As of This Morning....

A family was shattered. I work as a switchboard operator on the airforce base. I handle a wide variety of calls from high ranking officers wanting to get in touch with airman in their squadron to young men calling from the Middle East to say hi to a family member. So it didn't surprise me when a gentleman called in the early afternoon wanting to speak with the base commander. Now, most people who just call me up and ask for the commander are put through to his secretary and that's as far as they get. Usually these people have complaints and feel they are entitled to voice them to the top ranking officer on the base. They are often presumptuous and/or rude to me and whomever else they happen to speak with. This man was different. He was calm and polite to me. So I rang the secretary's line, but no one picked up. I had to take other calls so I disconnected myself from the call thinking he would leave a message or call back. Here I must digress again to say that when people have me connect a call and they don't get an answer, they blame it on me. Apparently I am supposed to ensure that the other party will be there and answer the phone no matter what. And Heaven forbid the line is busy! Anyway, I hung up and continued taking calls. About 5 minutes later, my boss received a call from the same gentleman. I overheard a bit of the conversation, but I assumed that he was giving her a hard time for not getting through. I rolled my eyes and did not think charitable thoughts. When she got off the phone, my boss calmly told me that this caller was the father of an officer on the base who had died unexpectedly this morning. He was only 48, and he had a family. His father was making the call that no parent ever wants to make. Here I was assuming the worst about a person, ans he who was living every parent's worst nightmare was treating my boss and I with respect. I really thought I was having a bad day. I can't shake the sick feeling in my heart. I can't imagine outliving my child.
Please hug your loved ones. Please remember your situation could always be worse than it is.