My Handle has always been a smile!

Day 13! Blog along with Effy!
          Today’s Nudge: Reminisce.

  I thought a lot about Hurricane season 2005, during Irma this last weekend. In 2005, I helped a friend out when they were in need. I took on some of his slack, and moved to Florida with him, to help be a part of his insurance team. I met him through a job I had a Bebo's car wash. He came in with army vehicles headed to Florida to help after the Hurricane. I mean, he was there at BeBo's car wash all day! I was the cashier, so we struck up several conversations with each car he brought in. Finally he asked me for my number. I wasn't so young and nieve. I gave him  my handle. My email address, at the time. I always have had the word smile in there somewhere! 

     I had to really convince my parents to let me go to Florida to help these people, as well as help this guy. I had to get out of a car wash! And into an office! More like into a hotel, with all the fixings. But still, it was out of MOBILE. My first real time away from home. I was gone for 6 months. But in that time, I met a bunch of people, and heard a bunch of horror stories, of which I will never forget. I had this insured that would call me at 3 am crying in panic. She was living in Mobile while, we were working on her house and getting paper work she needed to come home. Her husband would also call me all hours of the night. Before Jake from State Farm existed in Khaki pants, I was Jake. I was also HLE SMILES. (to them.) 

     One night he called about 1:25 am. I remember looking at the time. And we were down in Fort Myers. Less than a block from his house. But I would always answer. And I would always have to get up and enter his log that he called in my diary. I was not awake. And I said remember, my email address is HLE SMILES at yoo hoo drink.com like the chocolate drink! He said my name, seriously? I thought it was yahoo. This was well before yahoo was the it thing, mind you! And this became our running joke. He would call me and say hey yoohoo!

      Finally my time ended in Florida, claims were filled, including there's, and this insured, secured me a job working temporary work at the insurance agency. When I clocked in on my frist day, he and his wife paid me a visit. They wanted to thank me for always answering their calls, and listening to them ramble at all hours of the morning. My heart really went out to them. I was one person, but to them I was their world. They proved that to me when they came in the office, which was no longer bebo's but an actual office job! And each brought me a six pack of YOOHOOS! Instead of a dozen roses. I cried with them, for them. I really had touched their lives. 

     Hurricanes are a big deal down here in the south. And it is nice to be a helping hand. I got more out of helping than anything with my time spent in Florida. And Thank you Irma, for bringing back good memories as well as those horror stories, because I know my smile somewhere made a difference!