From the Pre-Blogging Era

Last night I had dinner with some of my financial aid buddies, including my dear friend Lois, who pretty much taught me everything I know about the field. She was more than my boss...she was a great mentor and an encouragement to me during the formative post-college years. Lois lives many states away from me now and it was so wonderful to see her in person again and get a few great big hugs - and swap stories from years gone by.

Some stories I'd forgotten about completely. And one of them was from the pre-blogging days. So in the absence of anything brilliant to say to you today, I thought I'd share this from the chronicles of Bekah-history.

When I began my job in financial aid, we spent much of our day calling and emailing representatives from lending companies. We talked to them so much, they felt like extra co-workers, and sometimes friendships formed.

And by friendships, I mean, of course, crushes.

Enter the one I shall call Josh, which is NOT his real name, but in case his grandmother's cousin's neighbor's dentist reads my blog, I'll keep his real identity a secret.

Josh and I started out emailing about loans. In case you've never worked in the student loan industry, let me tell you: loan emails are BORING. So to keep ourselves awake on long, dreary Indiana afternoons, Josh and I added little "hope you're having a good day" lines which expanded to So...hope you're having a good afternoon. I know I am. Of course I'm on the countdown now to 5:00, at which time I'll be going home to do laundry. Don't be jealous.

And from there it escalated to entire stories...and then the emails changed to phone calls "just to switch it up" - which I'm sure I don't need to tell you was just an excuse to hear a real live voice.

Josh had a superb voice.

Sometimes Josh would send me faxes - and he always worked extra hard on the cover sheet, sending me little messages among all the required name/date/number of pages including cover sheet information.

And then one day he asked if he could call me at 4:55 - just to say goodnight.

He did...day after day after day.

It turned into a spectacular work romance...one I wish I wouldn't have gotten so mad about when it ended that I shredded every fax and email. (Dumb, immature, rookie mistake.)

I could probably keep you entertained for a week with Josh stories, but this was my fave.

Toward the end of the relationship, I think we both knew things were winding down, but we continued to talk and fax and email because we were used to it. One night he called at the end of the day and we sat huddled in our respective offices, while co-workers around us turned out lights and went home.

We'd hardly begun talking when he said he had to put me on hold because he had to grab another line that was ringing. So he did...and I worked on leftover chores at my desk while the hold music played in my ear.

For five minutes.

Ten.

Fifteen...

About a half hour later (because I really am that stubborn) I fished my whale-sized cell phone out of my purse and dialed his home number. His roommate answered.

"Hi, is Josh there?"

"Sure! He's just eating some cereal. Hang on."

pause, pause, pause

"Hello?"

"Uh, Josh??"

pause, pause, pause

"Hey! How are.....oh nooooooooooo. You're still on hold aren't you?"

Mmmm hmmm. Totally forgot we were talking and left the office, drove home, AND was mid-cereal, while I was still waiting.

He felt awful. I thought it was hilarious. (Though granted, slightly pathetic on my part!)