Power Shot

The lights went out last week, but I still got big jolt from my electric company.

I awoke early one morning and discovered I was in the middle of a blackout.

High winds had knocked out the power lines on my block and downed wires littered the streets.

I’m very fortunate to still have a job in the middle of the Covid-19 hell ride and while I can work from home, I do need electricity to make the magic happen.

Only there was none of be had.

The refrigerator came back on pretty quickly, which meant my food was safe, but the lights, cable, landline, and internet were all out of commission.

I was getting more anxious as it got closer to showtime, so I called ConEd on my smartphone. And that’s when I got a real shock.

“Hello, I’m Mr. Brown,” the customer service rep said. “How can I make your day better?”

I couldn’t believe my ears. This guy actually sounded human.

I’m so accustomed to hearing some soulless cyborg lip-synching a pile preprogrammed platitudes before pushing me off the line with a canned “have a nice day.”

What the hell is going on here? How could I have my temper tantrum when this fellow was being so goddamn nice?

Well, I couldn’t. Mr. Brown was so amiable and attentive that I didn't want to launch into my usual litany of corporate grievances. He had no business being this pleasant.

Now, I want to mention that I do my very best not to freak out all over the customer service people--though admittedly I don’t always succeed.

You can hate a company all you want, but it’s not right to abuse the first person who picks up the phone.

A good buddy of mine at work is a customer service rep for our company and I wouldn’t want anyone cursing or yelling at him.

Burning Bright

Mr. Brown very calmly explained that there wasn’t much he could tell me until the work crews who had descended upon my street like the First Armored Division had finished doing their thing.

“But please feel free to call us back at any time,” he added.

Damn it, he did it again—he was being nice and helpful. What is this country coming to?

The lights didn’t come back on to 4pm and by then the day was shot. Luckily my boss took it well and I got back on track the following day.

But Mr. Brown’s question is still rolling around my head.

How can I make your day better?

Yes, it's corny and probably straight out of the customer service rep's handbook, but I like it.

And I’m thinking that this is a question I could ask myself every morning when I get up or when I feel the anxiety creeping into my brain.

I can make my day better by being less fearful, more positive, and more productive.

I can drop the despair and the self-pity and focus on my various goals and projects instead of complaining all the time.

If I make my day better I can eventually make my life better.

And think that’s a good question ask to our friends and family members, and even people we meet outside our immediate circle.

How can I make your day better?

I don’t want to turn this into a eureka moment or an epiphany. Life is a journey and if you look for one flash of inspiration to define yourself, then you’re probably going to be disappointed.

But Mr. Brown did provide me with some good directions that would point me toward a higher path. And I’m very grateful for that.

And now I have to call the cable company about this monthly extortion racket they call a bill.

Mr. Brown, please pick up…