It's What I Do

Day 49: Serious business was taking place as Kevin and I worked in tandem to standardize our Volunteer position description phraseology with a list of interests in one column and the advertised position titles from Volunteer.gov offering a third set of terms. It was a task we hadn't had time to address during the busy summer months and was badly in need of doing. We were in our second session and getting a little punchy. "Digital Photo Librarian," I read from a printout. "Di-gi-TAL photoli-BRAR-ian," Kevin sang back to me to the tune of "Marian, The Librarian" from "The Music Man." I riposted in a high, squeaky voice, "I love you madly, madly, madame librarian..." and higher and squeakier yet, "MAAAAARIAN!" Then, as I read off "Volunteer Program Assistant" and added "Me!" with a glow of pride, Kevin dutifully typed in, "Volunteer Program Assistant (me)" and pressed "enter."

"Smartarse!" I said, looking over his shoulder. He responded, "I don't think we're good for each other" with a laugh. Ah, but here's the secret: we get the job done, and we have fun doing it. There are days when the recalcitrant system has us both swearing, days when nothing wants to go right, or if it does, it's but a brief illusion because in the next second, the system will crash, but by and large, we enjoy our jobs and enjoy working together.

After inventorying the new fleece jackets for our volunteers today and discovering that the "small" size would easily fit a 200-pound man, I opened a file drawer where the shoulder patches are kept. In the bottom was a single belt buckle. I asked Kevin what you had to do to earn one since I'd never seen the item being worn. His reply was unexpected, "Do you want it?" Of course I said yes. He explained that although we don't do it now, they used to be given out to Volunteers some time ago.

I feel there's a parallel here. Like my job and the wonderful relationship of friendship and cameraderie I share with Kevin as both boss and pal, that buckle is a real prize and pretty darned unique.