EB White's essay “This is New York”
begins with the line: "On any person who desires such queer
prizes, New York will bestow the gift of loneliness and the gift of
privacy”. I always thought that was a really cool line, partly
because it used the word queer in such an imaginative but socially
acceptable way, but also because I liked the concept of privacy and
loneliness being a gift. I don't know that I ever really used to
think of it that way.
In college, a friend of mine told me once she saw a guy intentionally trying to connect with everyone they met, and it reminded her of me. I don't know when that started, but I
do genuinely enjoy meeting and talking with people. My brother complains that I am more interested in talking with strangers than I am in talking to him anytime we go anywhere. He has a point of course, but that's mostly because he's such a terrible conversationalist.
When I started working in radio, one of the neatest parts I began to notice was how, when you called people and told them you were from a radio station, they would call you
back. Business owners, politicians, people that were generally just more “big time” than some 23 year old punk kid whose first conversational move was usually a well intentioned insult all would willingly engage in a discussion. This was a pretty good perk of the gig.
Over the years many of those initial conversations turned into longstanding relationships. Even if only via phone calls and emails, you interact with someone for an extended
period of time, you can't help but feel some personal connection. At least that's how it works with me. Just ask all the customers at Atlanta Bread Company I would go bother by chatting them up while they were finishing their bread bowls and chopstick salads. “Oh you want some more tea? In a minute-- let me tell you about this other thing first.”
I went into radio via the Department of Education, a job I landed by chatting up a woman who was the Communications Director there. I wasn't looking for a gig. I was just slinging pastries when I struck up a conversation, and next thing I knew I was cranking out press releases defending Florida's decision to give the FCAT even though many districts had missed weeks of
school due to hurricane closures. I liked that part of the job, for sure. But I also liked having a whole new pool of people to meet, greet, and just goof off with while going about the business of ensuring that a year's worth of school meant a year's worth of learning.
Then radio called, and I discovered the whole phone call trick. As in, make a phone call, get one back. And usually it would lead to another.
So that's the way I approached my job. Meet someone, make conversation, form a relationship of some type. No matter who they were, no matter what their political beliefs, I
wanted to know, and connect, with the people with whom I was interacting on a professional level. As it turns out, it wasn't that hard.
Someone told me recently that it was really easy to demonize someone when you didn't know them. This is undoubtedly true. And as it turns out, the converse is correct as well. Once you get to know someone, you have a hard time running them down over a quote lifted from an article, or one position among many an elected official or community servant takes in the course of their job. I know this certainly held true for me. So when you heard me
sticking up for people on the air, it's because I guess I felt a sense of obligation to portray the people that become fodder for our news cycle as three dimensional human beings, not one dimensional caricatures of municipal malfeasance.
For example: Akin Akinyemi likes soccer. We watched the US-Slovenia match during the World Cup. Andrew Gillum likes good red wine. Bryan Desloge is a glutton for punishment, as evidenced by his repeated appearances on the show, and his desire to run Triathalons. He's also highly competetive, as evidenced by his trash talking to my wife when they compete together
Bill Proctor is crazy, but also correct as often as he is off base. John Dailey is really funny, and is much smarter than his “Huckleberry” act lets on. Gil Ziffer is a pretty good golfer, and an accomplished horticulturalist. Governor Scott has a geeky passion for bringing jobs to the state. And he really is competitive with Rick Perry.
Michelle Rehwinkle-Vasilinda serves beer during most Downtown Getdowns. And as Leon County Democrats go, she is far from an extreme liberal.
I guess my point is, I have gotten to know all of these people, and so many more, because of the nature and status of my job. And when you know them, you know who they are, and
where they are coming from. And you realize just how little of the story gets told in the societal narrative we call the media.
Friday is my last day producing The Morning Show with Preston Scott. It has been over seven years of my life, that gig. It has brought many laughs, thoughts, frustrations and friendships. I enjoyed most every aspect of it, not least of which the people I met in the building in which I spent at least 5 hours each day. (Inside joke) Radio has changed a lot over the years since I started working there. Like most media, businesses have contracted, leaving fewer people doing more work. The result is a largely disgruntled workforce, carrying on mostly due to a looming mortgage payment, a fear of change, or a genuine love of working in the industry. I am proud to say most of my remaining coworkers share the latter. And these days, that's pretty rare.
So here we are, the close of a blog I didn't update nearly frequently enough. And the irony is, I'm leaving to go pursue a job that entails a lot of writing. Don't think this won't get brought up during my going away lunch.
I guess I want to say, if I can leave you with anything, it's the sense that there are a lot of stories out there, and a lot of angles and dimensions to them, and the truth is you probably won't get much of it unless you go looking for it. And that might take some work. And it might take talking to people you might think are way different and not worth your time. But I'm
telling you, they are worth it. And they aren't that different. And even if they are, that's part of the fun.
At least it has been for me. And I've had a lot of it. So thank you. Sincerely.
Until next time...
Eric
PS- Thank you for taking the time to read this blog over the years. My bosses have really been on me about updating it, which is probably most of the reason why I didn't update
it more frequently. That and the fact that I always waited until late at night to update it, and by then more often than not I was sort of half way in the bag so to speak. But I do like writing and I do like communicating with you all. So feel free to email me at eteggers@gmail.com if you ever want to ask a question or find out what I'm up to, or pass along information you think I should have. Just no forwards, please. For the love of all that is holy. Seriously.
