My Uncle's Shoes

Right on Time

Tom Froehlich

A couple days ago I had a telephone conversation with a woman from Gold’s Gym customer service. I had to freeze my gym membership because I am currently not experiencing the financial abundance I would like to and she was amazingly efficient and kind .I said something to her like, “Thanks for making all of this so easy. You started my day with a smile that I will pass on to others so people in Venice, California are going to be getting a southern Texas smile." She laughed and said, “Wow! You just made my day so much better. Are you an inspirational speaker or something?!” I was kind of shocked and just said, “Well, I hope to be. That's kind of the plan”

 

The conversation with this lady from south Texas reminded me of an experience I had a few years ago that I had almost forgotten about. Out of financial desperation, which seems to be a recurring theme I really need to turn around, I accepted an at home telemarketing job selling a debt reduction program to people in debt. The program was for those who were so far in debt they saw no recourse other than possibly bankruptcy. Yes, I too see the irony.  The even greater irony is that I would be contacting these chronic debtors who cringe every time the phone rings via the telephone. Being one of them, I am familiar with the cringe. Like Pavlov’s dogs we respond to the ring of any and all bells. And it was a commission sales job. Unlimited earning potential. Right.

 

I had to install a special software program on my computer, which was designed specifically to track my progress. The program was new and not all of the kinks were worked out, so the company had a fulltime staff of tech support. I often found it necessary to make that call to tech support which was usually a welcome relief from the endless hours of unanswered calls and hang ups.

 

Oddly enough my calls for assistance were always answered by the same support person. His name was Kevin and he lived outside of Phoenix in the desert.  I somehow felt an odd rapport with Kevin and we would often fall into personal and philosophical conversations, him blocking the software so my call traffic and productivity could not be tracked.  I believe these conversations began with him in a very 1960’s way asking me about my astrological sign. 

From there we went onto the conversations about the existence of aliens, the powers of the mind, manifesting what we want in life and anything else to keep me from making yet another phone call that most likely would not be answered.

After a couple of weeks, Kevin said to me, “You know, this is a little odd Tom, but it feels like we have become friends over the phone in the most unlikely way and I feel the need to tell you something.”  

I said, “Whatever it is, is cool Kevin. I’m a gay alcoholic. What you got?”

I heard a hesitant laugh and he said, “Well, I’m in wheel chair. I’m a paraplegic. That’s why I have this job and I don’t know that my life will ever be anything more than this.”

“Wow. Not really sure what to say.”

“I know. That’s why I didn’t it mention it earlier. I didn’t want you to have a preconceived idea of what a guy in a wheel chair is like.”

“I guess you’re still the same cool insightful guy Kevin.”

He thanked me and then said, “You know, as we have discussed for a couple of weeks, I do believe everything happens for a reason. That there are lessons we are here to learn. I’m still not sure about what my lesson is living my life in this chair, but we all have our struggles. If we didn’t, how would we learn and grow?”

He asked me if I had ever heard the story about the Paiute Indians and if not if I would like to hear a story.

I replied, “As long as you’re blocking the software bud, I’m pretty sure I have the time!”

He told me that after the white man took over the Paiute’s land and was preparing to put them on reservations they asked the chief of the Paiute tribe what parcel of land they would like.  There were several to choose from. Some with rivers flowing through them. Some wooded land. Beautiful places.  But, they chose a desert plateau overlooking barren lands. When the chief was asked why he made that particular choice when there were so many other more beautiful and habitable places, He responded that his people  could not grow with out challenges and hardship in life. The government was already supplying them with an income, housing, clothing and food. The only lesson left to them was to learn to struggle against nature. Otherwise their spirit would die.

Kevin said, “I am a smart and talented software developer. Those kinds of things have always come easily to me. I have a sweet and beautiful wife, who loves a guy in a wheel chair. I guess my wheel chair is kind of like my barren plateau. That’s how I get to learn my lessons. I’m not saying I wouldn’t have made a different choice, but that wasn’t an option I was given.”

I said, “Wow, Kevin. You know for a while I wondered why the universe would make me take this ridiculous unprofitable telemarketing job. I’m not really wondering anymore. I’m thinking it was to meet you.”

“There’s something else I need to tell you and I’m going to say this once, because if anyone is listening I cold lose my job.”

 “Quit this job, Tom. The guy I’ve gotten to know over the past couple of weeks has so much more to offer than this. You have become my friend as odd as it is and I look after my friends. You have so much to offer the world. Go be the person you were meant to be.”

That was the last conversation Kevin and I had.  I quit my job the following day. I know longer needed to call for tech support and although he had previously given me his personal cell phone number it somehow seemed unnecessary to use it. Our random connection, two souls colliding for a brief moment in time. Our relationship had served its purpose and it was time for both of s to continue on our own separate paths.

Because of this random encounter, whenever I am faced with trials and challenges in life I think, “This is my wheel chair, my barren plateau and with out it my spirit will die,” and I am grateful. Grateful for many things, one of which is a fleeting friendship with a man in the desert who reminded me of who I am, who I am meant to be and gave me renewed courage to pursue that. Yet, as I mentioned earlier, somehow I managed to forget.

I managed to forget until a random phone call with a woman from south Texas reminded me of a random phone call with a man in the Arizona desert. And both of them shared the same message with me. Go share what you have learned. This time around I think I’m going to listen. No. Check that. This time around I am definitely going to listen.

I really don’t think it’s possible to arrive late for a new beginning . I think we always arrive right on time.