Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Saying Goodbye

It's traditional for folks who've been with a company many years to write a parting email to all their friends. Below is the email I sent out today.


It was cold and rainy on the morning of January 3, 1977. It was my first day of work with South Central Bell. I left home two hours early to make sure I’d make it to work on time .  The fog in places was as thick as gauze. I arrived almost an hour early and I sat in the parking lot looking through mist on my windshield at the lights of the work center.  You see, I’d been out of work for almost a year and I was at a low point in my life. The job was a  Godsend.
My first position was as a garageman, which is a fancy way of saying I got to work at 3 a.m. and gassed up all the trucks. It was a humble beginning, but I worked hard and kept a good attitude (Living a Dream). I quickly moved into a position as an installation/repair technician.
One thing led to another until my path brought me here.
It’s been an interesting ride. MaBell has been good to me. She paid for my house, she paid for a very expensive college education and afforded me a  chance to travel. But by far, the biggest gift was the opportunity to work with some of the most incredible people on the planet.  My phone company family is closer to me than many families who are tied together by blood.  I am grateful I had the opportunity to work with you all.
I’m excited about my new life. I plan to do some fly fishing, play some music, write some books, and travel.  I know many of you may feel that this is a tough gig, but I feel up to the challenge.
I encourage everyone to ask yourself one question – What do you want to be when you grow up? Then I would work a little each day to move in the direction of your dreams. Also take a lot of pictures and never pass up a chance to let folks know how much they mean to you.
Thank you all very much.
Rick Watson

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