Professional: The Call that Changed it All
I'm sitting at my desk staring at the phone. My mind is all over the place, thinking about what I'll say. I'll start out like I always do. “Hello, this is Chris with the California State Controller's Office, Bureau of Unclaimed Property.” Then what?
I've never really enjoyed making calls to customers. Out of all the calls I made, at least seventy percent of them were with irate customers. I couldn't blame them though. I was the one standing between them and their money.
Right after college, I got a job as a student assistant with the California State Controller's Office, Bureau of Unclaimed Property. To summarize, the job entailed making sure the customers who were making claims on unclaimed property, property that was forgotten by them and handed over to the state, was actually theirs.
Today, I had an application for a Tina Drehr (or something like that). Now, I'm not trying to bash on most people, but most people can't follow directions. If Tina had included a copy of her social security card along with the copy of her drivers license and completed application which the instructions clearly state must be submitted, I could have processed her claim and her check would have been on its way into her hands.
No social security card copy meant I had to call her to request it. I pick up the phone and punch the numbers on the phone's keypad as I read her phone number off her application. After the fourth ring, she picked up. I was really hoping she wouldn't pick up. The worn voice of an elder female answered “Hello?”
I thought to myself, “oh she's an older lady” as I glanced down at the copy of her driver's license. I explained to her about the situation and how I needed a copy of her social security card in order to issue a payment. I never expected this, but she started to cry. “I don't know if I can get a copy of my social security card to you” she said. After some explanation, she told me that she was an old feeble lady who lives alone. She even went into depth about how her husband passed away some years ago. Amazingly, she was able to tell me all this while she was crying.
She got to me. I started feeling bad for her, even to the point of trying to hold back tears. It did cross my mind that she could have been playing me, but I figured if she's that good at faking it, she deserved it.
In the end, I told her I'd do what I could. I turned to my computer, pulled up her account and issued a payment.
(Sorry if things seem a little rushed at the end. I didn't want to go too much over 300 words.)
Personal: True Friends are Never Forgotten
People come and go.
I never really thought I'd see him again, but I guess fate pulled us back together. I wouldn't say it was a good reunion though. He was in the ICU after all. The only reason I was here was because I just happened to be with another friend who was told by one of his friends that my friend was in the ICU.
We were good friends all through junior high school and freshman year of high school. I ended up moving to another school sophomore year and from there we grew apart. We didn't hang out or talk to each other anymore. We both formed our own group of friends at our respective schools.
Fast forward four years and here I am with some of our friends standing at his bedside in the ICU. He didn't move at all. There were all sorts of machines hooked up to him with needles coming out of both arms. His whole body was swollen. I've never seen anyone like this before. He looked miserable.
My friends told me that he was in a car accident. He was driving through a mountain pass when a motorcyclist cut him off and he rolled of the side of the pass.
His mom recognized me. She came up to me and said “It's good to see you again. I'm so happy that you guys came out for Tony.” She continued “When Tony gets better, you should come by and visit again.” I said I would, but that never happened.
We said our good byes and hoped for the best for Tony. His mom gave us Chinese red envelopes filled with lucky money as we departed.
After he was better, we did hang out a couple more times, but it's been at least three years since I've last seen or spoken to him. I hope he's doing well and I know if he ever needs anything, I'll always have his back.
No comments:
Post a Comment