Last year, I posted about a listener to my humble radio show who's life was brightened through the simplest of gestures. Today, I got a humbling repeat.
During my radio program (6-10 PST), I routinely ask for song requests. During the 8am hour, I get a song request for a listener...
"Can you play something from REO Speedwagon's 'You Can Tune A Piano But You Can't Tuna Fish' album?"
"Sure," I respond. "Is there a specific track I can play for you?"
"No," she replies. "Anything from that album would make my day."
I tell her I have a track from that album I'll get on the air next. I play it, then follow up with some trivia about the song and the album it's from. I've done my duty, on to the next song...
A few minutes later, that listener calls back, just to thank me to playing her request, and telling my listeners some more fun facts about the song the album it came from. "It made my day," she said. "Happy to do it, it's what I'm here for," I respond.
Fast forward about an hour. I'm about ready to close out my show, and do a last-minute giveaway for tickets to the local County Fair. My earlier caller was the winner.
About an hour after that, she shows up at the station, gives me a big, long, hug. Thanking my and my station over and over for how much what we are doing for her and everyone else, how much she loves our station, and how winning something like Fair tickets means to her. She said she never wins anything, even presents on her birthday, and to win something during my show gave her hope to try the lottery, as luck seemed to be on her side. She also brought a mocha and a freshly-baked cinnamon roll to me, as a "thank you". I accepted the gifts, telling her she didn't need to have done that, but she was insistent. I didn't have the heart to tell her I was diagnosed as Type 2 diabetic (since I saw her last), haven't touched a cup of coffee in years, and avoid sweets like the plague (that's a story for another day). I drank the coffee later (couldn't let a gift go to waste), and saved the roll for later - my wife does not yet know, and I hope to share it with her sometime this weekend.
The point being - you never know when what you think is something small can make a huge difference in someone's life. The little things can, and DO, matter, in surprising ways.
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