Too Bad�

2005-06-29

So. I am saying goodbye to the job in the office of the mayor, city council and city manager�s office. The job I didn�t want, but now do.

Mostly because of the people. The people who have been appreciative of any help I give, even the lowliest. And a lot of that help has been lowly indeed. I�ve never had so many people in one office say that they are pulling for me. Say that they�d really like it if I could stay. People that have had very little contact with me. That has really felt wonderful.

But also because I�ve realized that a person in this position can help a lot of people. Help people find the right person. Help people understand what their local government can and can�t do. Help people find the person thatcan help them. Just help. I�ve come to the realization that a person doing the job I�m doing now, and doing it well, probably helps as many people as some elected officials. Not in big ways, but I know what it�s like to finally get someone on the phone who will at least point you in the right direction.

The work itself has been interesting. Or amusing. Sometimes maddening, but never dull. People ask the strangest things.

And I find I�m learning about myself. I�m very contrary. I don�t really like to help people that expect stuff. People who expect answers to every question bother me a lot. People who think that calling the city is the equivalent of calling 411 without having to pay bother me too.

People that don�t know where to go for the answers to their questions, but are willing to ask, bother me not at all. People who are desperately searching for someone to help them bring out a desire to find someone who can.

There are the scaries; there are the funnies. So far it just hasn�t been boring. I�ve looked forward to going to work. That hasn�t happened in years.

So I�m sorry that I won�t be getting this job. They want someone fluent in Spanish, and although I�m willing to learn, no one involved in the hiring process is going to talk to me. Too bad for all of us.

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