Big Fan
A few years ago a colleague generously lent me a fan for my office. Little did he know I would take it home and leave it there for three years because it was adorable, vintage, and yellow. I loved that fan, and when he announced his retirement this year I immediately thought about how I would handle those last moments with the fan, the last cool breezes it could offer me in the summer heat.
During a move, a woman walking by my truck offered me $250 right then and there to purchase the fan - it was an original Hunter in pristine condition. I told her it wasn't for sale but I tell you I hung on to her number just in case some day I might need 250 bucks more than I might need my professional dignity.
I emailed him to ask what he would like to do, and even told him about this lady because I knew if I didn't it would eat away at me. He's a Catholic priest, so somehow I suppose he'd be able to smell some guilt, even though I had nothing to feel guilty about other than wanting to keep this awesome retro fan, and not actually using it for its intended school-use.
He wrote back saying he'd actually forgotten about that fan entirely but that yes, he'd like it back. He offered to exchange it for another one, and for some reason or another he had quite a collection in his office. I suppose after 30-some years working, you collect a thing or two. For him it was fans, as if to aerate people's spirits wherever he went!
I chose a floor fan, a large industrial one at that, and took it home for the summer.
His last day was on Friday but we met today so that I could return that fan too, I think he had a need for it elsewhere.
Now this man is a sort of legend. Tall, with a booming voice and a British accent, he's touched the lives of so many people over the years. It took me a while to warm up to his old-school ways, but I've always been impressed by how he embraced the diversity of faiths and became an expert in each of them. He goes on silent retreats every summer in Ontario. He's theatrical, and musical too.
Today I was telling a co-worker about the fan swap and she recounted the story of how she remembered him from her own high school years, 25 years after the fact. He helped them deal with the kidnapping and murder of a classmate in Lasalle. Terrible event, but he was of great comfort.
Just about everybody knows who he is, some of you reading probably know exactly who I'm talking about, and after several years of working with him, I can honestly say... I'm a big fan.
As we hugged goodbye, he left me with some honest words, and yes, he gave me, you guessed it, another fan. This one's green, with a vintage flair, and it is sitting quite comfortably on my kitchen table.
Peace and love,
Katie
During a move, a woman walking by my truck offered me $250 right then and there to purchase the fan - it was an original Hunter in pristine condition. I told her it wasn't for sale but I tell you I hung on to her number just in case some day I might need 250 bucks more than I might need my professional dignity.
I emailed him to ask what he would like to do, and even told him about this lady because I knew if I didn't it would eat away at me. He's a Catholic priest, so somehow I suppose he'd be able to smell some guilt, even though I had nothing to feel guilty about other than wanting to keep this awesome retro fan, and not actually using it for its intended school-use.
He wrote back saying he'd actually forgotten about that fan entirely but that yes, he'd like it back. He offered to exchange it for another one, and for some reason or another he had quite a collection in his office. I suppose after 30-some years working, you collect a thing or two. For him it was fans, as if to aerate people's spirits wherever he went!
I chose a floor fan, a large industrial one at that, and took it home for the summer.
His last day was on Friday but we met today so that I could return that fan too, I think he had a need for it elsewhere.
Now this man is a sort of legend. Tall, with a booming voice and a British accent, he's touched the lives of so many people over the years. It took me a while to warm up to his old-school ways, but I've always been impressed by how he embraced the diversity of faiths and became an expert in each of them. He goes on silent retreats every summer in Ontario. He's theatrical, and musical too.
Today I was telling a co-worker about the fan swap and she recounted the story of how she remembered him from her own high school years, 25 years after the fact. He helped them deal with the kidnapping and murder of a classmate in Lasalle. Terrible event, but he was of great comfort.
Just about everybody knows who he is, some of you reading probably know exactly who I'm talking about, and after several years of working with him, I can honestly say... I'm a big fan.
As we hugged goodbye, he left me with some honest words, and yes, he gave me, you guessed it, another fan. This one's green, with a vintage flair, and it is sitting quite comfortably on my kitchen table.
Peace and love,
Katie
Comments
Post a Comment