Being born is akin to arriving at an airport. You step from the comfy confines of your car into a bright, noisy, confusing place. There is so much activity and so many people. You are overwhelmed. All you can do upon arrival is simply stand and stare until you’re able to get your bearings.
Soon enough you go through check-in and security. Then it’s time to board your first flight. Your journey of life has begun! Be ready, this journey involves many connecting flights and destinations. There is school, work, perhaps marriage and parenthood as well. There will be turbulence from time to time. Broken hearts, grief and indigestion are all part of the package.
Sometimes you will only see your fellow passengers once. Their flights and layovers will be different from yours. Other times, you will see some of these travelers again on other flights.
B.J. Williams is a passenger whose journey has crossed paths with mine on a few occasions. We were both booked in coach on our first flight. We never really got to visit before she caught a connecting flight to radio in Atlanta where she got bumped up to first class.
As the miles went by and the years piled up, we would share more flights and more than a few adventures. There were remotes welcoming Santa to the mall. We did live coverage of the Olympic torch arriving at the Gainesville square when the games were in Atlanta. Eventually we were sharing breakfast on Maine Street. All the while, we shared parallel flights including marriage (not to each other) in the same year and children who are about the same age.
Billy Joel said it best when he penned the line “Life is a series of hellos and goodbyes, I afraid it’s time for goodbye again.” Fitting as now B.J. is catching another connecting flight on her journey. This time she’s flying with the Hall County Sheriff’s Office as their new civilian public information officer. They are fortunate to have her on board and so are the people that they serve.
B.J. is a kind person who is forthright and honest. Her command of the English language is such that she has earned the title of “B.J. the Grammarian.” And because of the aforementioned qualities, she will likely grade this blog and tell me how many errors I made. But she’ll add “bless your heart” after her critique.
B.J. is also a consistent Georgia Bulldogs football fan sticking by the team in both wins and losses. Given how deep her love of the Dawgs is, I would not be surprised if she talks the sheriff into changing the uniform colors to red and black as well as replacing the emblem on the patrol cars to the Georgia “G.” I will miss her participation in our Friday conversations with Loren Smith as we discuss Bulldog football during the season.
I will miss many other things as well. Her ability to laugh at my jokes on the show even though they aren’t all that funny. I appreciate her ability to tell the stories that must be told in a clear, direct manner. Her help coaching the news team and helping me with management issues will also be missed along with her willingness to hear me rant when I just needed someone to listen.
I do take comfort in the fact that at about 11 a.m. each working day the sheriff’s office will be perfumed with the fragrance of freshly nuked microwave popcorn. That is once she figures out how not to burn it. Every microwave is a bit different so it may take a little time. Be patient with her. And be ready to have the best-looking office Christmas tree each year. She knows her Christmas trees better than Santa.
Mornings on Y106 with Rhubarb Jones, Fun at 4 & 5, The News Hour, George and B.J. with former Y106 co-worker George Mason Dixon, Bill and Joel and Mornings on Maine Street, they are all destinations stamped in her passport. While none of us knows the length of our respective journeys, I do hope there is still time left on mine to share another part of the trip with B.J. Williams.
As you board your flight with the blue lights and the gold star, let me borrow a line from Bogey:
Here’s looking at you, kid.
