied. “But Sid wants to fish from a boat, so we bought really good life jackets”. Said life jackets could’ve kept several people afloat.
When seated, the jackets were pushed up past their shoulders and they resembled giant orange turtles. As it turned out, getting to use them at all almost didn’t happen. Sid bought a special boat hitch for their truck and when the day came they loaded up and set off.
At the first stop sign, the boat came crashing into the truck bed as the pin for the hitch had popped out. Nancy sat speechless as Sid, swearing up a storm, jumped out to situate things. He got back in the truck, slammed the door shut, and started to drive.
“Where are we going?” ventured Nancy, thinking they might just bag the whole idea and return home, which was half a block away. “We’re going on (expletive) vacation!” roared Sid, and off they went. I still laugh remembering that.
I gave as good as I got, too. One of Nancy’s jobs was unpacking deliveries, which stacked up during her absence. I found a previously emptied box and placed it in a stack of other deliveries.
I alerted our staff and when Nancy returned we were all watching. The boxes were heavy, so when she grabbed the empty one to check it in, she slung it with emphasis. I ducked as it sailed over my head and across the room.
Her bewildered look was priceless. Our working relationship ended, but thankfully our friendship endured. Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly!.
