The highlight of my day was a phone call from Mr. Hasty. It started with an enthusiastic "You are tough to get a hold of. I told your secretary not to tell you I have been calling." And then we spent a few minutes catching up. We talked about the projects I've been working on. He told me about his daughter, a single mom struggling to find a job. We laughed about experiences we've each had over the past few months and marveled at how long we've known each other.
We met over eight years ago. At that time we had the opportunity to collaborate on a few projects. That association lasted about two years and then he took a new job and moved with his wife to another state. Since then, he has called me every six months to reconnect. I'm just one person on a long list of people with whom he goes to great lengths to stay connected.
There are many challenges in his life. His wife struggles with a longterm illness and his children experience the various difficulties life brings. Yet, he is enthusiastic, positive and kind in every possible way. He's one of those people that when you meet, you feel like you've known him forever. I'm certain that as long he knows how to reach me, we will remain friends. As we said goodbye he assured me I would be hearing from him six months from now. I said, "I hope so" and I do.
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