Why is it so hard to find good customer service these days? Growing up, I remember hearing the phrase, "The customer is always right" and most businesses adhered to that mentality. Understand that I have worked retail in my past. I also have my own side business now. I am fully aware that the customer really isn't always right. As a matter of fact, the vast majority of the time, the customer is flat out wrong. But I still do my best to make the customer feel right, even if I know he is wrong. Unless it will adversely impact my bottom line, I have always tried to make the customer feel appreciated and know that I want their business.
On "black Friday", the big shopping day after Thanksgiving, I went in search of an mp3 player. Wal-Mart was sold out, so I then went to Circuit City. Big mistake. They did have them in stock, but they didn't have any on display for me to actually take a look at and put in my greedy little hands. I asked the dorky kid on the floor if I could see this thing before I bought it. He looks at the box and says, "No, it's factory sealed." What? Of course it's factory sealed, you moron, everything in this store is factory sealed! "Well, we can't open it." Sigh. Fine, get me a manager. I know the kid is only doing what he's been told, and I don't fault him for following the rules. Manager comes over and I explain the situation to him. I want to buy this thing, but I want to see it first and they don't have any on display.
Manager #1: "I'm sorry we don't have any on display, but it's in a sealed box, so I can't open it."
Me: "well, who can open one of these?"
Manager #1: "I can."
Me: "great, open this please"
Manager #1: "Oh, I can't do that."
Me: "but you just said you could"
Manager #1" "I misunderstood you then"
Excuse me? You have someone who wants to drop a quick $250 and all I want to do is SEE the thing first and you won't open the box? WHAT THE FUCK?
At this point, a second manager has stepped up and is listening in, and then chimes in.
Manager #2: "So what exactly is the problem here?"
Me: "I would like to purchase this mp3 player, but you don't have any of this model on display, and I would like to see it first. I would like you to open this one so I can actually see the product"
Manager #2: "Well, this is sealed."
Me: "Yes, I know this. That's how things come when they get shipped to you."
Manager #2: "Our company policy is that we can't open the product"
Me: "This is not a big deal, I only want to see what I"m buying first"
Manager #2: "Sir, you don't have to get upset about this. We just have to follow our company policy. And it says we can't open the boxes. If we open this, and you don't buy it, we have to charge a 15% restocking fee"
WHAT???
Me: "You opened product to put all these other items on display, didn't you?"
Manager #2: "Yes, but we had company approval to do that. Maybe Creative hasn't paid us to put this product on display."
Me: "Yes, but this is a new product, that is more expensive than anything you have out here, and I would like to have this, but I would like to actually see it first before I spend $250 on it."
Manager #2: "You can read the specifications on the box. If it meets your needs, I don't see why you would need to see it."
Me: "Would you buy a car without seeing it first?"
Manager #2: "No, but this isn't a car, now is it?"
Me: Dumbfounded stare. "You know something? You guys are definitely not the only store in town that has these in stock. I can take my money elsewhere since you obviously do not want to make a sale."
Manager #2: "Have a good day."
And I walk out shaking my head. As I stated earlier, I have worked retail before, and I do have my own side business. I really wish my business were so good and cash was flowing so freely to me that I could bear to watch $250 walk away from me merely because I didn't feel like showing a customer my product. I know of very few businesses that are able to turn their back on easy cash so readily.
I went then to Best Buy, who were very friendly and helpful, and even had one of the players on display that I could pick up and touch and play with and all that good stuff, but unfortunately were out of the player. Across the street from Best Buy was another Circuit City. I shuddered at the thought of walking in yet another one of those bastions of ineptitude. I went to lunch and chilled out for a while. I then said to myself, you know, maybe it was just one store of morons. And you've already held one in your hands, you really don't need to see one at this point. And if these guys are morons too, I can just order it online.
So, against my better judgment, I talked myself into going into the different Circuit City. They didn't have any on display, but they didn't have any mp3 players on display. I looked in the locked case and saw one in there. I called the sales guy over and he opened up the locked door and pulled out the box for me. I checked the little sticker on the front that said what color the thing was, and politely asked the guy, "are we sure this is the color of the player?" He said, "Let's find out." and proceeded to pop open the sacred FACTORY SEALED box take out the holy unit and hand it over to me to see for myself. My jaw hit the floor as I stared at the player, then at the sales guy, then at the player, then at the sales guy. So much for "corporate policy" about not opening a damned box.
Wrap it up, I'll take it. Boom, just like that, the store pocketed a quick $250, and I was on my way. Was that so hard?
~peace
Monday, November 28, 2005
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
Home Again
My vacation is over, dammit, and I'm back home now. Camelot Days was a blast, and a LOT of hard work. There is something really satisfying about being dead tired from working really hard all day and still having a great time doing it. Helping my friend, Tigre, with her booth at the faire was a LOT more work than I had anticipated. But the work involved was also really cool. I met a lot of really neat people, saw some great costumes (called "garb" in the Ren Faire circle), caught a few brief minutes of some good entertainment acts, helped sell some product, and the jewelry and other things we sold really made people smile. How can any of that be a bad thing?
Have you ever had some of those times where you are pissed off or frustrated as hell, but know that you will look back on it later and laugh about it? A lot of this weekend was like that. My friend and I went to Wally World before the event to pick up a new air mattress for her tent. We found a really cool one, double height queen size, big ol' fluffy thing that just looked comfortable as hell, ya know? I also picked up a battery-powered air pump to inflate that big sucker with, since we would be on a primitive camp site with no electricity. After the first day of vending, we go over to another vendor's booth to relax and talk and just enjoy some good conversation and company. We finally all get tired, and head back to our site to put up the tent and get some much needed sleep. The tent goes up without too much problem, and I roll out the new matress. I think, man, that thing is big in this little tent. Eh, no big deal we are only gonna sleep in here for a few hours.
Then I open the box the new air pump is in. Uh oh. That doesn't look right. I pull out the pump and look at it by lantern light. Aero-sport? WTF? I bought a Coleman. I look at the box, I look at the pump. Yep, sure enough, the box says Coleman battery powered air pump. The thing inside it was Aero-sport pump that needed an AC adapter to work, wich of course, was not in the box. THIS IS NOT GOOD! Tigre hears a few naughty words escape my lips and asks what's wrong. I give her the wonderful news, and we start discussing our plan of attack, which is basically to start walking through the site begging others for a spare pump. First we talk to the guys who run the trebuchet who did have a pump we could use...a BICYCLE pump. For a double height queen size mattress.
Um. No. Thank you.
Next we found a wonderful gathering of people sitting around a fire pit and getting their drink on. They had a pump we could use that would actually work! Score! And it was the exact pump that I thought we had bought at the store. Grr. So we take it back to the camp site and I begin inflating the mattress. Tig is sitting off to the side while I get this done. And in just a few minutes... she hears these squeaking sounds. "What is that noise?" she asks. I begin to snicker and reply "you really don't want to know." "Is it leaking?" "No" I reply, "that sound is ...well... it's the sides of the tent bulging." Long pause. "WHAT?"
Yes, the sides of the tent bulging. The damn mattress was bigger than the tent floor. And getting bigger. So big in fact that by the time it was fully inflated, the tent door wouldn't completely close. DAYUM! The tent looked like a muffin that had risen bigger than the muffin pan and spilled over the edge. All we could do at this point was just snicker. Getting the fitted sheet on the thing was also a challenge, but eventually we got everything done and crawled into the tent, and zipped up the door as much as we could.
The mattress had a built-in pillow, but due to the size of the thing, it was next to the door, which wouldn't shut completely and you really don't want to sleep with your head next to the door anyway, and the thing was so big, bulging out the tent sides there was no way to turn it around. So now our feet are elevated like we were in traction in the hospital. The mattress is double height, which puts us just a couple of feet from the tent ceiling, and if you have ever camped, you know that most tents have one of those little gear bags suspended from the ceiling so you can store stuff up there that you don't want on the ground, like wallets and watches and stuff. Well, we are so high up, that if you raise up a bit, that damn bag hits you in the head.
By this time, we are both so tired, we just laugh a bit and go to sleep eventually.
But you know something, even with the comedy of errors, I still had a great time and can now laugh about it all.
Now it's time for the holidays.
Have you ever had some of those times where you are pissed off or frustrated as hell, but know that you will look back on it later and laugh about it? A lot of this weekend was like that. My friend and I went to Wally World before the event to pick up a new air mattress for her tent. We found a really cool one, double height queen size, big ol' fluffy thing that just looked comfortable as hell, ya know? I also picked up a battery-powered air pump to inflate that big sucker with, since we would be on a primitive camp site with no electricity. After the first day of vending, we go over to another vendor's booth to relax and talk and just enjoy some good conversation and company. We finally all get tired, and head back to our site to put up the tent and get some much needed sleep. The tent goes up without too much problem, and I roll out the new matress. I think, man, that thing is big in this little tent. Eh, no big deal we are only gonna sleep in here for a few hours.
Then I open the box the new air pump is in. Uh oh. That doesn't look right. I pull out the pump and look at it by lantern light. Aero-sport? WTF? I bought a Coleman. I look at the box, I look at the pump. Yep, sure enough, the box says Coleman battery powered air pump. The thing inside it was Aero-sport pump that needed an AC adapter to work, wich of course, was not in the box. THIS IS NOT GOOD! Tigre hears a few naughty words escape my lips and asks what's wrong. I give her the wonderful news, and we start discussing our plan of attack, which is basically to start walking through the site begging others for a spare pump. First we talk to the guys who run the trebuchet who did have a pump we could use...a BICYCLE pump. For a double height queen size mattress.
Um. No. Thank you.
Next we found a wonderful gathering of people sitting around a fire pit and getting their drink on. They had a pump we could use that would actually work! Score! And it was the exact pump that I thought we had bought at the store. Grr. So we take it back to the camp site and I begin inflating the mattress. Tig is sitting off to the side while I get this done. And in just a few minutes... she hears these squeaking sounds. "What is that noise?" she asks. I begin to snicker and reply "you really don't want to know." "Is it leaking?" "No" I reply, "that sound is ...well... it's the sides of the tent bulging." Long pause. "WHAT?"
Yes, the sides of the tent bulging. The damn mattress was bigger than the tent floor. And getting bigger. So big in fact that by the time it was fully inflated, the tent door wouldn't completely close. DAYUM! The tent looked like a muffin that had risen bigger than the muffin pan and spilled over the edge. All we could do at this point was just snicker. Getting the fitted sheet on the thing was also a challenge, but eventually we got everything done and crawled into the tent, and zipped up the door as much as we could.
The mattress had a built-in pillow, but due to the size of the thing, it was next to the door, which wouldn't shut completely and you really don't want to sleep with your head next to the door anyway, and the thing was so big, bulging out the tent sides there was no way to turn it around. So now our feet are elevated like we were in traction in the hospital. The mattress is double height, which puts us just a couple of feet from the tent ceiling, and if you have ever camped, you know that most tents have one of those little gear bags suspended from the ceiling so you can store stuff up there that you don't want on the ground, like wallets and watches and stuff. Well, we are so high up, that if you raise up a bit, that damn bag hits you in the head.
By this time, we are both so tired, we just laugh a bit and go to sleep eventually.
But you know something, even with the comedy of errors, I still had a great time and can now laugh about it all.
Now it's time for the holidays.
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
Blog Anniversary
Oh my god, I just realized that I have been posting to this blog for a year now! I missed the actual anniversary by a few days (November 3, 2004). But hey, this is still a happy realization.
I've actually posted some pretty good articles over the past year. But the one thing I realize is that I have not posted regularly. I will try to do better at this, my dear readers. Some days, I just don't have anything interesting to say, ya know?
Oh well, maybe I should post the boring shit too, since so many other blogs do that anyway.
~later
I've actually posted some pretty good articles over the past year. But the one thing I realize is that I have not posted regularly. I will try to do better at this, my dear readers. Some days, I just don't have anything interesting to say, ya know?
Oh well, maybe I should post the boring shit too, since so many other blogs do that anyway.
~later
Quote for Tuesday
Confidence doesn't come out of nowhere. It's a result of something... hours and days and weeks and years of constant work and dedication.
- Roger Staubach
- Roger Staubach
A few days off
This will be my last post for at least a week. I'm heading out on vacation tomorrow for some much needed fun time. I'll be helping a friend of mine set up and run her vending booth for Silver Tiger Art at the Camelot Days Renaissance Faire. There are also a couple of days planned in there just for fun and relaxing things too, so it won't be all work. Even though the work part will be fun! I'm sure to have lots of pictures, and I just might share one or two of those.
It should be a lot of fun and I'm really looking forward to this. I'm still smoke free and the little counter on the top left shows me that I've saved over a hundred bucks now. But I also know that as I approach the 30-day mark, it is a dangerous time for those of us who have recently quit smoking. This is when we start getting a little cocky (as if I need to be any more than I already am) and occasionally think, "oh, one won't hurt me" or other such nonsense as that. I'm keeping my guard up and not letting myself think in those terms. The acronym "N.O.P.E." is still holding for me (Not One Puff Ever).
~peace
It should be a lot of fun and I'm really looking forward to this. I'm still smoke free and the little counter on the top left shows me that I've saved over a hundred bucks now. But I also know that as I approach the 30-day mark, it is a dangerous time for those of us who have recently quit smoking. This is when we start getting a little cocky (as if I need to be any more than I already am) and occasionally think, "oh, one won't hurt me" or other such nonsense as that. I'm keeping my guard up and not letting myself think in those terms. The acronym "N.O.P.E." is still holding for me (Not One Puff Ever).
~peace
Friday, November 04, 2005
Another "quit smoking" hurdle cleared
Well, I made it. I managed to go out last night to a bar, hang out with my smoking friends, have a few drinks and even sing some karaoke, and was able to resist the urge to smoke. I did tell my friends that I had quit, and they were all very supportive.
Yes there were temptations. Several times I wanted to pick up someone's pack and light one up. Several times I wanted to ask for just a drag. But I didn't. And I'm really happy with that. I was very careful to not drink to much and let my guard down. And up until the very end of the night, I made sure I didn't do any shots, which tend to creep up on you fast. But after I had already paid my tab and was on my way out, a friend bought me a shot, and I figured, well, I'm leaving anyway, might as well.
I had a good time, and was able to stick to my commitment. Celebrate life's small victories, right?
~out
Yes there were temptations. Several times I wanted to pick up someone's pack and light one up. Several times I wanted to ask for just a drag. But I didn't. And I'm really happy with that. I was very careful to not drink to much and let my guard down. And up until the very end of the night, I made sure I didn't do any shots, which tend to creep up on you fast. But after I had already paid my tab and was on my way out, a friend bought me a shot, and I figured, well, I'm leaving anyway, might as well.
I had a good time, and was able to stick to my commitment. Celebrate life's small victories, right?
~out
Thursday, November 03, 2005
Another Test for Not Smoking
As of now, I have gone 20 days without a cigarette. I have made it through the first few really bad days. I have made it through some really stressful things that popped up in my life (as they always seem to do when I think about quitting smoking), I even went on an extremely long road trip. And through it all I have somehow managed to resist the sometimes overwhelming urge to light one up. The road trip was a really big test for me. Usually when I get behind the wheel, I'm smoking like a chimney. It's a way to help pass the monotonous boredom of highway driving, and it helps keep me awake. But I was able to get through 1800+ miles without taking even one puff.
I can really only think of one more test I need to overcome. And that would be going to a bar. I have had a couple of beers at home since I quit, but I have not stepped foot in a bar in almost 3 weeks. Well, that's not completely true. Yesterday I did go to this little English type pub around the corner from where I work for lunch. But I went by myself, and just ate my meal and left. There was a certain twinge to light up while I was there. The big glass ashtray with the Camel logo in the center was sitting right next to me at the bar. The line of taps sitting just to my right. The soccer game on the tube above my head. And just behind the bar, I could see the display of packs of smokes available for sale. The girl sitting two seats down from me finished her meal and lit up a cigarette. I occasionally glanced her way and thought about how many times I lit up immediately after finishing my meal. Part of me really wanted to ask her for one, but the larger part was pleased that I really didn't need it.
So tonight, I think I will head to one of my favorite hang outs. There will be karaoke tonight. And the bar is typically pretty smokey. I've already told myself that if I feel tempted, I will walk out. On the advice of a friend, who has been quit smoking for a very long time, I plan to tell the bartender, wait staff, and my friends that I have quit, and to please do not buy me drinks or shots or in any way aid me in getting really trashed where my judgement might be weak. I'm pretty sure they will support me in my drive to give up this habit. Wish me luck, for tomorrow at 6pm EST, will be my three week mark. And from what I've read, this is a very dangerous time to slip and start smoking again.
~peace
I can really only think of one more test I need to overcome. And that would be going to a bar. I have had a couple of beers at home since I quit, but I have not stepped foot in a bar in almost 3 weeks. Well, that's not completely true. Yesterday I did go to this little English type pub around the corner from where I work for lunch. But I went by myself, and just ate my meal and left. There was a certain twinge to light up while I was there. The big glass ashtray with the Camel logo in the center was sitting right next to me at the bar. The line of taps sitting just to my right. The soccer game on the tube above my head. And just behind the bar, I could see the display of packs of smokes available for sale. The girl sitting two seats down from me finished her meal and lit up a cigarette. I occasionally glanced her way and thought about how many times I lit up immediately after finishing my meal. Part of me really wanted to ask her for one, but the larger part was pleased that I really didn't need it.
So tonight, I think I will head to one of my favorite hang outs. There will be karaoke tonight. And the bar is typically pretty smokey. I've already told myself that if I feel tempted, I will walk out. On the advice of a friend, who has been quit smoking for a very long time, I plan to tell the bartender, wait staff, and my friends that I have quit, and to please do not buy me drinks or shots or in any way aid me in getting really trashed where my judgement might be weak. I'm pretty sure they will support me in my drive to give up this habit. Wish me luck, for tomorrow at 6pm EST, will be my three week mark. And from what I've read, this is a very dangerous time to slip and start smoking again.
~peace
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
Where is the media for Hurricane Wilma?
Several months ago, the United States was deluged with images of destruction from Hurricane Katrina. The lives it affected was truly overwhelming and astounding. People all over the world were moved by the massive devastation and destruction this natural disaster wrought on New Orleans and the surrounding area. Many lives were lost, and even more property was wiped out. Many of us contributed to the Red Cross and other charitable organizations to provide what help we could. And the mass media was relentless in bringing us images and stories of how the many lives were shattered, broken and bent.
Fast forward to October 23, 2005. The day Hurricane Wilma, after obliterating the Yucatan Peninsula, turned it's sights on Southern Florida. Hurricane Wilma will go down as the strongest hurricane ever recorded, a massive category 5, with winds topping 175 mph. Thankfully, the storm reduced in strength before bearing down on Florida, and my heart truly goes out to the people of Mexico who were battered for two days with that monster of a storm. But when the storm hit Florida, it was still a very strong category 3, with winds sustained at 125 mph. Over 3 million people were without power. And over a week after the storm, that power still hasn't been restored. How could it be?
But let me ask you something...have you heard much about this storm where you live? What has happened to the people of Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Palm Beach and the rest of South Florida since this storm devastated that part of the United States? No one knows, really, because the television stations, the radio and the newspapers are not telling us anything. And I for one am furious about this. I happen to work at a newspaper, and I confronted my news editor on why, only 2 days after this storm made landfall, there was NOTHING on our front page about it. Her response? "well, we thought other things were more important, and we feel people are just hurricaned out."
Hurricaned out? WHAT THE FUCK? And as for other things being more important, I checked our front page as to what was deemed more important. Let's see, there was a story about how much it would cost to buy out the two major colleges of this area's football coaches contracts, and a story about the IRS not returning a few income tax refunds. This is what was deemed "more important" than 3 million lives being damaged. This is what was thought to be more important than the initial 10, and now over 22 deaths attributed to Hurricane Wilma.
Now I happen to know someone who lives in that area. She tells me what's really going on in that area. How so many elderly are not being attended to, how FEMA and other agencies are not getting the aid to those who desperately need it. There are food and water distribution sites set up here and there, but what do you do for the elderly, handicapped and disabled who live on the second, third or higher floors in buildings that have no electricity, and those people cannot use the stairs to get down to the sites, are not able to stand in line for 4 or more hours, and many don't even have cars to get them to these sites? And the city busses of Fort Lauderdale are not being run for people who have no other means of transportation. Why are these agencies not taking food and water to these people? The death toll in Florida continues to rise daily as people begin reaching those areas and find people who have starved to death, ran out of oxygen or medicine or were left without water. And the lack of power has also caused countless loss of income for many businesses, both large and small. My friend's business, Silver Tiger Art, is largely funded by her web site. Her web site was on a Florida-based server. And that server was offline for almost a week. Every day without electricity cost yet more money to her business in possible lost customers. Yet have we been told about this? I know I haven't by the media organizations I follow.
And this country is NOT hurricaned out. As you know, I have a radio show on AKA Radio. Now, my show only gets 20 or 30 listeners on a good night. Last Wednesday night, I did a telephone interview with my friend, who also happens to be a DJ on the station. As my listeners began hearing about the plight of these people, they started BEGGING me to let them help. In a two hour show, we raised over $250. This country is not hurricaned out. People want to help. They just need to know that help is needed. And it wasn't just the States. I also received donations from Canada and Great Britain too. And for all of you, my deepest thanks go out to you.
With that money, I went to the stores and loaded up with as much supplies as I could buy, and kicking in a large chunk of my own money. And after I got off work Thursday night, I started making my way to Fort Lauderdale to deliver the supplies they so desperately needed. It was an incredibly long drive, but when I finally arrived around 4pm on Friday afternoon, the response from those elderly people was humbling. I was told I was an angel, I was kissed and hugged, I was thanked repeatedly. And I couldn't have done nearly as much as I did without those wonderful listeners I have on AKA Radio. I still didn't feel like I did enough, but I was able to buy much needed batteries, candles, charcoal, a few grills, 5 cases of water, canned food, and toilet paper. And let me tell you, when you see someone almost weep after getting a can of Castleburry's Beef Stew or a couple of rolls of toilet paper, it makes you realize just how much it really means to extend a helping hand.
No, we are not "hurricaned out". We just need to know where we can help. And the fact that we do not know is a complete failure that rests squarely on the shoulders of the media for not reporting this travesty. I hope all of you in the media are ashamed of yourselves for not doing more to help the victims of Hurricane Wilma.
Fast forward to October 23, 2005. The day Hurricane Wilma, after obliterating the Yucatan Peninsula, turned it's sights on Southern Florida. Hurricane Wilma will go down as the strongest hurricane ever recorded, a massive category 5, with winds topping 175 mph. Thankfully, the storm reduced in strength before bearing down on Florida, and my heart truly goes out to the people of Mexico who were battered for two days with that monster of a storm. But when the storm hit Florida, it was still a very strong category 3, with winds sustained at 125 mph. Over 3 million people were without power. And over a week after the storm, that power still hasn't been restored. How could it be?
But let me ask you something...have you heard much about this storm where you live? What has happened to the people of Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Palm Beach and the rest of South Florida since this storm devastated that part of the United States? No one knows, really, because the television stations, the radio and the newspapers are not telling us anything. And I for one am furious about this. I happen to work at a newspaper, and I confronted my news editor on why, only 2 days after this storm made landfall, there was NOTHING on our front page about it. Her response? "well, we thought other things were more important, and we feel people are just hurricaned out."
Hurricaned out? WHAT THE FUCK? And as for other things being more important, I checked our front page as to what was deemed more important. Let's see, there was a story about how much it would cost to buy out the two major colleges of this area's football coaches contracts, and a story about the IRS not returning a few income tax refunds. This is what was deemed "more important" than 3 million lives being damaged. This is what was thought to be more important than the initial 10, and now over 22 deaths attributed to Hurricane Wilma.
Now I happen to know someone who lives in that area. She tells me what's really going on in that area. How so many elderly are not being attended to, how FEMA and other agencies are not getting the aid to those who desperately need it. There are food and water distribution sites set up here and there, but what do you do for the elderly, handicapped and disabled who live on the second, third or higher floors in buildings that have no electricity, and those people cannot use the stairs to get down to the sites, are not able to stand in line for 4 or more hours, and many don't even have cars to get them to these sites? And the city busses of Fort Lauderdale are not being run for people who have no other means of transportation. Why are these agencies not taking food and water to these people? The death toll in Florida continues to rise daily as people begin reaching those areas and find people who have starved to death, ran out of oxygen or medicine or were left without water. And the lack of power has also caused countless loss of income for many businesses, both large and small. My friend's business, Silver Tiger Art, is largely funded by her web site. Her web site was on a Florida-based server. And that server was offline for almost a week. Every day without electricity cost yet more money to her business in possible lost customers. Yet have we been told about this? I know I haven't by the media organizations I follow.
And this country is NOT hurricaned out. As you know, I have a radio show on AKA Radio. Now, my show only gets 20 or 30 listeners on a good night. Last Wednesday night, I did a telephone interview with my friend, who also happens to be a DJ on the station. As my listeners began hearing about the plight of these people, they started BEGGING me to let them help. In a two hour show, we raised over $250. This country is not hurricaned out. People want to help. They just need to know that help is needed. And it wasn't just the States. I also received donations from Canada and Great Britain too. And for all of you, my deepest thanks go out to you.
With that money, I went to the stores and loaded up with as much supplies as I could buy, and kicking in a large chunk of my own money. And after I got off work Thursday night, I started making my way to Fort Lauderdale to deliver the supplies they so desperately needed. It was an incredibly long drive, but when I finally arrived around 4pm on Friday afternoon, the response from those elderly people was humbling. I was told I was an angel, I was kissed and hugged, I was thanked repeatedly. And I couldn't have done nearly as much as I did without those wonderful listeners I have on AKA Radio. I still didn't feel like I did enough, but I was able to buy much needed batteries, candles, charcoal, a few grills, 5 cases of water, canned food, and toilet paper. And let me tell you, when you see someone almost weep after getting a can of Castleburry's Beef Stew or a couple of rolls of toilet paper, it makes you realize just how much it really means to extend a helping hand.
No, we are not "hurricaned out". We just need to know where we can help. And the fact that we do not know is a complete failure that rests squarely on the shoulders of the media for not reporting this travesty. I hope all of you in the media are ashamed of yourselves for not doing more to help the victims of Hurricane Wilma.
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